May maintenance for a mixed-dry climate
Dry air, cold nights and hot days: wide temperature swings, wildfire smoke and freezes.
5 tasks this month. The median typical first freeze across the region’s counties is Oct 24 and the last is Apr 20; your county can differ by weeks.
May5 tasks
- This monthPress 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.
- This monthLook 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.
- WatchSwitch ceiling fans to spin counterclockwise for summer.
A fan blowing air down creates a wind-chill effect, so you can set the thermostat a little higher and stay comfortable. Fans cool people, not rooms: turn them off when you leave.
How
Stop the fan and flip the direction switch on the motor housing; you should feel a breeze standing under it.
- WatchInspect the deck: loose boards, popped fasteners, wobbly railings, ledger flashing.
A loose railing or a rotted ledger connection is how decks fail under load.
How
Push on every railing post, look underneath where the deck meets the house, and tighten or replace fasteners.
- WatchCheck that soil and mulch slope away from the foundation.
Water that pools against the foundation finds its way into basements and crawlspaces.
How
Look for low spots after a rain; build soil up so it falls about 6 inches over the first 10 feet where you can.