Renters and owners who want to prevent avoidable damage, handle genuinely low-risk upkeep, communicate clearly with professionals, and stop guessing during emergencies.
Course 35 · Life course 07
Learn Basic Home Maintenance & DIY
Know your home, inspect it on schedule, use basic tools, complete low-risk repairs, and recognize when to call a professional.
Before you start
Obtain permission for work if you rent, share ownership, live in an association, or have warranty restrictions.
See everything you’ll needWhat you’ll leave with
A home map, shutoff plan, tool kit, seasonal schedule, completed safe repair, contractor brief, and maintenance record.
Start course Start without an account. Sign in to save lesson progress across devices.
Your project
Start with the practice files. Build your project one lesson at a time.
Practice files are free without an account. Sign in to save your project record in My Proof: a description, checklist, and optional work link. Keep the original files in your own app or notebook; saving a project record does not upload them.
- Get your materialsDownload the practice worksheetUse the downloadable worksheet or toolkit alongside the lesson instructions.
- Make your projectView the project checklist Work in your own notebook, document, or software. Use the supplied practice examples when you prefer.
- Keep a private recordSave a project record Sign in to save a description and checklist, then return to update them.
Optional course overview
Watch an introduction.
This overview from This Old House introduces ideas you’ll practice in the lessons.
Watch directly on YouTubeThis Old HouseSimple Maintenance Tips for New HomeownersYouTube
Course handbook
Know the route before you begin.
Here’s what you’ll need and what you’ll make. You can return to this guide during any lesson.
- Obtain permission for work if you rent, share ownership, live in an association, or have warranty restrictions.
- Collect inspection reports, appliance manuals, service records, paint and material notes, utility contacts, and known hazard disclosures.
- Never work energized, on gas systems, at unsafe height, around suspected hazardous material, or beyond your training and legal authority.
Finish with proof you can use.
Build a home operations binder with system map, labeled shutoffs, emergency contacts, tool and PPE inventory, seasonal inspection calendar, completed low-risk repair record, issue photos, contractor-scope template, receipts, and next-service dates.
Save a project record in My ProofSee project checklist and review criteria
- A labeled home-system map, equipment inventory, shutoff photos, manual index, and emergency contact page.
- A list of tools and protective equipment for each task, with storage locations, inspection dates, and clear reasons to stop.
- A 12-month maintenance calendar and first baseline inspection with photos, priorities, owners, and due dates.
- One documented low-risk repair or mounting task with diagnosis, materials, safety check, process photos, and final load or moisture check.
- A plumbing and electrical response card plus two practice service briefs built from realistic scenarios.
- A contractor comparison, signed scope checklist, completion record, receipt file, and updated maintenance schedule.
Three ideas to help you along the way
Three useful ideas
The rules behind the steps.
Water first
Leaks, drainage, roof, humidity, and plumbing problems can compound quickly, so early detection and safe containment deserve priority.
Diagnose before opening
Observe symptoms, boundaries, history, and risk before removing covers, cutting walls, or purchasing parts.
Stop conditions are a skill
Competence includes recognizing permits, hazards, uncertainty, and consequences that require a licensed professional.
What do these words mean?
Key words
Key terms worth knowing.
- Shutoff
- A valve, switch, or disconnect used to stop a utility or system in an emergency or before authorized service.
- GFCI
- A protective device designed to interrupt power when it detects certain ground-fault conditions.
- Caulk
- A flexible sealant used at joints and gaps to limit water or air movement.
- Stud
- A vertical framing member that may provide reliable support for appropriate fasteners and loads.
Your route6 lessons.
6 lessons.
One useful project.
Work in order the first time. Each lesson makes something the next lesson can use.
- 1Up next
Map the home and its shutoffs
Locate the systems, controls, records, and contacts needed before a leak, outage, alarm, or equipment failure.
- 222 min
Build a safe basic tool kit
Select a small set of reliable tools and personal protective equipment while defining hard stop conditions.
- 338 min
Run monthly and seasonal inspections
Find small water, ventilation, safety, exterior, and equipment issues before they become expensive emergencies.
- 442 min
Seal, patch, and mount safely
Complete common low-risk cosmetic and moisture-control tasks using correct preparation, material, support, and finish.
- 522 min
Handle plumbing and electrical boundaries
Respond safely to common symptoms, isolate immediate harm, and know which work belongs to management, utilities, or licensed trades.
- 633 min
Hire help and maintain records
Describe the work you need, compare qualified professionals, check the finished work, and keep clear home-maintenance records.
Use the tools
See all tools Tools to help you practice.
Source transparency
Sources and further study.
Explore the references behind the lessons and take your learning further. Source notes explain access and reuse.
Ready when you are
Start lesson one Start with the first useful move.
You’ll always know what to do, what to make, and where to go next.
Open collaboration ideaHelp keep this complete course free.
Potential collaboration: Hardware retailers, toolmakers, home services, insurers
Partner with LifeStarter