With temperatures falling and time spent inside on the rise, you’ll want to help your home maintain its energy-efficiency. Use this time of year to help ensure the interior of your home is in working order while maintaining a few important exterior features. 

On or around the first day of January:

Indoor

• During extreme cold, leave indoor faucets located on exterior walls dripping to prevent pipe freezing.

• Change or clean furnace filters; consult manufacturer instructions for your furnace to determine how frequently the filters should be replaced.

• Stock up on firewood if you have a wood burning fireplace.

• Check weather stripping in windows and doors to make sure there are no leaks.

Outdoor

• Remove ice buildup, snow or any debris from roof when needed to help prevent leaking.

• Clean and store garden tools.

• Move snow shovels and snow blowers to a convenient spot.

• Walk around your home's exterior and check the crawl space vents located at the foundation; close any that are open.

• Clean and cover the grill, and remove and store any outdoor furniture.