May maintenance for a very cold climate

May8 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
   Start up the AC and book a check before the first hot spell.

   A system that has sat all winter can have a failed capacitor or a blocked drain; better to find out before the first hot week.

   How

   Remove any winter cover, clear debris, wait a day after turning the breaker back on, then run cooling for 15 minutes.

   YearlyBecause of a system you told us aboutENERGY STAR: HVAC maintenance checklist
4. This month
   Clean gutters and check that downspouts drain away from the house.

   Spring seeds, blossoms and storm debris clog gutters before the heaviest rain months.

   How

   Flush each downspout and check the ground slopes away from the foundation.

   Twice a yearVery cold climate region
5. This month
   After the last freeze (~May 17): reopen outdoor faucets and check for leaks inside the wall.

   A pipe that split over winter often leaks only once the faucet is turned on, inside the wall or basement.

   How

   Open the indoor valve, run the outside faucet for a minute, then check the wall behind it and the basement ceiling for drips.

   After the last freezeTypical last freeze ~May 17 (NOAA 1991–2020, 50% date)
6. Watch
   Switch 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.

   YearlyEvery home
7. Watch
   Inspect 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.

   YearlyVery cold climate region
8. Watch
   Check 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.

   YearlyVery cold climate region