December 01, 2025

Maintenance reminder dashboard

Keep track of all household maintenance with a wall-mounted tablet that shows days remaining for filters, pool chemicals, and other recurring tasks. One tap adds items to your shopping list when it’s time to restock.

Use cases

Maintenance tracking

HVAC filters - Replace every 30-90 days
Water filters - Fridge, whole-house, under-sink
Pool chemicals - Weekly chlorine, monthly pH adjusters
Smoke detector batteries - Annual replacement

Convenience features

Visual countdown - See days remaining at a glance
One-tap shopping - Add to list with single touch
Color-coded status - Green/yellow/red indicators
Family visibility - Everyone sees what's needed

Products needed

Essential equipment

Wall-mounted tablet

Options: Amazon Fire tablet, iPad, Android tablet
Mount: Wall mount bracket or magnetic mount

Dashboard software

Home Assistant dashboard, Fully Kiosk Browser, ActionTiles, SharpTools
Displays maintenance counters and status

Optional enhancements

Shopping list integration

Todoist, AnyList, OurGroceries, Apple Reminders, Alexa Shopping List
For one-tap adding items when maintenance is due

Smart sensors

Filter pressure sensors, water quality monitors for automatic tracking

💡 Common maintenance intervals

HVAC filter: 30-90 days (depends on filter type)
Fridge water filter: 6 months
Pool chlorine: Weekly
Smoke detector battery: 12 months
Water softener salt: Monthly (varies by usage)
Vacuum filter/bag: 1-3 months

Basic automation setup

DASHBOARD DISPLAY: - Show card for each maintenance item - Display days remaining with color coding - Green (>30% time left), Yellow (10-30%), Red (<10%) - Show "Add to shopping list" button when Red ONE-TAP ACTION: IF "Add to list" button tapped THEN add item to shopping list AND mark as "ordered/added" AND optionally reset counter when marked complete

Dashboard elements

Card for each maintenance item
Days remaining counter
Progress bar or color indicator
Last replaced date
Action buttons (Add to list, Mark complete)

Counter logic

Start date: When item was last replaced/added
Interval: Days until next replacement needed
Days remaining: Start date + Interval - Today
Status: Green/Yellow/Red based on percentage

Actions

Add to list: Push item to shopping list app
Mark complete: Reset counter to full interval
Snooze: Delay reminder by X days
Adjust interval: Change if replacing more/less often

Notifications

Alert when item reaches Yellow status
Urgent alert when Red status
Weekly summary of upcoming maintenance
Confirmation when item added to shopping list

Platform-specific examples

Home Assistant

Counters Use input_datetime for last replaced date per item

Templates Calculate days remaining with template sensor

Dashboard Lovelace cards with gauge/progress display

Tip: Use button card with tap_action to call shopping list service

SmartThings

Setup Use virtual switches for each maintenance item

Dashboard SharpTools or ActionTiles for display

Actions Link to IFTTT or Alexa for shopping list

Hubitat

Tracking Use Hub Variables for dates and intervals

Dashboard Hubitat Dashboard or SharpTools

Rules Rule Machine for notifications and actions

Apple HomeKit

Reminders Use Apple Reminders with recurring dates

Display iPad with Reminders widget or Home app

Shopping Link to Apple Reminders shopping list

Note: Use Shortcuts for more advanced automation

Alexa

Reminders Alexa recurring reminders for each item

Display Echo Show or Fire Tablet with reminder display

Shopping "Add HVAC filter to shopping list"

Google Home

Reminders Google Calendar events for maintenance

Display Nest Hub or Android tablet with calendar

Shopping "Add to shopping list" via Google Assistant

Advanced features

Automatic tracking

Use sensors to detect when maintenance is actually needed:

HVAC filter: Pressure differential sensor across filter
Water filter: Flow rate or TDS sensor
Pool: Automated water chemistry testing
Vacuum: Track usage hours or cleaning cycles

Smart shopping integration

Automated purchasing options:

Add to Amazon Subscribe & Save
Push to shared family shopping list
Create recurring Amazon orders
Integration with grocery delivery services

Cost tracking

Monitor maintenance expenses:

Log cost of each item when replaced
Track monthly/yearly maintenance spending
Compare costs between brands
Predict upcoming expenses

Common maintenance items to track

HVAC and air quality

HVAC air filter (30-90 days)
Humidifier filter (30-60 days)
Air purifier filter (6-12 months)
Dryer vent cleaning (yearly)

Water systems

Refrigerator water filter (6 months)
Under-sink filter (6-12 months)
Whole-house filter (3-6 months)
Water softener salt (monthly)

Pool and outdoor

Pool chlorine (weekly)
Pool pH adjuster (as needed)
Pool filter cleaning (monthly)
Lawn fertilizer (seasonal)

Safety and appliances

Smoke detector batteries (yearly)
CO detector replacement (5-7 years)
Vacuum filter/bags (1-3 months)
Dishwasher cleaner (monthly)

Common issues and solutions

Counters not updating

Problem: Days remaining stays the same or shows wrong value.

Solutions:

Verify template sensor is calculating correctly
Check that start date was set properly
Ensure timezone settings are correct
Force refresh of template sensors

Shopping list not syncing

Problem: Items don't appear in shopping list app.

Solutions:

Verify API connection to shopping list service
Check authentication hasn't expired
Test service call manually in developer tools
Use alternative integration (IFTTT, Zapier)

Tablet screen burns in

Problem: Static dashboard causes screen burn-in over time.

Solutions:

Enable screensaver or screen-off during unused hours
Use Fully Kiosk Browser with motion-activated screen
Reduce brightness when not in use
Use OLED-safe themes with moving elements

Family doesn't check dashboard

Problem: Dashboard exists but nobody looks at it.

Solutions:

Mount in high-traffic area (kitchen, entryway)
Send push notifications when items need attention
Add useful features (weather, calendar) to encourage viewing
Make screen activate on motion detection

Best practices

Setting up maintenance dashboard

List all recurring maintenance items in your home
Research proper replacement intervals for each
Set up counters with last-replaced dates
Create visual dashboard with color-coded status
Connect to shopping list for one-tap adding
Add notifications for Yellow and Red status items
Mount tablet where family will see it daily

What to avoid

Too many items - Start with 5-10 most important
Wrong intervals - Research proper timing for your equipment
Hidden location - Put dashboard where everyone sees it
No notifications - Dashboard alone won't catch attention
Static intervals - Some items need adjustment based on usage

Related automations: