Clean or replace the furnace filter before the cold settles
Heating season is underway in cold country, and a clogged filter is the first thing to rule out when a room stays cold. Note the size on the frame.
- Time
- 15 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Who
- DIY
Free · Every Saturday
One short email each Saturday: what to check, fix, and maintain around your house this week.
Written for ordinary houses, townhomes, and condos. A checklist you can finish before lunch, plus a free calendar you can open any day. Run by Escape Velocity Leads LLC.
November around the house
A preview for a house in a cold winter climate. The full calendar lets you switch.
Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
Test them before guests and holidays fill the house. Press the button. A chirp that returns after a battery change can mean the unit itself is at the end of its life. Check the date on the back.
- Time
- 15 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Who
- DIY
Show everyone in the home where the main water shutoff is
In a leak, the shutoff is the whole emergency plan. Open the closet or the meter door, point at the valve, and turn it slightly so you know it moves. Label it if it is easy to miss.
- Time
- 10 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Who
- DIY
Cover or drain outdoor faucets before a hard freeze
A hose left on is the usual reason a frost-proof faucet still bursts. Remove hoses, drain the line if you have an indoor valve, and cover the faucet if a freeze is coming.
- Time
- 20–40 minutes
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Who
- DIY
The latest issue
No issue has been sent yet. When a Saturday letter goes out, it will show up here and in the archive. Drafts stay off the public list.
Visit the archiveWhat arrives on Saturday
This week’s checklist
Three to five jobs that fit a Saturday morning. Each one says why it matters.
One fix of the week
A short how-to for a single repair, with the point where a pro should take over.
Seasonal heads-up
What the next few weeks tend to bring, without a lecture.
A tool or a tip
Something you likely already own, used for a job you will actually do.
A free calendar, with or without the email
Browse the year by house, townhome, or condo, and by climate. It starts on a Mountain West, cold-winter view. Sponsors, when we have them, are labeled. They do not pick the advice.