Now is a great time to prepare your home for winter. Performing a few preventative measures now can help you save on your energy bill and provide peace of mind when winter weather arrives in the coming months. Winterizing your home doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are five easy and relatively inexpensive ways to prepare your home for winter:

Check your heating system. Give your heating system a test run before outside temperatures drop significantly. Turn the heat on and walk through the house to make sure all vents are in working order.

Replace air filters regularly. A dirty filter can block airflow and cause energy waste. Replacing filters can help improve the efficiency and longevity of your heating system.

Insulate your windows. Inspect the moldings around each window to ensure that no outside air is passing into your home. If you notice a draft, consider weather stripping or caulking to help prevent the cold air from seeping in.

Clean your gutters. Frozen leaves and debris can cause your gutters to become clogged. Water that can’t drain from the gutters might damage your roof and lead to water leaking inside your home.

Protect your water lines. Wrapping uninsulated water pipes may not save money each month, but it can prevent a costly pipe burst. And any time a hard freeze is predicted, make sure you cover exterior water spigots and leave your indoor faucets dripping.

Although we can’t control winter weather, we can plan ahead. If winterizing your home uncovers bigger issues that need to be resolved before winter arrives, Home Equity Plus may be a good option for covering the cost of unexpected repairs.

This article is for general information only and not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.