The HouseSpouse Blog
Practical guides, seasonal checklists, and judgment-free homeownership tips to help you protect your home and skip the costly surprises.
Home SystemsDrain and flush a tank water heater once a year, or every 6 months with hard water. Safe steps for gas and electric tanks, when not to, and tankless descaling.
Home SystemsChange a 1-inch pleated HVAC filter about every 90 days, fiberglass monthly, and 4 to 5 inch media filters every 6 to 12 months. A schedule by filter type.
Home AppsThe best home maintenance app depends on what you need. We compared six on price, how each builds your plan and what it keeps, with Android options noted.
Home AppsHippo Home is free and builds a plan from your address. HouseSpouse is paid and keeps your records too. Compare price, plans, records and who each app suits.
Home SystemsFind your water heater's age in two minutes: where the date is on the label and how to decode Rheem, A.O. Smith and Bradford White serial numbers.
Homeowner LifeThe exhausting part of owning a home isn't the tasks. It's being the one who remembers them. Here's how to get the invisible checklist out of your head.
Home RecordsStop losing warranties and receipts. Here's a simple way to organize your home's records so you can file a claim, prove a loss, or sell with confidence.
New HomeownersJust bought a house? Here's the first-year home maintenance checklist nobody gives you: month by month, no experience needed. Save it and breathe.
Seasonal GuidesA season-by-season home maintenance checklist for every climate. Know exactly what to do each spring, summer, fall, and winter to protect your home and avoid costly repairs.
