Typical upkeep intervals
These are the tasks Service Bottle offers when you add a thing. Each interval is a common, conservative starting point. Your owner's manual, the maker, or local rules come first, and you can change any interval after adding it.
Tasks marked Safety protect people, not just the thing: smoke and CO alarms, heating, dryer vents, brakes, boat safety gear, generators. Each one says what can go wrong, when to get a qualified professional, and the public sources it rests on (NFPA, the U.S. Fire Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard). We are not a safety authority; if a source, your manual or a professional says otherwise, they come first.
Home
| Task | Typical starting interval |
|---|---|
| Replace the furnace / AC air filter | every 3 months |
| Test smoke and CO alarms Safety: NFPA and the U.S. Fire Administration say to test every alarm once a month with its test button. An alarm that does not sound, or keeps chirping after a new battery, needs replacing now. Hard-wired alarms are best replaced by a qualified electrician. Sources: NFPA: Smoke alarms; U.S. Fire Administration: Smoke alarms; NFPA: Carbon monoxide. | every month |
| Replace smoke alarm batteries (replaceable-battery alarms) | every year |
| Replace smoke alarms (check the date on the back) Safety: Replace smoke alarms 10 years after the manufacture date printed on the back, sooner if the maker says so. Hard-wired and interconnected alarms should be replaced by a qualified electrician. Sources: NFPA: Smoke alarms; U.S. Fire Administration: Smoke alarms. | every 10 years |
| Replace CO alarms (end-of-life date on the alarm) Safety: Carbon monoxide alarms wear out sooner than smoke alarms: commonly 5 to 10 years, set by the maker and printed on the alarm; many chirp when they reach it. NFPA says to replace them according to the manufacturer's instructions. 5 years is a cautious start: change it to the date on yours. Hard-wired CO alarms are best replaced by a qualified electrician. If a CO alarm sounds, get everyone outside into fresh air and call 911 or the fire department. Sources: NFPA: Carbon monoxide. | every 5 years |
| Heating system check-up Safety: The U.S. Fire Administration advises having heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected each year by a qualified professional. Fuel-burning heat can make carbon monoxide, so keep working CO alarms. Sources: U.S. Fire Administration: Heating fire safety; NFPA: Heating safety. | every year |
| Clean the gutters | every 6 months |
| Flush the water heater Safety: The water is hot enough to scald, and gas and electric units must be shut off in the right order first. Follow your water heater's manual; if you are unsure, or it is gas-fired, have a licensed plumber do it. A leaking or dripping pressure-relief valve is a job for a plumber. Sources: Your water heater's manual (the steps differ for gas, electric and tankless). | every year |
| Clean the dryer vent duct Safety: Lint build-up causes dryer fires: the U.S. Fire Administration lists failure to clean as the leading factor. Clean the lint filter every load. Long, crushed or in-wall ducts, and gas dryers, are best left to a professional duct cleaner. Sources: U.S. Fire Administration: Appliance and electrical fire safety. | every year |
| Vacuum the refrigerator coils | every year |
| Check the fire extinguisher gauge Safety: If the needle is out of the green, the pin or seal is missing, or it has been used even briefly, have it recharged by a fire-equipment service or replace it, as its label says. Sources: NFPA: Fire extinguishers; The label on the extinguisher. | every month |
| Clean the range hood filter | every 3 months |
| Press TEST / RESET on GFCI outlets Safety: TEST should cut the power and RESET should bring it back. If it does not trip, will not reset, or trips again and again, stop using that outlet and call a licensed electrician. Sources: The instructions printed on the outlet or its box. | every month |
Vehicle
| Task | Typical starting interval |
|---|---|
| Oil and filter change | every 6 months or 5,000 miles, whichever comes first |
| Rotate the tires | every 6 months or 6,000 miles, whichever comes first |
| Check tire pressure (spare too) | every month |
| Replace wiper blades | every year |
| Replace the engine air filter | every year or 15,000 miles, whichever comes first |
| Replace the cabin air filter | every year or 15,000 miles, whichever comes first |
| Brake fluid check / change Safety: Brakes are safety-critical. Use the fluid type and interval in your owner's manual. Bleeding the brakes is a job for a qualified mechanic unless you are trained; a soft pedal or a warning light means stop and get it checked. Sources: Your vehicle's owner's manual. | every 2 years |
| Registration / inspection renewal (your state sets the date) Your state sets this, not us. Many states renew every year, many every two years, and many have no inspection at all. Set the interval to match your renewal notice. | every year |
Boat
| Task | Typical starting interval |
|---|---|
| Engine oil change | every year or 100 engine hours, whichever comes first |
| Lower unit gear oil change | every year |
| Replace the water pump impeller | every 2 years |
| Test the bilge pump and float switch | every month |
| Check safety gear (life jackets, flare dates, extinguisher) Safety: What you must carry depends on the boat and where you use it, under Coast Guard and state rules. Check before each season, and before every trip that life jackets fit and are in reach. A free Vessel Safety Check is offered through the Coast Guard's boating safety program. Sources: U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety. | every year |
| Winterize / de-winterize | every year |
Mower, generator and other equipment
| Task | Typical starting interval |
|---|---|
| Mower oil change | every year or 50 hours, whichever comes first |
| Sharpen the mower blade | every year or 25 hours, whichever comes first |
| Run the generator under load Safety: Generators make carbon monoxide, which kills. Run it only outdoors, away from windows, doors and vents, never in a garage or shed even with the door open. Connecting it to house wiring needs a transfer switch fitted by a licensed electrician. Sources: NFPA: Carbon monoxide. | every month |
| Generator oil change | every year or 100 hours, whichever comes first |
| Replace the spark plug | every year |
Mileage and hour intervals are only used on a thing that has that meter. Many modern cars allow longer oil-change intervals than the one shown; follow your manual or the car's oil-life monitor.