Getting Started

Why HomeNog?

Because your home deserves a "noggin" to remember where you put that spare filter or which fuse goes to the microwave. It's about organized peace of mind—giving your home's data a dedicated, intelligent storage space.

What does 'Nog' or 'Noggin' mean?

"Noggin" is commonly used English slang for your head or brain. So HomeNog literally means 'Home Brain'. We built it to remember things so you don't have to!

Where do I see what's new?

We're constantly evolving! Check out our Release Notes to see the latest 'State of the Noggin' updates and recently added features.

AI & The Assistant

What is "Ask Your Home"?

It’s like a group chat with your house. Our AI knows every item you’ve added, when it was built, and what maintenance it needs. Just ask "When do I change the AC filter?" and get an answer instead of a search results page.

Can I ask the AI anything?

Pretty much, as long as it's about your home. It’s great at "How old is my fridge?" or "What brand of paint is in the hallway?". If you ask it for stock tips or relationship advice, the brain might freeze.

Is "Ask Your Home" private?

Totally. The AI only looks at the data you’ve stored in your own HomeNog. It doesn't share your "secret 3 AM snack" fridge model with anyone else.

Is the AI Assistant free?

Powering a brain this smart takes a lot of computing juice. We offer a limited amount of AI assists to every user, with higher limits for those who support us via a subscription.

Health & Safety

What are Usable Life Meters?

Think of it like a health bar in a video game, but for your dishwasher. We use manufacturer data and AI to estimate how many years your appliances have left, so you can save for a replacement before the flood.

How accurate are the life estimates?

They’re educated guesses. If you treat your HVAC like a rental car, it might die sooner. If you pamper it with quarterly filter changes, it might live forever. We give you the average lifespan as a baseline.

How does Safety Recall Monitoring work?

We automatically cross-reference your items with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) database. If there's a match, we'll flag it on your dashboard. It’s better to find out from us than from a news segment.

What should I do if my item has a recall?

Don't panic. Check the recall details we provide—it usually involves a free repair or replacement from the manufacturer. We’ll link you to the exact page to fix it.

Dashboard & Organization

What's new in the v2.0 Dashboard?

Everything is cleaner, faster, and more app-like. We’ve added "Ask Your Home" right to the top, improved room navigation, and added the "Health & Safety" summary so you can see your home's status at a glance.

Rooms vs. Categories?

Rooms represent WHERE the item is located (e.g., Kitchen, Garage), while Categories represent WHAT the item is (e.g., Appliances, Tools). You can filter your dashboard by either to find things quickly.

How do I add my first item?

Just click the 'Add item' button on the dashboard. You can type in the details manually or use our AI Auto-Capture by taking a photo of the item's label or model number.

Membership & Subscription

What's the difference between Free and Plus?

Free is great for starters—up to 25 items and 15 monthly AI assists. Plus is for power users: unlimited items and 200 AI assists per month. It's the difference between a noggin and a supercomputer.

What happens if I downgrade?

We don't hold your data hostage. If you have 50 items and downgrade to Free (limit 25), you keep all 50 items. You just won't be able to add NEW items until you're back under the limit.

Why was my item's "Usable Life" recalculated?

Our AI models get smarter every day. If we find better data on a specific appliance series or if you update the "Year Manufactured" field, we'll re-calculate the meter to be more accurate.

Suggestions & Shopping

What is "Stuff You'll Probably Need"?

That’s our deep-linking engine. Based on your item's model number, we find the specific consumables (bags, filters, descalers) that fit your unit. No more standing in the hardware store staring at 400 identical looking lightbulbs.

Do you make money if I buy this stuff?

Full transparency: Sometimes. If you click a link and buy something, we might earn a small commission. This costs you nothing extra and helps keep the lights on. We prioritize finding the RIGHT part over making a quick buck.

Why is it suggesting the wrong part?

Our AI is smart, but it's not a licensed plumber. It makes an educated guess based on public data. Always double-check your manual before buying. If we missed the mark, hit the 'X' to banish that suggestion.

Manuals & Privacy

What is Manual Discovery?

HomeNog automatically searches the web for your item's instruction manual based on its brand and model, providing you with a direct link to the PDF.

Is my data safe?

Absolutely. We encrypt everything. And if you ever want to leave, the 'Wipe My Data' button in Settings actually deletes everything. When it's gone, it's gone for good.

Import & Migration

Why is the Centriq Import a premium feature?

Importing your life's inventory is complex work. We use advanced AI to read, clean, and re-categorize every single item from your CSV export to ensure it fits perfectly into the HomeNog brain.

Why didn't my images transfer from Centriq?

Centriq's export tool only provides a text spreadsheet (CSV); they do not allow you to export your photos in bulk. Unfortunately, this means you have to manually save those files from their app before they shut down.