According to the Environmental Protection Agency, a leaky pipe can waste about 10,000 gallons of water per year, which is enough to fill a large swimming pool. During the cooler months, take the time to inspect your outdoor faucets for any leaks. Better yet, turn off the water valves to the outdoor faucets and unhook the garden hose so there's no water whatsoever in those pipes. This will also ensure that they won’t burst if they freeze, which prevents a costly repair come springtime.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Smart decorating can help improve the natural flow of a home and make use of every inch of space. But decorating also can help you keep your home warmer in the winter months. Older homes often have no sidewall insulation, and the result is walls that absorb cold air from outdoors and bring the chill inside the house. Insulating the walls can be expensive, but you can provide some DIY insulation by placing bookshelves or other heavy furniture like sofas against the walls to block cold air. Hanging decorative quilts can look good and insulate, too.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Take the time today to walk around the house and notice where the vents, registers and heaters are in your home. Over time, people may move furniture, rugs or other obstacles that can block your vents and heaters, preventing air from moving freely in rooms. Simply moving obstructions out of the way can help tremendously to improve the heating and cooling efficiency of your home. And as you locate your vents, give them a good cleaning to remove dust and debris, too.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION