Curriculum / Keep It Running
Keep It Running
Maintain useful records, complete documented owner care, recognize stopping points and compare repair with replacement.
What this is
A good repair decision starts with a clear symptom, the correct manual and an honest boundary. This course teaches you to document what happened, complete maintenance intended for owners and buy a defined repair instead of guessing at parts.
The practical work is a household service record: equipment identifiers, manual references, safe exterior observations, maintenance dates and questions for qualified providers. Internal electrical work, gas controls, refrigerant circuits, brake repairs and work under raised vehicles are outside the course.
Twenty-eight written lessons cover household appliances, heating and cooling, small engines, vehicles and repair economics. Seven worksheets help turn the reading into a usable maintenance and decision record. The course is educational and does not provide a trade qualification.
When you finish, you can
- Write a symptom report that separates observations from diagnosis.
- Find the correct owner manual and classify a task before starting.
- Recognize when to stop using equipment, leave an unsafe area or contact qualified service.
- Plan documented owner maintenance for appliances and HVAC equipment.
- Prepare a model-specific small-engine storage and service record.
- Build a vehicle maintenance ledger and evaluate a written repair scope.
- Compare repair and replacement using explicit cost and remaining-life assumptions.
Who should not buy this
- Anyone seeking training in internal electrical, gas, refrigerant, brake or other safety-critical repair.
- Anyone needing model-specific technical diagnosis, certification or a guaranteed repair outcome.
The modules
All 7, with every lesson title.
Observe Before Buying Parts
Build a useful handoff from facts, limits and unanswered questions.
- Observation before parts
- Four tools for owner-level maintenance
- Describe the operating sequence
- Choose the right stopping point
Worksheet — Diagnostic handoff
| Equipment and model | Observed symptom | Owner-manual page | Permitted check | Uncertainty | Service provider / next step |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dishwasher; model to record | Stopped before drain; displayed code to record | Owner troubleshooting page | Only listed user-accessible checks | Cause not diagnosed | Ask appliance service for diagnosis |
| — | — | — | — | — | — |
Electrical Literacy and Safe Boundaries
Understand service findings without opening electrical equipment.
- Read electrical terms without probing
- Off is not proof of safety
- Report sensor and switch symptoms
- Motor symptoms and service questions
Worksheet — Electrical service boundary
| Equipment | Visible symptom | Access required | Within owner instructions? | Stop reason | Qualified service question |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dryer | Will not start | Internal wiring would be needed | No | Internal electrical diagnosis | What evidence identifies the failed component? |
| — | — | — | — | — | — |
Appliance Care and Triage
Use documented owner maintenance and separate symptoms from diagnosis.
- Water observations without disassembly
- Dryer airflow and routine cleaning
- Refrigerator care and a clear handoff
- Seals and noise without a parts guess
Worksheet — Appliance care record
| Equipment/model | Symptom | Manual task/reference | Completed date | Result observed | Referral needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | Door not closing normally | Owner gasket-cleaning instructions | Not completed | Unknown | Refer if problem remains |
| — | — | — | — | — | — |
Heating, Cooling and Emergency Boundaries
Schedule owner care and recognize when to leave or call a professional.
- A seasonal owner-maintenance plan
- Thermostat settings before service
- Gas equipment: observation and referral
- Carbon monoxide: action before diagnosis
Worksheet — Seasonal service plan
| Equipment | Owner task / manual page | Interval from manual | Last completed | Assigned provider | Next date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HVAC model to record | Accessible filter if authorized | Copy exact interval | Unknown | Owner or service provider | Set after checking manual |
| — | — | — | — | — | — |
Small-Engine Care and Storage
Use model-specific owner instructions and a clear dealer handoff.
- Small-engine observations for the service counter
- Fuel history before carburettor work
- Storage from the exact owner manual
- Generator planning without house wiring
Worksheet — Engine storage record
| Equipment and engine models | Manual/revision | Storage instruction | Owner or dealer task | Completed date | Next service |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Record both identifiers | Matching owner manual | Copy the applicable instruction | Assign before starting | Not completed | Schedule |
| — | — | — | — | — | — |
Vehicle Maintenance Decisions
Keep records, recognize unsafe symptoms and buy a defined service.
- Build the vehicle maintenance record
- Brake symptoms belong in a service decision
- Tyre pressure and visible condition
- A diagnostic code is a starting point
Worksheet — Vehicle service ledger
| Vehicle/mileage | Task or symptom | Manufacturer reference | Last documented service | Next action | Provider / invoice |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Record vehicle and mileage | Tyre pressure inspection | Door placard and owner manual | Unknown | Check safely or arrange service | Record outcome |
| — | — | — | — | — | — |
Repair or Replace
The arithmetic that decides, written down before you are emotionally invested in a machine you have already half disassembled.
- Compare full costs and uncertain service life
- Parts availability as a signal
- The jobs worth paying for
- Keeping the record
Worksheet — Repair-or-replace decision record
| Option | Total cost | Shorter-life assumption (years) | Longer-life assumption (years) | Cost/year range | Downtime and other costs | Source / date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Repair | — | — | — | Calculate for both positive life assumptions | — | — |
| Replace | — | — | — | Calculate for both positive life assumptions | — | — |
On completion
Pass the final assessment and the certificate is issued the same minute.
The final assessment draws from every module and shuffles. There is no limit on retakes and no time limit on the course.
This certifies that
has completed every lesson and passed the written assessment for every module of this course.
Every outside number in this course comes from one of these
- CPSC: carbon monoxide and portable generator guidance — https://www.cpsc.gov/Safety-Education/Safety-Education-Centers/Carbon-Monoxide-Information-Center
- EPA: stationary refrigeration and air conditioning — https://www.epa.gov/section608
- Honda: model-specific engine owner manuals — https://engines.honda.com/support-and-service/owners-manuals
- NHTSA: tyre maintenance and pressure guidance — https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle-safety/tires
- Honda: owner maintenance guidelines — https://www.honda.co.uk/lawn-and-garden/owners/maintenance.html