Home winterization is necessary for proper property preservation and home maintenance. Much like the car you drive or the clothing you wear, home precautions must be taken to ensure your protection. These steps should be carried out even in areas that don’t get much snow…cold weather, sleet, rain and ice can still be heath and finance hazards.

Winterizing your home or business will save you money on your monthly energy bills. It will also protect your home’s value. If you are looking to winterize your home, follow these 4 tips.

1. Furnace maintenance
Your furnace is the cornerstone of winter comfort. Because of this, your first winterization step should be making sure your furnace is running well. Regular maintenance for your furnace includes cleaning, filter changes, professional inspections and leak checks. No matter what kind of furnace you have, whether it is a wood stove or gas heater, you must take its maintenance very seriously. Not only will think ensure your warmth and comfort for the upcoming winter, but it will come in to play for a future property sale.

2. Prepare the top of your home
If you do live in an area that gets accumulated snow and ice, the top of your home will take the brunt of the winter weather. Fixtures such as roofs, gutters, chimneys and skylights can have their quality compromised from the winter elements. Make sure these weak spots are inspected thoroughly before the winter season. Fixing cracks in your chimney or skylight, cleaning bulk out of your gutters and fixing broken or lost shingles on your roof can mean big savings.

3. Seal the window and door jams.
Winterizing your home’s interior can be fairly easy if you know where to look. Inspect the inside of your home for any cracks or leaks that could let the winter elements in. The usual suspects are generally doors, windows, air ducts and walls with weak insulation. Weather stripping, caulk and added insulation can usually take care of these problems.

4. Protect your air conditioner
Too many people don’t take proper care of their air conditioners during the winter months. The harsh winter elements can really do some damage to exposed air conditioning units. This is why they should protected by a sturdy plastic covering. In addition to protecting your air conditioner, you should also make sure it’s surrounding window is sealed and the water flow is turned off. This will prevent cold air getting inside your home.