Home maintenance log: Why you should keep a maintenance checklist

Owning a home takes much patience, attention to detail and a bit of work! Over the years, different areas of your house may need upgrades or repairs, features may need continual checking to ensure they work properly and cleaning may need to be done regularly. 

Keeping a home maintenance log is a great way to keep up with the ins and outs of your property and store valuable details helpful for the future of your home. 

Keeping track of upgrades

Let’s say you upgrade your kitchen appliances to more energy-efficient devices. Keeping track of these upgrades is beneficial for several reasons: 

• The recipient can help you keep track of the warranty. 
• Keep track of dates for servicing records. 
• You'll need the owner's manual if troubleshooting is needed. 
• Note home improvements to highlight the increased value of your property. 
• If you plan to sell your home, leaving this info for the buyer will know when you purchased the appliance and how much energy it saves.

Convenient record of service visits

Perhaps you have a furnace that requires servicing annually, or another appliance that needs frequent upkeep. Recording when you have parts replaced, receipts, and prospective dates of the next service can help you keep features of your home organized and well-kept. 

Highlight and map areas of your home 

Some areas of the home are more tedious to keep note of. For example, it can be difficult remembering where the septic tank is when it's time to have it pumped clean again, especially since it may not need servicing often. 

However, writing down its location and logging it into your home maintenance binder can help you keep track of it. You'll want to include the locations of water shut-off valves, well caps and gas mains. 

By tracking your home maintenance in a binder, you keep key pieces of information noted and secure in case it’s needed for future use. Consider keeping both a physical and digital copy in the case a physical copy becomes lost or damaged.