Articles · What's in the house
What should a home's record hold?
Most houses have a folder of receipts, a few manuals and maybe a warranty card, and it doesn't hold what an insurer asks for after a fire or what a buyer asks for at a sale. A record has a page for each thing in the house that could break or be stolen.
What this means for your home
For your house, that's the systems and appliances with their make, model, age and who has serviced them, when the roof, windows, siding and foundation were done, and an inventory of what's inside with photos and receipts. Add the paperwork and the people who work on the house, and keep a copy somewhere other than the house, as the NAIC says to do with an inventory.
What goes in
A record has a page for each thing in the house that could break or be stolen.
- The systems, meaning the furnace, air conditioner, water heater, electrical panel, well or sewer, and irrigation. For each, the make, model, age, who installed it, who has serviced it, and what they found.
- The appliances, the same way.
- The house itself. When the roof, windows, siding and foundation were done and by whom.
- What's inside, meaning the things you'd list for an insurer. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners says an inventory makes a claim easier and should include the brand, the price paid, the purchase date, the model and serial number, photos and receipts.
- The paperwork, meaning permits, warranties, paint colors, and the plans if you have them.
- The people. The plumber, the electrician and the roofer, with how to reach them.
When it matters
After a fire or a flood, the Insurance Information Institute says the claim settles faster the more you know about what was damaged, including a description, the purchase date and the replacement cost.
When you sell, the record is proof. A buyer can see that the furnace was serviced every year and the roof was replaced in 2019 by a named company.
When something breaks, the record answers the first questions a contractor asks.
Sources: Insurance Information Institute: Settling insurance claims after a disaster
Where the folder falls short
Most houses have a folder of receipts, a few manuals and maybe a warranty card. It doesn't hold what an insurer asks for after a fire or what a buyer asks for at a sale.
The folder is in the house, and the NAIC says to keep a copy of your inventory somewhere else. The folder has no order. And it stays behind when you move, so the next owner starts over.
What this doesn't tell you
The NAIC says to keep a copy of your inventory somewhere other than the house, so a record kept only in the house has the folder's problem. The plans belong in it if you have them.
Your next step, one thing to do in Lyle
Open the chat and send Lyle a photo of a nameplate, an invoice or a receipt. Lyle adds it to your house's record, and you'll find it under My Home.
Questions people ask
What should a home inventory include for insurance?
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners says an inventory should include the brand, the price paid, the purchase date, the model and serial number, photos and receipts.
Where should I keep my home inventory?
Somewhere other than the house. The NAIC says to keep a copy of your inventory somewhere else, and a folder in the house doesn't do that.
Why keep service records for a house?
When you sell, the record is proof: a buyer can see the furnace was serviced every year and the roof was replaced by a named company. When something breaks, the record answers the first questions a contractor asks.
Can I share my home's record with a buyer when I sell?
Yes. A folder stays behind and the next owner starts over, but a record in Lyle is easy to share with a buyer, a real estate agent, or anyone else who's helping. A buyer can see that the furnace was serviced every year and when the roof was replaced, and by whom.
Can contractors add to my home's record?
With your permission, the contractors who work on the house can write into it in Lyle. You can edit or remove anything.