Winterize your home

Here are 10 maintenance tips for winterizing your home.

1. Test and maintain smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.

2. Ensure your furnace, wood stove and any other heating sources are in good working condition.

3. If you go on vacation, even for a few days, leave the heat on and have someone you trust check on your home while you are away.

4. Run water through all plumbing fixtures regularly and t est plumbing shut-off valves.

5. Inspect your attic for frost accumulation, and check your eavestroughs and roof for potential ice dams or icicles.

6. Keep your sidewalk and the front stairs of your house clear of snow and ice.

7. Keep snow away from gas meters, gas appliance vents, exhaust vents and basement windows.

8. Trim branches that are close to your house or electrical wires.

9. Prevent freezing of pipes by fitting exposed pipes with insulation sleeves or wrapping.

10. Caulk windows and doors that are not airtight and install weather stripping to prevent hot air leaks and cold air infiltration.

Other topics that may interest you:

• Adapting to extreme weather events
• Ice storm and freezing rain
• Extreme cold