Smart homeowners know that you shouldn’t wait until the last minute, when the water freezes and the snow starts to fall, before starting to prepare your home for the winter season. There are many wonderful things about winter, such as holiday celebrations with family and friends and warm, cozy nights inside, but there is also a lot of dangerous and potentially destructive weather. Getting your home ready before the winter begins is essential to protect your most important asset. Here are three simple tips to help you get your home ready to face the perilous weather and freezing temperatures that winter often brings.

First, clear up all of the messes left over from the fall. This means cleaning out all of your gutters, either by yourself or with the help of a pro. Getting and keeping your gutters cleared and clean will help prevent leaks from occurring, which can damage your home before you even know it. Mulch all of your delicate perennials and trees, and clean out your annual garden beds. Leaving a bunch of rotten plants and debris encourages plant diseases, pests, and other problems, so compost those materials before the first frost hits. Compost all of the fallen leaves as well, or contact your local government about options for composting your leaf debris.

Next, make any major repairs before the winter hits. Hire a local contractor that has a good reputation to do the work, and ask around to your friends, family, and neighbors for suggestions on good companies to work with. For example, if you need plumbing Brandon FL, choose a company that does high-quality work like Third Generation Plumbing so that you can trust the job will be done right the first time. Small problems can quickly become big ones, especially when winter weather makes things harder to deal with, so act early to get the job done while you can.

Finally, make sure that your heater works well to get you through the coming months. You don’t want to have your heater fail when you need it the most so check it before the cold hits. Make sure you replace your air filters at the same time so that you are cleaning your air while you heat your home. If you have a fireplace, check the flue and get it cleaned out safely.