As the days get shorter and colder, it’s time to start getting your home ready for winter. Here are a few simple things you can do to prevent winter damage and keep your home warm and comfortable all season long!

• ❄ Tune Up Your Heating System: Change your furnace filter and have a technician inspect your furnace or heat pump to be sure the system is clean and in good repair for top-efficiency.
  
  
• ❄ Reverse Your Ceiling Fans: Run blades in a clockwise direction after you turn on your heat to create an updraft to push the heat downward.
  
  
• ❄ Check Your Alarms: Experts recommend replacing batteries in smoke alarms twice a year & replacing it if the device is more than 5 years old. Carbon monoxide detectors are also important to have if you use a lot of gas appliances during the winter months.
  
  
• ❄ Protect Your Pipes: To minimize the possibility of water freezing in your plumbing pipes, wrap each pip in a blanket of foam insulation.
  
  
• ❄ Add Insulation: Check the attic to see whether you need to add insulation, which experts recommend should be a 12-inch minimum. This will not only keep you warm, but it will prevent mold, discourage pests, and reduce the risk of a fire.
  
  
• ❄ Call A Chimney Sweep: Before you burn any logs this winter, make sure your fireplace, chimney, and vents are clear of debris.
  
  
• ❄ Caulk Around Windows and Doors: If gaps between the door or window frames are bigger than the width of a nickel, you need to reapply caulk.

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