January

The EPA marks January as National Radon Action Month and encourages every household to test. Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers by EPA's estimate, tied to about 21,000 lung cancer deaths a year. Do-it-yourself kits are sold online and at most hardware stores. EPA recommends fixing the house if the result is 4 pCi/L or higher, and considering a fix between 2 and 4 pCi/L.

When the forecast turns bitter, the American Red Cross routine is simple: open the kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors so warm air reaches the plumbing, let cold water drip from any faucet served by exposed pipes, keep the garage door closed if there are water lines in the garage, and leave the thermostat at the same setting day and night. If you travel, leave the heat on at no lower than 55 F. If a pipe does freeze, keep the faucet open and warm the pipe with a hair dryer, heating pad or hot towels, never a blowtorch, propane or kerosene heater, charcoal stove or any open flame. If you cannot find or reach the frozen section, call a licensed plumber.

An ice dam is a ridge of ice at the edge of the roof that keeps melting snow from draining, so water backs up behind it and can leak into the house. It needs three things: snow on the roof, a roof surface above 32 F higher up, and an edge below 32 F. Minnesota's energy office calls attic air leaks (around plumbing vents, wiring and chimneys) the primary cause. The lasting fix, per the University of Minnesota, is to make the ceiling airtight so warm moist house air cannot reach the attic, then add insulation. A roof rake, used from the ground, can pull snow off the lower roof but can damage shingles, and a channel melted through the dam stops working within days. The University of Minnesota's warning goes with both: anyone on the roof in winter, or working on it from below, risks injury and roof damage, so ice removal is a job for professionals. Stay off the roof and off ladders on ice.

The U.S. Fire Administration's rule is to keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet from all heat sources, including fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators, space heaters and candles, and to turn space heaters off when you leave the room or go to bed. CPSC adds: always plug an electric portable heater into a wall outlet, never a power strip, and keep all sides of it at least three feet from beds, clothes, curtains, papers and sofas. Heating fires are the second leading cause of home fires.

The CDC's carbon monoxide guidance is to have the heating system, water heater and any other gas, oil or coal burning appliance serviced by a qualified technician every year. A leaking furnace heat exchanger can mix combustion gases, including carbon monoxide, into the house air, and CO is colorless and odorless. Read how a gas furnace cycles to see what the technician is checking.