Systems Check
This is the time to make sure that your home's critical systems are all functioning properly and ready to go into service. This is the right time to get things checked out by the people who know what to look for.

- Have the heating system inspected, especially if you haven't in the last couple of years. A general tune up, such as replacing filters, ensures the system functions optimally and efficiently.

- If your home relies on a sump pump, make sure that it has been maintained and is working properly.

- With homes with aging roofs, it is important to have an inspection every few years. Many roofing companies are happy to do this for free. If concerns are identified, it is best to deal with them immediately, to avoid much bigger issues that might happen if you wait.

The Winter Check List
There are a handful of important things every homeowner should do each winter season. They don't take long and don't require special expertise.

- Safely inspect your eaves. Make sure that drains are free of debris. During the winter, the snow on a home's roof can warm up and melt. The run-off then freezes and creates a dam, which can back up more run-off, damaging your roofing and eaves drops.

- If you live in an area where snow frequently falls and then melts, make sure your drain spouts are carrying the run-off well away from the house, so that it can't potentially damage the home's foundation.

- One of the things we can easily procrastinate on is the seasonal restocking of winter essentials. It's impossible to think of snow shovels and salt in the heat of an August day, but that's what fall is for. Now is the time to make sure you've replaced the snow shovel and grabbed a few new bags of salt.