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There's a Difference Between a List and a Map

Most home documentation tools give you a place to list your appliances. HomeRunbook gives you a topology-aware digital twin that shows how every system in your home connects. That difference changes everything.

Try HomeRunbook Free See the Demo
Inventory List Furnace Carrier 58CTW Water Htr Rheem XG50 Dishwashr Bosch SHP878 Panel Siemens 200A Thermostat Nest 3rd Gen No connections shown No topology data Just a flat list ✗ upgrade Topology Map Main Panel HVAC WH Kitchen Nest Br 8 Br 14 Pipe Everything connected Trace any path See dependencies ✓
11
Home systems HomeRunbook maps and connects
First
Home documentation tool with true topology mapping
Dozens
Of connection types HomeRunbook understands
Minutes
Of troubleshooting time saved per issue
Feature Comparison

How HomeRunbook Stacks Up

An honest, feature-by-feature comparison of HomeRunbook against the most common ways people try to document their homes.

Feature HomeRunbook Home Binder Apps Spreadsheets Paper / Memory
Visual Topology Mapping ✓ Full system maps ✕ Not available ✕ Not possible ✕ Not possible
System Connections ✓ Traces across systems ✕ Isolated entries ~ Manual cross-refs ✕ In your head
AI Assistant ✓ Topology-aware ~ Generic tips ✕ None ✕ None
Photo Recognition ✓ Reads equipment labels ~ Photo storage only ✕ Manual entry ✕ Not possible
Safety / Code Checks ✓ Automatic ✕ Not available ✕ Not available ✕ Not available
Maintenance Scheduling ✓ Auto-suggested ✓ Manual setup ~ Calendar reminders ✕ Easily forgotten
Document Storage ✓ Linked to systems ✓ General upload ~ Separate folders ~ Filing cabinet
Real-time Collaboration ✓ Multi-user ✕ Single user ~ Shared docs ✕ Not possible
Floor Plans ✓ DXF overlay ✕ Not available ✕ Not possible ✕ Not possible
Component Inventory ✓ Connected graph ✓ Flat list ✓ Flat list ~ Partial recall

Based on publicly available feature information. Individual products may vary.

The Core Difference

What Makes Topology-Aware Different

Other tools treat your home as a list of things. HomeRunbook understands your home as a network of interconnected systems. This is what that difference looks like in practice.

Scenario: Kitchen outlet stops working Inventory Approach 1. Look up "kitchen outlet" 2. Find: "Standard 20A outlet" 3. That's it. No more info. You don't know: ✗ Which breaker controls it ✗ What else is on that circuit ✗ If it's GFCI protected ✗ Where the GFCI reset is ✗ If the disposal tripped it Result: Call an electrician Cost: $150+ service call Topology Approach 1. Tap kitchen outlet in map 2. See: connected to Breaker #12 3. See: shares circuit with disposal 4. See: GFCI protected, reset in counter outlet near sink You know instantly: ✓ Press GFCI reset button ✓ Check if disposal tripped it ✓ Breaker #12 if reset fails Result: Fixed in 30 seconds Cost: $0
Connections Matter

A List Can't Tell You Why Something Broke

When your kitchen outlet stops working, knowing it's a "standard 20A outlet" is useless. Knowing it shares a circuit with the garbage disposal and is GFCI-protected with a reset button near the sink—that solves the problem in 30 seconds.

  • Every component shows what it's connected to
  • Trace electrical circuits from panel to outlet
  • Follow plumbing from main shutoff to fixture
  • See HVAC zones, network segments, and gas lines
  • Understand cascading dependencies before you touch anything
AI Assistant Comparison Generic Home App AI "To fix a water heater, first check if the pilot light is on. Then check the thermostat. If neither works, call a professional plumber." Same answer for everyone HomeRunbook AI "Your Rheem XG50T06EC36U1: 1. Check pilot light — access panel on lower front of unit 2. Gas valve is in utility closet, left wall — verify it's open 3. Breaker #14 in garage panel powers the ignition system 4. Note: installed Mar 2019, warranty expires Mar 2025" Specific to YOUR home Could have googled this Only HomeRunbook knows this
Smarter AI

Generic Advice vs. Your-Home-Specific Answers

Other apps give you the same advice they'd give anyone. Our AI knows your exact equipment, where it's located, how it connects to other systems, when it was installed, and when its warranty expires. It's the difference between a web search and an expert who's been inside your walls.

  • References your specific equipment make and model
  • Knows physical locations of components
  • Understands system dependencies and connections
  • Tracks installation dates and warranty windows
  • Suggests troubleshooting in the right order for your setup
11 Systems, One Connected View ⚡ Electrical 💧 Plumbing ❄ HVAC 📶 Network 🛡 Security 🔥 Gas ☀ Solar 💦 Irrigation 🎙 A/V 🚨 Fire 📞 Telecom Cross-system connections reveal what other tools miss
Complete Coverage

Every System, Not Just Appliances

Most home documentation tools focus on appliances. HomeRunbook maps eleven complete home systems and shows how they all connect. Your HVAC needs electricity. Your water heater needs gas AND electricity. Your security cameras need network AND power. These connections are invisible in a flat list.

  • Electrical, plumbing, HVAC, network, security
  • Gas, solar, irrigation, audio/visual, fire safety
  • Telecommunications and structured wiring
  • Cross-system dependencies mapped automatically
  • Understand what a single failure can cascade into

"I tried three different home documentation apps before finding HomeRunbook. They were all the same: enter your appliance, get a reminder to change the filter. HomeRunbook was the first one that actually understood that my house is a system of systems, not a shopping list. When my internet went down, the topology map showed me the network path and I found the failed switch in minutes instead of calling Comcast."

— You, after switching to HomeRunbook

Stop Making Lists. Start Mapping Connections.

Your home is the most complex thing you own. It deserves more than a spreadsheet. Start with the free Explorer plan and see what topology-aware home documentation actually looks like.

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