The first hard freeze on the Front Range comes quickly, and the homeowners who get through winter without problems are usually the ones who prepared in the fall. Safety and insurance experts point to a few low-cost tasks that prevent the most common and most expensive winter damage.
Have the heat checked. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends a yearly professional inspection of all fuel-burning equipment, including furnaces, boilers, fireplaces, wood stoves, water heaters, chimneys, and vents. According to the National Fire Protection Association, nearly half of all U.S. home heating fires happen between December and February. The NFPA says the leading cause is equipment that wasn’t cleaned, especially chimneys with creosote buildup. Replace the furnace filter too. It’s quick and cheap.
Test the alarms. The CPSC says more than 200 people die each year from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning that isn’t related to a fire. The agency recommends CO alarms on every level of the home and new batteries each year.
Protect the pipes. Insurance data shows how costly frozen pipes can be. State Farm paid more than $628 million on over 20,000 frozen-pipe and winter water claims from 2024 through June 2025, and the average payment was more than $30,000. The insurer recommends disconnecting garden hoses, sealing air leaks, keeping the house at 55 degrees or warmer, and opening cabinet doors under sinks on very cold nights.
Clear the gutters and seal the gaps. Clogged gutters and poor attic insulation can lead to ice dams, where melting snow refreezes at the roof edge and leaks into the house. Air sealing helps prevent that and saves money too. The EPA’s ENERGY STAR program estimates that air sealing plus added insulation cuts heating and cooling costs by about 15% on average.
Test for radon. The EPA places El Paso County in Zone 1, its highest category for radon risk. El Paso County Public Health reports that more than 40% of homes tested in the county between 2005 and 2023 had high radon levels. The Surgeon General considers radon the second leading cause of lung cancer in the country. Test kits cost $15 at the county health lab at 1675 W. Garden of the Gods Road, and the state offers discounted kits in January.
For anyone planning to sell in the spring, these tasks do double duty. A serviced furnace, a clean inspection report, and radon results on file give buyers confidence and leave fewer surprises to negotiate.
