January home maintenance checklist Deep winter
Timing depends on where you live. Freeze-related jobs are tied to your area's average first and last frost dates: look up your frost dates or ask your local National Weather Service office or Extension service.
This month
- Cold-snap habits: let a cold faucet on an outside wall drip, open sink cabinets so warm air reaches the pipes, and keep the thermostat the same day and night. Away from home? Leave the heat at 55°F or higher. [12] Guide → If you find a problem →
- Find your main water shutoff valve, make sure it turns, and tag it so anyone can find it fast. If you find a problem →
- Keep dryer, furnace, stove and fireplace vents clear of snow and debris. [5] If you find a problem →
- Space heaters: keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet away, and turn them off when you leave the room or go to bed. [4]
- Test your home for radon. Testing is the only way to know your level. [14]
Every month
- Check the HVAC filter. Change it if it looks dirty, and at least every 3 months. [1] [2] If you find a problem →
- Press the test button on every smoke alarm. [3] If you find a problem →
- Check CO alarms the way the maker's instructions say. [5]
- Test GFCI outlets: press TEST, then RESET. [8] If you find a problem →
- Look under sinks and around the water heater and toilets for drips. [15] If you find a problem →
- Clean the dryer lint filter every load. [11] If you find a problem →
Done by: ____________ Year: ______ Notes: ______________________________________
Sources (fetched and checked October 21, 2026)
- ENERGY STAR, Heat & Cool Efficiently
- ENERGY STAR, Maintenance Checklist
- U.S. Fire Administration, Smoke Alarms
- U.S. Fire Administration, Heating Fire Safety
- U.S. Fire Administration, Carbon Monoxide Safety flyer (PDF)
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, GFCI Fact Sheet (PDF)
- Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, Clothes Dryer Care
- American Red Cross, Preventing & Thawing Frozen Pipes
- U.S. EPA, Radon
- U.S. EPA WaterSense, Home Maintenance (leaks)
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