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Winter home maintenance checklist: pipes, ice dams, heat and safety
Fall is for getting the house ready; winter is for keeping it that way. These are the jobs for December through February, when freezing nights, snow and a furnace running every day test the house. Most take minutes. The ones that matter most keep water in the pipes moving and warm air inside the house.
Before the first deep freeze
If you missed the fall home maintenance checklist, start here.
- Disconnect garden hoses and shut off and drain outdoor faucets from the valve inside.
- Find the main water shutoff and make sure it turns. Tag it so anyone in the house can find it.
- Insulate pipes in the garage, crawl space, attic and along outside walls with foam sleeves.
- Seal gaps where pipes and wires come through outside walls.
- Have the furnace or boiler serviced if it has not been checked this season.
- Replace the furnace filter; see how often to change a furnace filter.
- Stock a snow shovel, ice melt that is safe for your steps and a flashlight with fresh batteries.
During a cold snap
From the American Red Cross advice on frozen pipes.
- Keep the thermostat at the same temperature day and night.
- Open the cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls so warm air reaches the pipes.
- Let a faucet on an outside wall drip cold water; moving water is slower to freeze.
- Keep the garage door closed if water lines run through the garage.
- If a faucet gives only a trickle, a pipe may be frozen. Keep the faucet open and warm the pipe with a hair dryer or towels soaked in hot water, never an open flame. If you cannot reach it or it has burst, shut off the main and call a plumber.
After every snow
- Clear snow away from the furnace and water heater exhaust and intake pipes, the dryer vent and the gas meter.
- Keep a path to the oil fill or propane tank clear for deliveries.
- Watch the roof edge for icicles and ice dams. Rake the first few feet of snow off a low roof from the ground with a roof rake.
- Clear snow off the outdoor heat pump unit so air can flow around it.
- Brush snow off window wells and keep basement window drains clear.
Every month in winter
- Check the furnace filter, and replace it if it looks grey.
- Test the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. A furnace, boiler, fireplace or gas range running all season is when carbon monoxide alarms matter most (NFPA).
- Look in the attic for frost on the roof boards or damp insulation, both signs warm air is leaking up.
- Check under sinks, around the water heater and near outside walls for drips or damp spots.
- Pour water into the sump pit and make sure the pump starts, and that its outside discharge line is not frozen shut.
- Check indoor humidity. Windows dripping with condensation mean too much moisture; static shocks and cracked wood floors mean too little.
Heating safety
From the NFPA guidance on heating equipment.
- Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet from the furnace, fireplace, wood stove and space heaters.
- Plug space heaters straight into the wall, never into an extension cord, and turn them off when you leave the room or go to bed.
- Have the chimney inspected and cleaned every year if you burn wood, and use a metal container with a lid for ashes, kept outside away from the house.
- Run a generator only outside, far from windows, doors and vents, never in the garage or basement.
Before you travel
- Set the thermostat no lower than 55°F.
- Open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls.
- Ask someone to check the house every few days, and leave them your plumber’s and heating company’s numbers.
- For a long trip, consider shutting off the main water valve and draining the lines.
- Make sure snow removal is arranged so the house looks lived in and the vents stay clear.
Ice dams: why they happen and how to stop them
An ice dam forms when heat leaking from the house melts snow on the upper roof, the water runs down and freezes again at the cold roof edge. The ridge of ice traps more meltwater behind it, which can back up under the shingles and into the walls and ceilings.
The lasting fix is in the attic: seal the gaps where warm air leaks up (around light fixtures, the attic hatch, plumbing and duct openings) and add insulation, as ENERGY STAR describes. In the meantime, rake snow off the lower roof after storms and keep gutters clear. Chipping at ice on the roof damages shingles; leave that to a pro. See how long a roof lasts for the signs of damage.
Plan ahead while it is cold
Winter is a good time to write down what the house told you: the room that never warms up, the window that frosts, the pipe that nearly froze. Those notes become the spring home maintenance checklist. Housemap keeps a plan for your house and your climate and emails you before each job is due, so the winter list comes to you instead of the other way around.
Questions
What should I do to maintain my house in winter?
Keep pipes from freezing, keep snow off vents and the roof edge, change the furnace filter, test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms every month, check the attic for frost and the sump pump for a frozen discharge line, and keep heat sources 3 feet from anything that can burn.
What temperature should I keep my house in winter to prevent frozen pipes?
Keep the thermostat at a steady setting day and night, and no lower than 55°F when you are away. Open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls during a deep freeze.
How do I prevent ice dams?
Seal the air leaks into the attic and add insulation so the roof stays cold, keep gutters clear, and rake the first few feet of snow off the roof from the ground after a storm.
Is there a printable winter checklist?
Yes. Use the Print this page button at the top. The page prints as a checklist with boxes, without the menu and footer.
Sources
Related guides
A winter plan for your own house.
Housemap builds a plan for your house and your climate, then emails you before each job is due, from the furnace filter to the spring gutter cleaning.
