The cold of winter can be absolutely brutal to a house. That’s why fall house projects are an important way to prepare for the upcoming season. First things first, make sure your furnace is in good working order. If not, hire a professional to either fix or replace it immediately. You don’t want to risk not having heat in the dead of winter.

Next up, focus on your windows. If you have cracked glass or drafty doors and windows, you will be losing money on your heating expenses in the cold weather. One of your fall house projects should be having a home repair expert inspect your doors and windows to make sure they won’t be letting in drafts.

It’s also a good idea to install weather stripping or replace broken glass panels if need be. Fall is also a great time to have someone examine the roof for loose shingles or loose flashing around chimneys; that will help you avoid some nasty surprises when it rains.

Gutters are a small part of your house than can cause you big problems. If your gutters are clogged or broken, they can allow water to damage the roof, create ice dams, leak into the attic, and even pool around the base of your house, causing water damage in your basement. Hire a licensed contractor to not only empty the gutters of leaves and inspect them to detect potential signs of trouble. Be sure to make gutters one of your top fall house projects.

Make sure you don’t forget to shut off the outside water and drain the pipes, so you don’t have to worry about water freezing and bursting the pipes over the winter. If that happens, it’s going to cost you big to get everything replaced.

Many people love the character older homes have, but not the problems that come along with them. Experts say there are things you need to do in order to properly maintain an older home.

The first thing you should do is get the roof repaired before any further damage is done. The next thing is to have the electrical updated to code to reduce chances of an electrical fire. Plumbing would be next, but make sure you have taken into consideration all that you plan to do to the home. For instance, you don’t want to have the plumbing modified, then decide to remodel a bathroom or kitchen and have to redo what you’ve already done.

Older homes will most definitely have windows that are far from energy efficient. There are window companies that can help you pick out new, Energy Star windows that will match your old world style. When you get your first energy bill, you’ll be glad you switched them out.

Are you trying to go green? Experts say if you want to start living a “greener” lifestyle, your bathroom is a great place to start! Some simple adjustments to a bathroom can reduce its impact on the environment.

Here are a few tips to green it up:

• Installing aerators on the faucet and showerhead will reduce the amount of water used.
• Faucets and showerheads with aerators use half the water flow with twice the power. If they were used nationwide, aerators could save 250 million gallons of water a year.
• Using a low-flow toilet will use less water.
• Replacing a tanked water heater with a tankless model will reduce the amount of energy consumed and the cost to heat water.
• A tankless water heater will heat only what is needed, when it’s needed.
• Compact fluorescent bulbs use less energy than incandescent bulbs and last much longer.
• When redecorating, look for paint with a low volatile organic compounds (VOC) label. These paints are less toxic.
• Even little things like selecting all-natural fabrics can help make your bathroom more green. Plus all your friends will think you are so hip and ahead of the times!