February maintenance for a cold climate

February6 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
   Clean the dryer vent duct and the outside vent flap.

   Lint in the duct is fuel, and a clogged vent makes the dryer run hot. Fire-safety agencies list failure to clean as the leading factor in home clothes-dryer fires.

   How

   Unplug the dryer (and shut the gas valve on a gas dryer), disconnect the duct, brush it out, and check the outside flap opens freely.

   YearlyEvery homeU.S. Fire Administration: Prevent home fires
3. This month
   Find the main water shutoff and turn it closed and open once.

   In a burst-pipe emergency every minute matters, and a valve that has not moved in years may be seized.

   How

   It is usually where the line enters the house or near the meter. Close it, open a faucet to confirm, then reopen it fully.

   YearlyEvery home
4. 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
5. This month
   Keep the furnace and water-heater intake and exhaust vents clear of snow.

   High-efficiency appliances vent through plastic pipes on the side wall. If drifting snow blocks them the appliance shuts down, or exhaust can back up.

   How

   After each storm, clear the pipes and a foot around them. Keep CO alarms working on every level.

   SeasonalCold climate regionCPSC: Carbon monoxide
6. This month
   After heavy snow, check the eaves for icicles and ice dams.

   Ice dams back meltwater under shingles and into walls. They are a symptom of heat escaping into the attic.

   How

   Rake the first 3 to 4 feet of snow off the roof from the ground. Note where dams form; air sealing the attic there is the lasting fix.

   SeasonalCold climate regionReady.gov: Winter weather