Whether or building a new home or residing in an older one, those living in climates with particularly frigid winters need to ensure that their residences remain safe and warm from the elements. These handy tips and tricks come straight from experts in the field to help homeowners across the world find the best ways to keep them and their families (if they have a family, of course) properly heated and sheltered from the harsh outdoors for one more season.

1. Clean and inspect furnace filters, blades, and motors regularly : Making certain that every element of a furnace – from filters to casings – is in proper working order ensures that the machine heats a home as efficiently, comfortably, and safely as possible.

2. Perform regular draft hood tests : Furnace draft hoods must especially undergo rigorous inspection and and testing on a regular basis to prevent carbon monoxide leakage and provide the best possible heating. Erie Insurance offers one method of testing draft hoods on furnaces.

3. Don’t turn the thermostat up beyond a certain point : Winterization experts suggest keeping an occupied room between 68°F and 70°F and an empty one between 60°F and 65°F. Doing so will reduce the stress on a furnace and allow it to heat longer, more evenly, and more efficiently.

4. Keep space heaters in the most-used rooms. : Any rooms needing a little extra heating if the recommended temperatures prove uncomfortable can be warmed up quickly with the addition of a space heater.

5. Avoid using ventilation fans in the kitchen and bathroom : Ventilation fans remove some of the heated air from the room, and if left off can drain an entire house’s worth in around an hour.

6. Think of investing in a programmable thermostat : Using a programmable thermostat allows homeowners to preserve energy and time by keeping their house cooler while on vacation or at work and warmer as they occupy it.

7. Wrap heaters located in unheated areas of the home in insulation blankets : Envelope water heaters stationed in basements – or other rooms with insufficient heating – in insulation blankets to keep them from freezing over and making a home far cooler than it ought to be in the winter months.

8. Take advantage of natural heat and light : Open blinds and curtains on windows facing the sun to add some much-needed heat into a home at no extra cost. In the daylight hours, homeowners can lower their thermostat to preserve energy and money as well.

9. Use curtains made of heavy fabric : During the winter, switch out the curtains to heavier materials that trap more natural heat and light than their lighter, more summery kin.

10. Seal up any holes in walls or foundations : Any leaks, cracks, holes, or other flaws in foundations and walls serve as conduits for bits of precious heat to escape, negatively impacting wallets, energy, and comfort levels.

11. Shut off the water to outside taps : Doing so prevents freezing internal and external plumbing as well as saves on energy and water bills.

12. Seal windows : Like foundations and walls, windows also need proper sealing in order to ensure that heat stays inside the home instead of escaping outside.

13. Add extra insulation if need be : Areas of the home suffering from inadequate heating, such as basements and attics, can benefit from additional insulation that helps to warm a home. Even rooms with comparatively more insulation may prove more comforting with a little extra as well.

14. Consider a warm mist humidifier : If the idea of space heaters provokes paranoia, then a warm mist humidifier may prove a safer alternative. It serves the dual function of adding a little moisture to drier air as well.

15. Consider investing in storm windows : Storm windows are a must for any home located in a region with nasty weather and precipitation, but their structure also helps keep warmth sealed snugly inside where it belongs.

16. Keep the fireplace properly maintained : Regardless of whether or not one intends to ever use a fireplace for its intended function, it is always a prudent idea to perform regular checks for potential leaks and other heating (and safety!) hazards.

17. Check the area around pipes for leakage : Leaking pipes not only waste water and energy, but also run a much higher risk of freezing and unnecessarily cooling a home in wintertime.

18. Consider covering window wells with plastic shields : Doing so not only protects them from wear and tear, but it also helps seal in heat and keep out the cool air from outside from seeping through any unknown leaks.

19. Weatherstrip around doors : No matter the climate or season, weatherstripping a door keeps the desired air temperature indoors and helps save on energy costs as well.

20. Install leaf guards on gutters : Leaves that build up in gutters trap water and snow, which may freeze and cool off a house in addition to potentially causing physical damage.

21. Keep the roof properly maintained : Holes or missing tiles and shingles can also act as conduits for warm air to escape a home in need of heat.

22. Stay diligent with the ice melt and sand : Dousing ice and snow buildup with ice melt or sand protects families from injury, homes from damage, and reduces the amount of frozen matter creeping inside and counterproductively cooling a house requiring warmth.

23. Drain garden hoses : Properly draining – or outright unplugging – an outdoor garden hose may seem like a small gesture, but it plays a huge role in preventing unwanted freezes.

24. Replace screen doors with glass paneling : : While something of a pain, the act of removing screen doors and installing glass panels in their place does nothing but help keep heated air indoors where it belongs.

25. Drain AC pipes : The act of draining AC pipes carries with it the same idea as all the other similar procedures. Doing so is a small step towards keeping a home as warm and efficient as possible.

26. Top off fuel storage tanks : Always be sure to keep oil, kerosene, and other heating fuels in generous supply in the wintertime to ensure regular heating with no dangerously chilly gaps.

