For most people, thoughts of winter usually bring about thoughts of preparing for the holidays. October brings fall, which means you pull out your fall decorations and decorate your house in spooky splendor for Halloween. November is turkey month, with Thanksgiving celebrations and slightly cooler temperatures as fall wanes and winter takes its place. Finally, when December rolls around everyone starts getting ready for Santa to come down the chimney and the cold weather truly hits for the season.

However, along with buying presents, and searching for the perfect advent calendar (whether it’s battery-operated, full of goodies for the kids, contains chocolate treats, or has a simple nativity scene), and waiting for Santa to arrive, you should be thinking about the home improvements you need to make to ensure your home is warm and cozy for the snow days to come. In this article, you’ll find a few of the home improvements you should make before the first snow flutters to the ground.

Siding and Roofing Inspections

It’s important that your home and family are protected from the harsh winds, snow, and weather that often accompanies the winter season. That’s why it’s so important that one of the first home improvement projects you tackle is an inspection of your roof and siding. Inspect your home’s siding for signs of rot, holes, and cracks and find a reliable contractor to fix them as soon as possible.

On your roof, it’s important to look for missing shingles, moss growth, and tree branches that are hanging low and could do damage when the ice coats the branches. For roof repair, it’s also best to hire a roofing contractor to take care of your roofing needs. A roofing contractor will be able to tell you if you need a roof repair or a roof replacement for a whole new roof. Go online and search for “Washington DC roofing” (or any other location) to find a contractor who will only inspect your roof but make any roof repairs that may be needed. Whether you need a new roof or just a few repairs before the first snow flies, it’s best to have a professional roofing company with years of experience take care of the job. Being on a roof when you’re untrained can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing.

Replacing Your Windows

If your home has older windows, the end of fall is the perfect time to think about and start replacing them. Replacing older windows means that you won’t get as many drafts and it’ll also help you save on those winter heating bills. It’s much better to enjoy the winter scenery from a window that isn’t drafty and making you cold. Besides, newer windows are more energy-efficient, which makes them better for the environment as well.

Remodeling Your Fireplace

During the frigid winter months, fireplaces are a joy to many homeowners. That being said, your fireplace can also be a fire hazard if it’s not properly installed and maintained. The beginning of winter is the perfect time to have your fireplace remodeled. With a properly remodeled fireplace, Christmas day will be a complete joy as everyone opens their presents in front of a roaring fire. Never light your fireplace without first making sure it’s in proper working order, from the fireplace itself to the chimney on the roof.

Replacing the Heating System

No one wants to wake up on the coldest day of the year only to find that the heat doesn’t click on when you turn up the thermostat. If you fear that your heating system isn’t up to the task of keeping your home and family warm this winter season, take the time to replace it before the winter begins.

These are just a few of the home improvement projects that should be tackled before winter begins. Once these are completed, all you have to do is shop for presents, put out your Christmas decorations, and wait on Santa to come on Christmas Eve.