Winter Maintenance Tip: Don’t Forget About Your Furnace Filter

This time of year, chances are that your forced-air furnace is in daily operation. To keep the unit running smoothly, and to avoid the hassle and expense of an emergency repair, Read more

Black Ice: Are You Responsible for Falls on Your Property?

Black ice is a scary sounding term and for good reason: It leads to car accidents, injuries and a fear of walking outside in the winter. But are you responsible to clear this invisible menace if it’s on your property? Read more

High Energy Bills? Fix Air Leaks in These 4 Offending Areas

Before you turn the thermostat up another notch or pile another blanket on the bed, it may be time to figure out how and where your house is losing heat. Read more

Cold Weather Pests

Ah. The sound of a gently crackling fire. The aroma of cinnamon. It’s an idyllic Fall. The taste of warm apple cider. The melodic sound of rain on the roof. The arrival of spiders and stink bugs. Wait. What? Read more

Winterize Your Doors to Save on Heating Bills

    The winter months are fast approaching; soon old man winter will be knocking at your front door. Doors are a huge cause of heat loss. Much is lost just by opening and closing them, but the amount of heat lost when closed can be reduced greatly with the following three maintenance tips.

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Is Your Home Winter-Proof?

Don’t let your home get the winter blues. As the cold weather approaches, home owners can do the following maintenance checks to ensure their properties are ready for the winter months. The real estate Web site Zillow offers some of the following tips:

• Check the weather stripping along your door and door frame to ensure there are no gaps that can let cold air seep into your home. Also, you may want to add weather stripping or caulk to your windows to prevent any drafts and wasting energy. Read more

10 Home Winterization Musts

It’s been a mild winter throughout most of the country so far. That means we still have time to run through a foul-weather checklist. Here are 10 “must do’s” to have a warm, cozy and safe winter.

1. Check attic insulation. A foot of blown-in or batt insulation (R-38) in the attic reduces heat transfer from heated interior space to the great outdoors. This is a do-it-yourself job. If your attic is not insulated, blow in or roll out 12 inches of loose or batt insulation. If the amount of insulation is less than 12 inches, simply roll out unfaced fiberglass batts over the existing insulation to create a heavier thermal blanket. This is a case where more is better. Make sure to leave soffit vents unobstructed. Read more

How to Prep Your Fireplace for the Cold Season

Things to Know Before You Spark Up the Logs

With natural gas and propane prices continuing to rise, you’ll likely be looking to the old fireplace this winter to help cut your home-heating bills. But before you spark up the logs, take heed that fireplaces and chimneys are involved in 42 percent of all home-heating fires. So first make sure yours is up to snuff by following these seven safety tips. Read more