January home maintenance checklist

January is an indoor month: safety checks, appliance care, and the systems working hardest in winter.

4 tasks below. Not all apply to every climate or home —generate a personalized schedule in 30 seconds.

• Check HVAC filter (replace every 1–3 months)

  A clogged filter strains the blower and raises energy use — the #1 cheap fix in home maintenance.

• Run water & flush toilets in unused rooms

  Keeps P-traps full so sewer gas stays out of guest baths.

• Test smoke & CO detectors

  Push-button test takes 30 seconds; working detectors halve fire fatalities.

• Check fire extinguisher pressure gauge

  Extinguishers quietly lose charge; a dead one is worse than none.