Roof
Inspect the attic
Every year, in February.
What to do
Open the hatch, put a light in, and look before spring dries the evidence out.
Why it matters
Warm wet air leaking up from the house condenses on cold sheathing and freezes. In February it is frost you can see; in April it is water running down the inside of a wall, and by then the sheathing has been wet for months. It is also what makes an ice dam — so the January task finds the symptom and this one finds the cause.
What to look for
- Frost or damp on the underside of the sheathing, especially near the ridge
- Insulation pushed flat or pulled away from the eaves — it blocks the soffit vents
- Daylight at the soffits, which is what you want to see
- Staining on the underside of the roof deck
- A bathroom or dryer vent discharging into the attic rather than through the roof
- Droppings, chewed insulation or a gap an animal has made
Where this comes from
Travelers Canada New Home Maintenance Manual, Appendix G, "Inspect attic" (section 7.5). The code hook is the one already cited on the ice damming task: NBC(AE) 2023 9.19.1.3.(3), insulation shall not restrict free airflow through roof vents or any portion of the attic. February rather than deep winter because a season of condensation has accumulated by then and has not yet dried off.
Catch it while it’s still maintenance.
Domisura keeps this schedule for your house — dated to when things went in, and reminding you when each task comes round. The record stays with the address when you sell.
Start a record for your homeGeneral guidance, not professional advice. For gas, electricity, structure or water, get a qualified trade.