The records every Long Island homeowner should keep

Most home paperwork disappears with the previous owner, or the previous phone. Keeping a handful of records in one place makes every repair, insurance call and eventual sale faster. Placeholder guide; the checklist version is on the way.

Equipment and serials

Furnace, boiler, water heater, AC, appliances: make, model, serial, install date and warranty expiry. See our serial-number locations guide.

Utility accounts

Provider, account number, meter or account identifier, and a recent usage reading.

Contracts and warranties

Service contracts, extended warranties and the paper receipts that back them up. Scanned copies are fine; the sale contract is what matters.

Projects

Permits, receipts and photos for every major project — a new roof, a finished basement, a kitchen. Keep the county sign-off letters where applicable.

Insurance

Carrier, policy number, coverage limits, deductible and the last claim history.

Everything above lives in your home file. Start a home file if you haven't yet.