September maintenance for a very cold climate

September11 tasks

1. This week
   Before the first freeze (~Sep 25): disconnect hoses and drain outdoor faucets.

   Water left in a hose bib can freeze, split the pipe inside the wall, and only leak when you turn it on in spring.

   How

   Remove hoses, close the indoor shutoff valve for each outdoor faucet if you have one, and open the outside faucet to drain it.

   Before the first freezeTypical first freeze ~Sep 25 (NOAA 1991–2020, 50% date)Ready.gov: Winter weather
2. This week
   Before the first freeze (~Sep 25): shut off and drain or blow out the sprinkler system.

   Frozen water cracks backflow preventers and valves, an expensive spring surprise. (Skip if you have no in-ground irrigation.)

   How

   Close the irrigation shutoff, then drain per the system’s design or book a compressed-air blowout.

   Before the first freezeTypical first freeze ~Sep 25 (NOAA 1991–2020, 50% date)
3. 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
4. This month
   Test the garage door’s auto-reverse.

   A door that does not reverse on contact can seriously injure a child or pet.

   How

   Lay a 2x4 flat under the door and close it. It should reverse on touching the board. Also wave something through the photo-eye beam while it closes.

   Twice a yearEvery home
5. This month
   Book the furnace, boiler or heat-pump check before the heating season.

   In a cold climate the heating system is a safety system. Shoulder-season appointments are easier to get than the first cold week.

   How

   Ask the technician to check the flame sensor or ignitor, the heat exchanger, the flue and the condensate line, and to test CO near the appliance.

   YearlyBecause of a system you told us aboutENERGY STAR: HVAC maintenance checklist
6. This month
   Check your backup heat and fuel supply before deep winter.

   Where winter lows are extreme, a heating failure becomes a frozen house within hours.

   How

   Confirm fuel delivery contracts, test any heat trace on water lines, and know who to call for emergency service.

   YearlyVery cold climate region
7. This month
   Seal drafts around windows, doors, the attic hatch and the rim joist before heating season.

   Air leaks drive heating bills and, in cold climates, the warm attic air that causes ice dams.

   How

   Weatherstrip doors, caulk window trim, and seal the attic hatch with foam tape; spray foam gaps at the rim joist.

   YearlyVery cold climate region
8. This month
   Before the first freeze (~Sep 25): insulate pipes in the crawlspace, garage and exterior walls.

   Pipes in unheated spaces are the ones that freeze. Foam sleeves cost little next to a burst pipe.

   How

   Fit foam pipe sleeves on exposed lines and seal drafts where pipes pass through outside walls.

   Before the first freezeTypical first freeze ~Sep 25 (NOAA 1991–2020, 50% date)Ready.gov: Winter weather
9. Watch
   Degrease the range-hood filter.

   Grease-clogged hood filters stop pulling smoke and grease out of the kitchen and can feed a stovetop fire.

   How

   Pop the metal filter out and soak it in hot water with dish soap and baking soda, or run it through the dishwasher if the maker allows.

   Every 3 monthsEvery home
10. Watch
    Check caulk around tubs, showers and sinks; redo any that is cracked.

    Failed caulk lets water behind tile and into the subfloor.

    How

    Cut out cracked or moldy caulk, clean and dry the joint, and apply a bead of kitchen-and-bath silicone.

    YearlyEvery home
11. Watch
    Clear leaves, weeds and debris from around the outdoor AC or heat-pump unit.

    The outdoor coil needs open airflow; blocked fins make it run hotter and longer.

    How

    Turn off power at the outdoor disconnect, clear 2 feet around it, and gently hose the fins from inside out if the maker allows.

    Twice a yearBecause of a system you told us aboutENERGY STAR: HVAC maintenance checklist