Visually inspect the white PVC pipes that most likely exit a few feet above the ground somewhere outside of your home. Typically, there is one which brings air in for your furnace, and the other that exhausts it out. These two pipes must be free of obstructions so your heating system can run efficiently and safely over the winter months. After heavy snowfalls, peek at your exhaust and intake to clear snow if necessary.

Something almost every fan has, but nearly no one uses, is the switch on the side of the fan housing. This switch controls whether your fan spins clockwise or counterclockwise. During winter heating months, it’s best to have your fan turning clockwise. Clockwise pulls cold air up to combine it with warmer air that’s near the ceiling and mixes it in the room. Low fan speed can also help push warm air to the windows of your room, which will reduce window condensation.

Keep an eye on your gutters after snow or ice accumulation followed by thaws, to ensure they aren’t damaged and are properly draining. If the first snowfall hasn’t occurred, double-check that the channels are clear of leaves to help with the spring thaw. If snow can’t melt and drain through the gutters and downspouts, it’ll overflow the channels, which puts a lot of water runoff near your basement walls, putting unnecessary stress on the foundation walls and drain tile.

Winter is a good time of year to pull your fridge out and vacuum the coils on the back of it. Keeping the coils clean allows the refrigerator to push heat out more efficiently and will help extend the life of the appliance.