January may seem like the time of year when everything comes to a dead stop, and there’s nothing to do but hunker inside out of the cold. The truth is that January is a great time to see to those maintenance jobs that will get the house through the rest of the winter, and prepare it for the warm months. Here is a home checklist for January:

Winterize the Plumbing

To keep plumbing pipes from freezing, allow faucets to trickle a bit on bitterly cold nights, since moving water doesn’t freeze in pipes. Another tip is to keep under sink doors open when it’s extremely cold. This allows the warmer air of the room to contact pipes and prevent them from freezing. Outdoor hoses should be disconnected.

The outside air temperature doesn’t even have to be all that cold for pipes to freeze and even burst. Because of this, home contractors such as Alair Homes Grey Bruce recommend that the internal temperature not drop below 55 degrees Fahrenheit. The homeowner might also want to set the thermostat higher than usual.

Service the A/C

Now is the time to give the air conditioning a tune-up if it was not done in the fall. It’s not needed in January, so even if the homeowner discovers major problems, it’s not an emergency. Troubleshooting now lets the homeowner know that the air conditioning will be ready to go when it gets hot later in the year.

Things to take care of with the air conditioning are:

• Thermostat – The thermostat should be accurate. To check if the thermostat is accurate, tape a mercury thermometer beside it. Make adjustments if necessary.

• Filters – Filters should be cleaned or replaced.

• Electricity – The wires and other electrical components in the unit should be sound.

• Blades, Valves, Condenser, Condenser Coil and Fan Motor – These should also be in good working order.

Make Sure the Detectors are Working

Check both carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. If the batteries are low, change them. Put the date on next year’s calendar to know to change the batteries every year.

Remove Snow From Tree Branches

Snow on tree branches, especially if they overhang or are close to the house, need to be brushed off right away. The branch should not shaken, for shaking may cause it to snap. Any branches that do fall on the house need to be removed at once.

Keep Steps and Walkways Clear

Snow and ice should be blown, shoveled or melted away from paths and steps. If it’s not feasible to remove an area of ice, warning flags should be planted around them. When the family goes on vacation, they should hire someone to remove ice and snow while they’re gone. This also deters burglars.

Get Rid of Clutter

This means get rid of clutter everywhere in the home, from closets to public rooms to the bedrooms to the pantry, the freezer and the fridge. Throw it out, donate it or sell it, but get rid of it.

Take Down the Christmas Decorations

No one should have one of those homes where the holiday decorations are still up in February. Take the lights and wreaths down carefully, and carefully store them. Toss out broken ornaments and lights and give away that which won’t ever be used again.