You Need a Home Care Folder (and What to Put in It)

Keeping track of home maintenance schedules inside and out, landscaping, and emergency contacts for repairs can be overwhelming, especially for new homeowners. Even for seasoned owners, helping with organization and a centralized place to store information can be a challenge—and no one wants to dig through a desk drawer or search through a filing cabinet for repair history when you need information about your homeowner’s insurance. emergency repair. But creating a well-organized system for storing records and information is as easy as running a maintenance folder.

In your binder, you should have sections for indoor, outdoor, and emergency information to keep track of any work done in your home in each section. If you don’t know where to start, start with an inventory of your home systems. You’ll need sections for HVAC, electrical, appliances, plumbing, roof and gutter, landscaping and gardening, as well as external checks such as vent covers and chimney caps. You should also include contact information for your favorite repair companies and emergency calls for things like roof or plumbing leaks. You can also include your homeowner’s insurance service numbers and any companies you have warranties with.

HVAC

Heating, air conditioning and ventilation, including furnaces, air conditioners, heat pumps, vents, fans, built-in humidifiers and dehumidifiers, and any other equipment associated with these systems should be covered by HVAC. Record when annual maintenance is done by you or a professional, when filters are changed, when vents are cleaned, and any repairs you make, by date in this section of your binder. Make a list of maintenance work and indicate how often it needs to be done, marking and dating it as you go.

Electric

Whenever you make any upgrades to outlets, lighting fixtures, or any other part of your electrical system, you should record them in the Electrical Engineering section of your binder. You can also include your monthly meter readings and keep track of any repairs you have made or system overhauls such as adding solar panels.

Plumbing

Any plumbing work other than a simple clogged drain should be done by your plumbing department. This includes your sinks, showers, sinks, and any appliances connected to the plumbing. If you have a septic or water filtration system, these should definitely be included in your binder. Any time you replace a fixture, add new drain or water pipes, or check any of your drains for root damage or other debris, you can write it down in your folder.

Technique

Keep all information about your appliance, including when and how often maintenance tasks should be performed, such as defrosting, replacing or cleaning the filter, and checking hoses. Be sure to mark and date them as they are completed, and include notes on any repairs. This is a good place to keep receipts in your folder pocket to make sure any warranties are up to date so you can find the information when you need it.

Appearance

Gutters and downpipes should be cleaned and inspected for damage once or twice a year and recorded in a maintenance log. You should also inspect your roof once a year and after any major storm or wind. Landscaping such as reseeding a lawn, replanting a garden, and any larger projects such as remodeling or renovating a driveway can also be saved in this section. Also keep track of every time you repair the roof or facade of the house.

Keep physical records in a safe place

If all this information is recorded in one place, it will be easier to remember what needs to be done, which specialists you prefer to hire for the task, and when the work was done by whom, not only for you, but also for insurance and warranty. companies. While you may have an electronic backup, remember that if you’re trying to find information in an emergency, you may not have access to the Internet or even electricity. Keeping a paper copy of these documents in a safe place will give you additional confidence that you will be able to quickly get the help you need when you need it most.

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