With the cold just around the corner, now is the time to give your home a “checkup.” Here are tips from the Comfort Institute on what to look for and what to watch out for to make sure your home is ready for those cold northerly winds.

1. If you have a furnace, have your ductwork tested for air leaks. According to the Department of Energy (DOE), the typical duct system loses 25-40% of the energy that a central furnace, heat pump, or air conditioner emits. Leaks are usually the biggest problem. These leaks are much more significant than window and door leaks!

2. Ask your heating contractor to perform an infiltrometer “blower door” test. The ventilator gate is a computerized instrument originally invented by the DOE. Point out where the worst leaks are.

3. Replace the air filter on your furnace or heat pump. Most systems require this to be done every month to ensure safe and efficient operation. Ask your heating contractor about new high-efficiency air filters that can capture more than 90% of the respirable particles of concern.

4. Have a qualified contractor clean and adjust your heating system. A pre-season tune-up is a good investment. It reduces the chances of breakdowns in the dead of winter and more than pays for itself thanks to more efficient operation from an energy point of view.

5. Have your system checked for carbon monoxide and install a carbon monoxide alarm. CO can be produced by a dirty or malfunctioning gas or oil boiler or water heater. A furnace or boiler that is not working at peak performance can be deadly. CO is a natural product of incomplete combustion. Virtually all gas ovens produce some CO, which is usually carried out of your home through the oven vent.

6. Close the narrow space winds. Recent research finds that in most climates, leaving them open in the summer actually brings in more unwanted moisture. Many building experts now recommend covering exposed ground with a sealed plastic vapor barrier and permanently sealing and insulating basement walls.

7. Set the thermostat to a cooler temperature when you are away or when you are sleeping. For every degree you turn down your thermostat setting, you can save 3% on heating energy! Save even more by adjusting your thermostat during the day when no one is home. If you don’t have an automatic programmable thermostat, consider installing one.

8. Keep radiators, baseboards and duct registers clean and clear; don’t hide heat behind furniture. And close and turn down the heat in unused rooms. Also, use a tight-closing damper on fireplace chimneys to prevent hot air from flowing up the chimney.

9. Bathroom exhaust fans, range hood fans, and dryers must have backdraft dampers installed where the vent meets the outside. Also, exhaust fans must be sealed to the wall or ceiling they are mounted to so that the air is drawn out of the house and not inside the frame cavity in which they are installed.

10. Mechanical, plumbing, electrical, gas, water, or oil lines penetrating between heated and unheated areas must be sealed with caulk or foam.

11. Install shutters or tight plastic over single pane or draft windows. This will raise the temperature of the interior glazed surface, reduce condensation on the window, and increase the comfort level near the window.

12. A ceiling fan will circulate hot air trapped in the ceiling, allowing you to lower your thermostat a few degrees.