August maintenance for a cold climate

August5 tasks

1. This month
   Press the test button on every smoke and CO alarm.

   An alarm you have not heard in months may have a dead battery or sensor. NFPA recommends testing smoke alarms at least once a month.

   How

   Hold the test button until it sounds. Anything silent or chirping: replace the battery, or the whole alarm if it is past its date.

   MonthlyEvery homeNFPA: Smoke alarms
2. This month
   Look under every sink and around toilets and the water heater for drips.

   Slow leaks rot cabinets and subfloors long before they show. Catching one early is a washer, not a floor.

   How

   Use a flashlight: feel supply lines and the shutoff valves, look for stains, warped cabinet floors or a toilet that rocks.

   Every 3 monthsEvery home
3. This month
   Fill the heating oil or propane tank and check its gauge before winter.

   Running out in a cold snap means no heat and, with oil, often a service call to restart the burner.

   How

   Check the tank gauge, schedule a fill or automatic delivery, and keep the path to the fill pipe clear.

   YearlyCold climate region
4. Watch
   Vacuum the refrigerator condenser coils.

   Dusty coils make the compressor run longer and hotter, especially in summer.

   How

   Unplug the fridge, remove the bottom grille (or pull it out to reach rear coils) and vacuum with a brush attachment.

   YearlyEvery home
5. Watch
   Seal cracks in the driveway, walkways and steps before the freeze-thaw season.

   Water in a crack freezes and widens it every winter.

   How

   Clean the crack and fill it with a concrete crack sealant on a dry day above 50°F.

   YearlyCold climate region