Climate zones 5 and 6
Home maintenance checklist for cold climates (zones 5 and 6)
In zones 5 and 6 winter sets the schedule. The fall list moves up a month, snow and ice get their own jobs, and the spring list starts with whatever the thaw shows you.
Typical places: The upper Midwest, New England, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Colorado, Utah, Idaho and the high plains. Zones are drawn by county, so check the IECC map if you are near a boundary.
What shapes the schedule here
- Long heating season
- Snow load and ice dams
- Frozen pipes and hose bibbs
- Spring flooding from snowmelt
Spring (March to May)
Check the roof for ice dam damage
Stained ceilings near exterior walls point to water that backed up under the shingles.
Get the AC ready in May
Zone 5 still gets hot weeks; a spring check finds a problem while techs are free.
Fall (September to November)
Winterize outdoor faucets and blow out sprinklers in October
A month earlier than milder zones. A frozen bibb splits inside the wall.
Plumbing cheat sheetGet the heat ready in September or October
The furnace runs for six months. Change the filter and test the carbon monoxide alarms.
Get ready for snow in November
Service the snow blower and stock ice melt before the first storm.
Snow load calculator
Winter (December to February)
Check for ice dams after heavy snow in December
Rake snow off the roof edge and keep downspouts open.
Attic ventilation sheetCheck attic insulation depth
Most ice dams start with heat leaking into the attic.
Insulation calculator
These are the jobs that change with the climate. The full seasonal checklist has the ones every home needs, like smoke alarms and the dryer vent.