For every home, rented or owned
The home maintenance checklist nobody gave you
Nobody hands you a manual when you get the keys. You're just expected to know that gutters need cleaning, that water heaters fill with sediment, and that a dryer vent full of lint is a fire risk. This is the list you were supposed to get.
Every month
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
- Check the HVAC filter — replace if it's grey
- Look under sinks for slow drips
- Run water in rarely-used drains so traps don't dry out
Every season
- Clean gutters (spring and autumn)
- Service the boiler or furnace before winter
- Check weatherstripping on doors and windows
- Drain and store outdoor hoses before the first frost
- Reverse ceiling fans for the season
- Check the roof for loose or missing shingles after storms
Once a year
- Flush the water heater to clear sediment
- Clean the dryer vent duct (not just the lint trap)
- Service the air conditioning
- Check the fire extinguisher's pressure gauge
- Review home insurance before it renews
- Test ground-fault outlets in kitchen and bathrooms
The part nobody tells you
The hard part isn't doing these things — it's remembering they exist at the right time. A checklist on the fridge works for a month. Then life happens.
Tended is built for exactly this. Tell it about your home and it builds the schedule for you, then reminds you when something is actually due — along with your car, your health, your money and everything else adulthood expects you to remember.