Winterizing your home, car now will help with values later

As winter approaches, many Americans are preparing for holiday festivities and fun times with family and friends. However, it’s also important to prepare for the ever-changing weather during winter months.

Winterizing your home and car makes good economic sense because a small investment upfront can pay dividends for months. Preparing your home and car for the harsh winter months is simple and may be done in one weekend.

Better Business Bureau offers these tips to winterize your home:

■ Reverse ceiling fans. By switching your fan to a clockwise rotation, air near the ceiling is circulated back into the living space and can cut heating costs up to 10 percent.

■ Check your furnace and heating ducts. Make sure the furnace filter is clean and thermostat and pilot light are functioning properly. Clean ducts as needed and consider adding insulation to exposed ductwork and pipes.

■ Get your chimney checked. Have it inspected for animals and debris and install a screen over the opening.

■ Check your roof and clean out gutters and ridge vents. Replace any loose, cracked or missing shingles. Gutters can expand and crack if clogged with frozen rainwater and debris. Ridge vents also need to be cleaned to allow the house to breathe correctly.

■ Inspect caulking and install weather stripping. Check for caulk cracking and peeling to prevent leaks. Make sure doors and windows shut tightly and no cold is leaking through weather stripping.

■ Test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Replace batteries and smoke alarms older than 10 years.

■ Check pipes. Wrap pipes in places such as basements, crawl spaces and garages where it’s unheated so they don’t bust. Also, remove garden hoses from their faucets.

■ Remove tree branches hanging close to your home. They could weigh down with snow and / or ice and fall on your home.

BBB offers these tips to winterize your car:

■ Replace or refill all fluids. Check your fluid levels, such as coolant, oil and wiper fluid. Your coolant must have the correct antifreeze/water levels to prevent any fluid from freezing in your radiator.

■ Inspect or replace tires. Be sure they have good tire pressure and are not worn down.

■ Check your battery. Your battery can lose power in the winter due to the cold temperatures and oil can thicken, making it difficult for your vehicle to turn over.

Visit www.bbb.org or call (937) 222-5825 or (800) 7765301 for more information on how to protect your family.