Homecheck

Find what's wearing out in your house before it breaks

Walk through your house with your phone and photograph eight spots, from the water heater label to the electrical panel. You get every issue ranked by what to fix first, with its age, whether it's a DIY job, and what a pro charges where you live.

Start the walkthrough

Within 6 months

Water heater past its expected life

Rating label on a gas tank water heater; light rust at the base.

Likely cause: Age: tank water heaters corrode from the inside.

Next step: Plan a replacement before the tank leaks.

Age
Made 2011 (15 yrs)
past its expected life of 6–12 years
InterNACHI life expectancy chart
Who
Hire a pro
National cost
$870–$1,750
Replace the water heater, national; Bob Vila cost guide, updated Apr 22, 2024

Example tag for a water heater labeled 2011. Age from the label; lifespan from InterNACHI; national cost from Bob Vila's cost guide. Your report adjusts costs to your state.

Your checkup

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Walk the house in this order. One or more photos per stop; skip what you don't have.

  1. Water heater labelThe sticker on the side with model, serial and date.
  2. Furnace or AC labelThe label inside the furnace door or on the outdoor AC unit.
  3. Under the sinksKitchen and bathroom, cabinet doors open.
  4. CeilingsAny stains, cracks or sagging. Top-floor rooms first.
  5. Roof and gutters, from the groundFrom the ground or a window. Don't climb up.
  6. FoundationOutside walls near the ground, and the basement or crawlspace if you have one.
  7. Electrical panelWith the door open, so the breakers show.
  8. Anything elseAnything that worries you: windows, deck, chimney, sump pump.

0 of 5–12 photos

Reading your photos. This takes about half a minute; keep this page open.

What you get

A ranked list
Safety hazards and active leaks first, then equipment past its expected life, then wear.
Age and remaining life
Read from the date on the water heater and furnace labels, against InterNACHI's life expectancy chart.
DIY or pro, and the cost
Published cost ranges for each repair, adjusted to your state's price level for services. Every number on a tag shows its source.
New, worse or fixed
Subscribers redo the checkup each season, prompted by email, and see what changed.

Price

Your first 2 checkups are free. After that, $8/month for seasonal checkups and reminders; cancel anytime.