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A
Appendix A, the year at a glance
This Western Slope house maintenance calendar puts each job in a month, with the section that explains it; the months are this manual's own scheduling, not a rule from any source.
Last checked November 4, 2026.
A.1 Every month
Three jobs don't belong to any one month. CPSC says to test CO and smoke alarms monthly (§E-2). In the heating season, check the furnace filter monthly and change it on the filter's schedule, within 1 to 3 months (§8-3). If you have a propane tank, read the gauge and call your retailer below 20% (§8-1).
A.2 Month by month
Irrigation dates here are placeholders. Companies set them each year, and 2026 was abnormal, so go by your own provider's notice (§5-2). Your own ground and elevation shift everything else, so adjust to what you see.
| Month | Do this | See |
|---|---|---|
| January | Keep heat at 55°F or more. Clear snow from outside vents with care. Keep the walkway and tank area clear for the delivery driver. | §7-1, §8-1, §E-2 |
| February | Same watch on vents and pipes. Note the winter water bill; a family of four over 12,000 gallons a month may have serious leaks, per EPA. | §6-2 |
| March | Look over the swamp cooler from the ground and plan its start-up. Read your ditch company's notices and pay assessments if due. | §9-1, §5-1 |
| April | Well check for mechanical problems, and yearly lab test. Walk the house after a spring rain for standing water. | §2-3, §6-1 |
| May | Close test cocks and start the irrigation line when your provider's notice allows. Book any yearly backflow test. Start the swamp cooler when it's needed, power off during the service. | §5-2, §5-1, §9-1 |
| June | Check cooler pads, float and tray. Read your water provider's new report. Check sprinkler spray is 5 feet off the walls. | §9-1, §4-1, §6-1 |
| July | Walk the septic field: no parking, no new planting. Mid-season meter test if the bill looks high. | §6-3, §6-2 |
| August | Book the chimney check and cleaning, and the yearly heating service, before fall. Stack wood off the ground, covered on top. | §8-2, §E-2 |
| September | Do the fall freeze check. Finish by month's end. Winterize the swamp cooler once the season ends. Test the main shutoff. | §7-1, §9-2, §1-2 |
| October | Average first freeze at Palisade is October 26, the state's latest. Mid-October is the Grand Valley's 10th percentile. Check insulation and heat tape. Have the propane tank filled. | §7-1, §7-2, §8-1 |
| November | Shut down the irrigation line as your company's season ends. Decide about a winter absence. Ask about LEAP heating help, listed by DMEA for November 1 to April 30. | §5-2, §7-3, §8-5 |
| December | Check that everyone in the house knows the main shutoff and the emergency drills. Update the house card. | §1-1, §1-2, §E-1 |
A.3 Less often than yearly
Some jobs run on a longer clock. Write their last dates on the house card (§1-1).
| Job | How often | Who says | See |
|---|---|---|---|
| Septic inspection | At least every 3 years; yearly with pumps or floats | EPA | §6-3 |
| Septic tank pumping | Every 3 to 5 years, by measurement | EPA | §6-3 |
| CO alarm replacement | By the maker's date, or every 5 years | CDC | §E-2 |
| Well water test | Yearly at minimum; Mesa County says seasonally for bacteria | EPA, CDC, Mesa County | §2-3 |
Where this comes from
- CPSC release, February 19, 2026: monthly alarm test, clearing vents.
- CSU Extension, heating Colorado homes: filter schedule.
- PERC general manual, republished by Iowa: gauge, snow, delivery access. This document also has a tank-valve step that this manual leaves out on purpose.
- Colorado Climate Center, first fall freezes, September 2024: Palisade and Grand Valley dates.
- IBHS, before the event: 55°F minimum.
- EPA WaterSense, Fix a Leak Week: winter use yardstick.
- EPA, how to care for your septic system: inspection and pumping intervals, drainfield care.
- CDC, testing well water: spring well check, yearly test.
- EPA, protect your home's water: yearly test.
- Mesa County Regional Lab: seasonal bacteria testing.
- CDC, carbon monoxide: alarm replacement, yearly service, chimney check.
- EPA Burn Wise, archived program page: wood storage.
- UVWUA system updates and GVWUA: 2026 season notices, no fixed dates.
- Daily Sentinel article, July 15, 2026, posted by UVWUA: 2026 allotments.
- CSU Extension, preparing a sprinkler system for winter: test cocks in spring.
- CSU Extension, backflow prevention devices: yearly certification.
- DMEA assistance programs: LEAP dates.
Sources checked November 4, 2026.