February maintenance for a subarctic climate
Extreme cold and long dark winters; heating reliability is a safety system.
7 tasks this month. The median typical first freeze across the region’s counties is Sep 1 and the last is Jun 3; your county can differ by weeks.
February7 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 monthClean 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.
- This monthFind 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.
- 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.
- This monthKeep 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.
- This monthAfter 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.
- This monthAfter heavy snow, watch for roof snow load: sagging, cracking sounds or doors that stick.
Wet, drifted snow can exceed what an older roof was built to carry.
How
Rake snow from the ground on low roofs; for anything else, call a roofer. Do not climb on a snowy roof.