Fall Back Checklist for High Desert Homes

Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday in November, and it starts again at 2 a.m. on the second Sunday in March. Use those two weekends as a home check-up. Test your smoke and CO alarms, check the furnace or AC filter, and reset the outdoor light and sprinkler timers so they match the new hours and your water provider's rules.

When does the time change?

The rule comes from federal law. 15 U.S.C. § 260a moves clocks ahead one hour from 2 a.m. on the second Sunday in March to 2 a.m. on the first Sunday in November. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) says these dates came from the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and took effect in 2007.

In 2026, clocks went back one hour on November 1. Going by the same rule, the next two changes are:

Phones and most cable boxes update themselves. Ovens, cars, wall clocks, thermostats and many irrigation controllers usually do not.

Does Arizona change its clocks?

No. Arizona stays on standard mountain time all year. State law, A.R.S. § 1-242, opts the state out of daylight saving time, and the Legislature could change that only by passing a new law.

NIST notes one exception inside Arizona: the Navajo Nation does observe daylight saving time.

What this means for you:

• From March to November, while California is on daylight time, Kingman and the High Desert of California show the same clock time.
• From November to March, Arizona is one hour ahead of California.
• If you own in Mohave County, AZ, there is no clock change to remind you. Pick two fixed dates, such as the first weekends of March and November, and run the same checklist.

What should I check when the clocks change?

Here is a twice-a-year list for High Desert and Kingman homes. Each step takes a few minutes.

1. Test smoke and CO alarms. Press the test button on each one.
2. Check the furnace or AC filter. Replace it if it looks gray or clogged.
3. Reset outdoor lighting timers. Match them to the new sunset time.
4. Reset the sprinkler clock. Fix the time and confirm your watering days and hours.
5. Reset the thermostat schedule. Make sure its clock and programs match the new time.
6. Set the clocks that don't update. Oven, microwave, car and any wall clocks.

Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms

The U.S. Fire Administration says to test every smoke alarm once a month. Replace 9-volt batteries, including backup batteries in hardwired alarms, at least once a year. Replace the whole alarm 10 years after its manufacture date.

The time change is a handy reminder for that yearly battery swap. Sealed 10-year alarms have no battery to change, so check the date on the back instead.

For California's CO alarm rules and the alarm rules when you sell, read our smoke and CO alarm check.

Furnace and AC filters

ENERGY STAR suggests looking at your filter every month and cleaning or changing it when it's dirty. It also recommends a cooling check-up each spring and a heating check-up each fall, before contractors get busy.

The two clock changes line up with that timing. In November, think heat. In March, think cooling. Our furnace check before winter walks through the filter swap and how to find a licensed heating contractor.

Outdoor lighting timers

After fall back, it gets dark an hour earlier by the clock. A porch light or landscape timer that came on at 6 p.m. may now switch on well after dark.

• Reset mechanical timers to the new time.
• Photocell (dusk-to-dawn) fixtures adjust on their own, so you can skip them.
• The U.S. Department of Energy notes that outdoor fixtures with motion sensors or automatic daylight shut-off can cut wasted lighting.

Sprinkler and drip controllers

Many irrigation clocks keep running on the old time. Fix the time, then check the schedule against your water provider's rules. Rules differ by provider and by season.

• City of Victorville: Residential sprinklers follow set days by address. Even addresses water Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday; odd addresses water Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Winter hours (October through May) are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and summer hours (June through September) are 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Drip systems are exempt. See Water Efficiency.
• City of Hesperia: As of November 2026, the city is in Stage 2 conservation. Its Water Conservation page encourages watering between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. and skipping it during rain.
• Other providers: Apple Valley, Helendale, Kingman and other areas have their own water providers. Call yours or check its website for current rules.

The EPA's WaterSense program says to change your irrigation schedule as the seasons change. It also suggests a monthly walk-around to spot leaks and broken or clogged heads.

A WaterSense labeled controller adjusts to the weather for you. The EPA says one can save an average home up to 15,000 gallons a year compared with a standard clock timer.

For plant choices and drip tips, see our water-wise yard guide.

Why tie home upkeep to the clock change?

Small jobs are easy to forget. Two fixed weekends a year give you a built-in reminder, and they fall right before the heating and cooling seasons.

Keeping a simple log helps too. Write down the date you changed filters, alarm batteries and timer settings. If you sell later, that record can help you answer buyer questions about upkeep.

How Pleasant Hill can help

Thinking about how your home's upkeep shows up in its value? Request a free home valuation, browse homes for sale, or contact us. In Hesperia, reach Nancy Navarro; in Kingman, reach Lana Stephens.

General information, not legal, tax or lending advice. Rules, fees and rates change; confirm with the agency linked above or ask us. Pleasant Hill Real Estate Group · CA DRE Corp. #01997374 · AZ Entity Lic. #LC694532000 · Equal Housing Opportunity.