I Used AI to Help Me Stay Ahead of Home Maintenance. Here's How

Your home can be a worthy adversary in the battle of time suckage: Gutters need clearing, railings need securing and walls need painting. But the worst home maintenance of all is the invisible kind. The leaky pipe in the crawl space that silently betrays you while you're focused on increasing curb appeal. It's not just that you don't want to do it. You probably don't, but anyone who's ever snaked a clogged drain knows the longer you wait, the messier the job gets. The good news? AI tools can give you a leg up, helping you use your elbow grease and rainy day fund wisely. Here's how to use AI to keep up with home maintenance. Take your insurance seriously Homeowners insurance isn't just there to cost a fortune. Theoretically, you should be able to make a claim and recoup certain costs, but wading through the jungle of legalese and policy inclusions can tax even the sharpest of homeowners' minds. AI tools can help you crawl your homeowners insurance policy for benefits you might be missing out on. I used Microsoft Copilot to review a 29-page standard policy in Ohio and generate an easy-to-reference breakdown of what those large homeowner payments actually cover. Important documents such as homeowners insurance policies can be complicated, but an AI chatbot can help summarize them and point you to the parts you need to know. Just be sure to check what the AI says against the actual document. Copilot/Screenshot by CNET I was surprised to find volcanic eruptions listed as covered damage in an Ohio insurance policy -- but anything is possible, I guess. The policy also covers damage from failing HVAC systems and spoiled food if the power goes out. That's good to keep in mind as we head into what's already shaping up to be a record-breaking heat season. A chatbot can pull out any potential insurance programs that can help you with home maintenance. Copilot/Screenshot by CNET The known unknowns A lot of new homeowners aren't yet hip to the potential horrors that come with the pillar of the American dream known as homeownership. You may have always dreamed of owning a house with a pool, but I'll bet those fantasies didn't include chlorine tablets and flooded water pumps. AI can help you take stock of your home's quirks, danger zones and risk factors. I asked Google's Gemini to round up the trouble that might be waiting around the corner. Gemini has some guesses about what problems a particular type of home might have. Gemini/Screenshot by CNET Gemini was spot-on when it came to the plumbing, which was mercifully replaced with copper in the early 2000s. The note about adding French drains was also accurate, as we had one installed just last winter, right in time for two straight weeks of heavy rain Copilot/Screenshot by CNET The note about the electrical panel was timely, and the termite inspection raised the hairs on the back of my neck. We've never had the house inspected for termites, and seeing "high-activity zone" definitely makes the need feel urgent.