If you live in Manitoba, you know all too well that winters can often be less than enjoyable. With freezing temperatures come frozen pipes, doors, windows and much more! Taking steps to prevent your home from freezing up is not only beneficial to you but to future home owners as well.

Here are a few tips that you should consider implementing now in order to save yourself the heartache of expensive repairs in the future.

Feeling a breeze? Stop cold air from getting into your home. The best way to do this is by checking and repairing the caulking and weatherstripping around windows and doors. Sealing any cracks in the foundation walls in also a must.

Keep heating systems running smoothly. Furnaces need yearly maintenance in order to run at their optimal capacity and you certainly don’t want it quitting in the dead of a Manitoba winter. Filters should also be checked and changed regularly.

Snow clearing. This one is a no-brainer, but not everyone realizes that it’s a safely concern. Regular snow blowing or shovelling is the best way to keep driveways and walkways safe and clear of snow. Keep some ice-melt or sand on hand to provide traction on those really slippery places.

Check, and if necessary, replace carbon monoxide detectors. During the winters months when we’re normally cooped up inside most of the time. Your furnace, and other heat sources create carbon monoxide as they heat your home. A carbon monoxide detector monitors those levels and will alert you if/when those levels ever rise. Make sure to test your monitor to ensure it’s in working order.