Each spring and fall do a visual inspection of your home both inside and out. Flush your water heater once or twice a year, and replace the sacrificial anode once every three or four years. Check your water softener weekly, and clean out the salt bin once a year. Have your furnace tuned up once a year. Use Drano Max Gel in all your drains once a year. Use root kill in your lateral sewer line once or twice a year, and one gallon of lye once per year. A good rule of thumb is to expect to spend 1% of the value of your home on maintenance and repairs every year, e.g. if your home is worth $200,000 then expect to spend about $2000 on repairs.