Winterize Your Home or Business

(ARA) – Before you know it, the cooler temperatures of winter will set in. While it’s still comfortable outside during fall is a great time to winterize your home or business.

Here are 3 simple things you can do that will not only save money but aggravation:

1. Check your home for leaks. Improperly sealed homes can waste 10 to 15 percent of the homeowner's heating dollars.

2. Have a qualified contractor inspect and service your home heating system every fall to ensure it’s working at peak efficiency.

3. Bird-proof your home.
Not all birds fly south for the winter. Pigeons, starlings, sparrows and doves are among the species that stay in their home territories year round, and if you don’t want them taking refuge from inclement weather at your address, the experts at Bird-B-Gone, the largest manufacturer and distributor of pest bird control products in North America, recommend you consider the following:

* Purchase vent covers to block birds’ access to the air vents on your roof.

* If you have pigeons sitting on your roof or window sills, putting up bird spikes is the way to go. The plastic or metal devices come in 2-foot strips that are easy to install on roof peaks, flat or curved surfaces, ledges and window sills.

* Use netting to prevent birds from getting under your air conditioning unit, roosting under eaves or finding their way into your attic through broken soffit covers. For chimneys, a chimney cap is a great way to deter birds and other pests from entering.