Home improvement projects may not be the first things on your to-do list this fall, but you may want to add a few items to that list (maybe after “book holiday travel” but before “buy new soccer cleats for the kids”) to help prepare your home for the chillier months approaching.

Steve Wadlington, president of WIN Home Inspection, shared five home improvement chores homeowners should tackle this fall to help make their homes more efficient and more capable of withstanding whatever the winter throws at them. Bonus: Taking care of these tasks now can help save you money on winter energy bills!

If you’re relatively handy, you can handle many these check-ups yourself; if not, have a trusted home repair pro (ask neighbors for their recommendations) come out and take a look. The process should be quick and easy, and if any repairs are needed, you can start coordinating those ASAP.

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