Home Manual System

I’ve been working on creating a system that captures my ‘Home Manual’ and allows me to manage a number of challenges with one single source of truth:

  • Unique IDs and associated QR codes for items like circuit breakers, outlets, etc.
  • Capturing machine readable (YAML) data about my home inventory, maintenance, improvements, etc. that can be processed by other tools like Home Assistant
  • Referencing the storage location for my various tools: DEVONthink, Under My Roof, etc.

Yes, I had help from ChatGPT.

Here’s what I have so far. What do you think?

Purpose

This repository documents a comprehensive home manual using a Johnny Decimal (JD) indexing system. It provides a consistent way to track panels, breakers, circuits, devices, and their physical locations, integrating with Under My Roof (UMR) and Home Assistant (HA).

All data is stored in YAML for structured tracking and machine-readability.


JD Master Index (Home Manual)

00-09 System Info

10–19 Electrical

  • 11.xx Panels (main, subpanels)

  • 12.xx Breakers

  • 13.xx Circuits

  • 14.xx Devices (outlets, lights, switches, hardwired appliances)

  • 15.xx Upgrades / issues (knob & tube, rewires)

20–29 Plumbing

  • 21.xx Supply (valves, meters, main shutoff)

  • 22.xx Fixtures (sinks, toilets, tubs, outdoor spigots)

  • 23.xx Waste (drains, cleanouts, septic system)

  • 24.xx Special (water heater, sump pump)

30–39 HVAC

  • 31.xx Heating (furnace, boiler, heat pump)

  • 32.xx Cooling (AC units, minisplits)

  • 33.xx Distribution (ductwork, vents, dampers)

  • 34.xx Controls (thermostats, zoning)

40–49 Structure & Safety

  • 41.xx Roof

  • 42.xx Walls / siding

  • 43.xx Foundation / drainage

  • 44.xx Fire safety (extinguishers, detectors)

  • 45.xx Security (cameras, sensors, alarm)

50–59 Networking & Low Voltage

  • 51.xx Rack & Panels

  • 52.xx Routers, switches

  • 53.xx Access points

  • 54.xx Servers, NAS, UPS

  • 55.xx Low-voltage wiring (ethernet, coax, speaker wire)

60–69 Appliances & Equipment

  • 61.xx Major appliances (fridge, stove, washer/dryer)

  • 62.xx Small appliances

  • 63.xx Shop/garage equipment (air compressor, welder)

70–79 Grounds & Exterior

  • 71.xx Landscaping (trees, raised beds, irrigation)

  • 72.xx Hardscape (patio, deck, retaining walls)

  • 73.xx Outbuildings (shed, garage, hoop house)

80–89 Maintenance & Projects

  • 81.xx Scheduled maintenance (filters, inspections)

  • 82.xx Repairs

  • 83.xx Improvements / remodel projects

90–99 Inventory & Records

  • 91.xx Tools (hand, power, lawn)

  • 92.xx Consumables (paints, filters, bulbs, fasteners)

  • 93.xx Documentation (warranties, permits, inspection reports)

  • 94.xx Photos / as-builts

  • 95.xx Spare parts inventory

Examples:

breakers:
  - id: 12.07
    slot: 7
    amperage: 20
    type: standard
    circuits: [22.05, 22.06]  # one-to-many: breaker → circuits
    protection:                   # only if breaker provides GFCI/AFCI
    gfci: true
    afci: false

circuits:
  - id: 22.05
    devices: [41.12, 41.13, 41.14]  # one-to-many: circuit → devices
  - id: 22.06
    devices: [41.15, 41.16]

devices:
  - id: 41.12
    type: outlet
    protection:                    # outlet-level protection overrides circuit
      gfci: true
      scope: downstream
  - id: 41.13
    type: outlet
  - id: 41.14
    type: light
1 Like

Wow! That’s really good.

Sorry, late to the party! Yeah that’s cool. Makes me want to feed the whole thing in to a diagramming system… would we get a schematic of the house?!

Yes, currently working on a web app that presents some of the data visually. With the ‘digital twin’ approach the sky is the limit.

1 Like