Before you get slammed with a holiday to-do list, make sure your home is tucked in tight against winter abuse.

Heating costs this season are expected to rise about 20 percent, according to the Department of Energy. The Denver Post chatted with Paul MacGregor, a Colorado radio personality known as Mr. Fix It, about cold-weather home care.

•Gutters and downspouts

Failing to inspect and clean gutters regularly enables moisture to collect under the roof’s plywood and shingles. Use a garden hose to wash away leaves and debris.

•Roof

Inspect for damage and leaks. “You’re looking for obviously damaged or curling shingles, or sandy granules on the roofing materials,” MacGregor says. Call a roofing contractor for anything serious. Some will survey a roof for free; others charge a nominal fee.

•Insulation

MacGregor says many homes, even new construction, are poorly insulated. This leads to indoor chill and high utility bills. A good insulation company can look inside walls to make sure the insulation is up to snuff. It usually is free for a professional’s opinion.

•Garage

In homes where the garage is attached, check the adjoining wall to make sure it is sufficiently insulated for energy efficiency and to prevent automobile fumes from wafting into living spaces. Never store anything of value on the floor.

•Pipes and sprinklers

Failing to drain sprinklers before they freeze can lead to broken valves, burst pipes, frozen faucets and water damage to the house. Garden hoses split when they are left attached to faucets during the winter. Swamp-cooler water lines and sprinkler systems should be drained.

•Furnace

Furnaces are often forgotten, which leads to mucked-up filters and inefficient heating. Make sure a new filter is properly sized and positioned. In homes where people have pets or allergies, furnace filters should be changed as frequently as every four weeks. Professionals often inspect furnaces for free.

•Basement

Make sure basement windows are sealed to reduce the chance of energy loss or flooding from snowmelt. Some experts suggest putting foam insulation on basement pipes to further protect them from freezing. Wrap your water heater in an insulated blanket.

•Windows and doors

Old, cracked or shrinking caulk is a top reason warm air escapes from the home. Products like Thermwell Door Weather Stripping, available for less than $10 at hardware and home-improvement stores, can increase energy efficiency by about 20 percent. Leaky windows can be covered with shrink-to-fit plastic.

•Chimneys

Fireplace chimneys should be swept once a year. Check for soot and creosote buildup. Check vents for animal nests or other blockages to prevent smoke from the fireplace from backing up into the house. Some older homes have chimneys secured to the roof with steel rods. Check those too.

•Driveway and sidewalks

Standing water seeps into driveways, sidewalks and steps, freezes, expands and then causes them to crack. Outdoor surfaces also deteriorate from the use of ice-melting salts and chemicals. The best way to preserve these surfaces is to shovel them after a snowfall.

•Decks

The same melting salts and chemicals that batter sidewalks also are hard on decks. Consider topping decks with a semitransparent stain once a year.