Now that the colder months are approaching, it’s a good time to ready your home for the change in weather. It’s better to consider maintenance and repairs now then when your roof has sprung a leak or your ragged windows start allowing drafts.

Kiplinger suggests several easy ways to toughen your home up for the bitter cold. Here’s a sampling:

*Have your heating system inspected. An investment of less than $100 to have a technician give your furnace a once-over could pay for itself in lower heating bills over the next several months.

*Reset your ceiling fans. Some fans are reversible, allowing you to shift the blades to counter-clockwise rotation, creating an updraft that helps heat the room by directing hot air downward.

*Caulk your doors and windows. Air that seeps through barely perceptible cracks can give you the shivers. Use silicone caulk on exteriors, weatherstrip doors and employ glazing putty to make sure window glass is sealed into the frame.

Fall and Winter Home Maintenance Checklist [Kiplinger]

(Thanks, Tara!)

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