27. Clean and cover condensing units : : External condensing units become quickly dirtied and run the risk of freezing over if not properly cared for and regularly maintained. If possible, buy a special blanket to cover them from the brisk winter air.

28. Keep the chimney properly maintained : As with the fireplace, a well-kept chimney not only keeps a house safe, but operating as warmly and safely as possible as well.

29. Drain the plumbing system : Before the winter sets in, be sure to properly drain the plumbing system in order to reduce the risk of pipes freezing over and bursting. While doing so, check for any leaks and respond in kind.

30. Consider insulated covers for hose bibs and sill cocks : Exterior faucets and sill cocks need to be drained, of course, but some homeowners may want to spring for insulated covers that prevent further freezing or damage.

31. Invest in foam sealing gaskets : Install foam sealing gaskets in and around external electrical outlets and switch plates as one more measure to keep warm air from escaping the home.

32. Put fiberglass insulation inside the chimney : Obviously any homeowners who make frequent use of their chimneys and fireplaces should disregard this tidbit, but those who do not may want to consider stuffing them with pieces of fiberglass insulation as a means of further heating a house.

33. Winterize the sprinkler system : Either through personal labor or professional intervention, ensure that sprinkler systems are properly winterized before the onset of winter. About.com’s Home Repair portal offers a small summary of what the procedure entails.

34. Seal any decks : Although outdoors, sealing decks (especially those with their own personal heating systems) offers one more safeguard against freezes and leaks that may negatively impact the indoors.

35. Drain gas from the lawnmower and other heavy equipment : Even if stored in the garage, lawnmowers, chainsaws, and other machinery requiring gasoline still run the risk of freezing over. An alternative to draining involves running them until empty, though such moves are something of a waste of money.

36. Drain all water fountains : They may look lovely in a garden or near a pool, but fountains also pose a great freezing risk as well – leaving pipes vulnerable to bursting and other damages.

37. Keep patio furniture covered : When not in use, cover all outside furniture with blankets, towels, sheets, or other insulators to shelter them from the elements and prevent freezing over or collecting snow, sleet, and frost.

38. Close off any unused rooms : Keep warm air circulating and concentrated in areas with higher traffic by shutting the doors to rooms that see very little activity.

39. Replace incandescent bulbs with fluorescent : According to Energy Star, approved fluorescent light bulbs use 75% less energy than their incandescent cousins. Installing them will help allocate more money and resources towards heating for times when the cold gets to be almost too much.

40. Use rope caulking for sealing : When repairing leaks near windows and pipes, consider rope caulking as an inexpensive but extremely effective method of keeping them sealed.

41. Winterize the landscaping : Improperly pruned trees can deposit sleet, snow, and water on roofs, which can leak into homes through poorly maintained shingles, tiles, and holes or cause considerable damage.

42. Spring for a professional duct inspection : The extra cost of a home inspection to check all heating ducts is well worth it once the cold begins to settle in, as a professional will be able to make note of issues that may fly under the radar of an amateur. Be sure to schedule an appointment before winter, though.

43. Vacuum heating ducts : Remodeling expert Jimmy McDonald recommends vacuuming heating ducts once every five years to keep them running smoothly and efficiently.

44. Install a chimney screen : Chimney screens prevent leaves, snow, frost, and other undesirables from entering the home and compromising the heating situation. However, some screens may need removing prior to building a fire.

45. Consider a solar air heater : Instead of a space heater, consider a solar air heater instead. These handy, eco-friendly devices absorb warmth from the sun and convert it to an effective heat source for a home battling the winter elements.

46. Keep the grass near gutters trimmed : Gutters will always drip, no matter the precipitation they collect. Long grass and plants surrounding the openings pose a heightened risk of freezing than the blades that have been properly clipped.

47. Have a professional inspect the irrigation system : Along with the heating ducts, it is always a good idea to pay for a professional to analyze any potential problems – perhaps winterize – sprinkler and other irrigation systems that pose a freezing hazard.

48. Fill hot water heaters before turning on the electricity : Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission believes that one of the best ways of preserving hot water heaters and keeping them running is to fill them up prior to switching them on. Doing so will help prevent the heating element itself from sustaining unnecessary damage.

49. Keep ice and snow away from the garage door : Spread sand or ice melt near the garage during regular rounds. Some may crack and warp when exposed to too much frigidity, allowing snugly trapped warm air to escape.

50. Let fans twirl in reverse : Many ceiling fans come with a mechanism to switch the blades from spinning counterclockwise to clockwise. The normal method produces a nice cooling effect for summer, but in the wintertime a counter rotation will suck up colder air and recycle anything towards the ceiling back into the room. Daily Greenclaims this measure can also save about 10% on heating costs.

With these tips and tricks on keeping a home heated and comfortable – some simple, some not so much – wintertime becomes far safer. Take as many precautions as possible to keep the warm air trapped inside and make an otherwise freezing season just a little bit more tolerable.