REGINA -- A Regina home inspector says there are things homeowners can do to make the winter months easier on homes.

“Your hose bib should always be turned off prior to freezing temperatures,” Sheldon Eipert, owner of Supreme Leader Home Inspectors said. “Always inside there will be a valve and then again drain it to relieve that pressure inside the line."

Eipert said during the colder months it's important to keep snow away from your home because come spring time, you don’t want that snow melting and running into your basement. He also said to ensure all exterior vents have room to breathe and to keep the snow off your roof.

"Roof sheathing again isn’t made to carry a lot of weight,” he said. “You could have a lot of different instances of roof collapsing and different items like that. Ice damning within your house, you’ll notice that there is moisture staining within your ceiling and because of either your heating consistency within your home or the movement of air."

When it comes to saving energy and money, Eipert recommends a visual inspection around the house.

"Look at your different insulations like insulation in your attic, even if your house is brand new it does compress so just even popping your head in there," he said.

The cold weather makes many people in Saskatchewan want to get away and visit a warm destination for a week or two, but SGI Canada said there are some things to check with your home before leaving.

"Depending on how long you're going to be away from your home, there may be requirements to have someone check in on your home,” Tyler McMurchy with SGI said. “To have your water turned off and things like that. Also those are just good ideas anyway to keep your home safe especially if you're away for an extended period of time."

SGI said another thing to add to your travel to-do list is a phone call to your insurance broker, to double check your coverage. It also said making your house look like it’s lived in while your away, could help keep intruders out.

"Putting lights on a timer for example to make it look like somebody is home,” McMurchy said. “Have somebody shovel your walk and pick up your mail so it does look like somebody is home, maybe ask your neighbour to park in your drive way and use your garbage and put your that out so the house looks lived in.”