Moving into your first home is a milestone. Moving in during the fall means winter is close behind. Solon residents know how quickly a mild November afternoon can give way to freezing nights, snow squalls and icy driveways. For first-time buyers, that first winter can be a crash course in home ownership. The good news is that most cold-weather problems can be prevented with some planning. A few weekends of work now may save hundreds or even thousands of dollars later. Here is a practical checklist for new homeowners in Solon and across Northeast Ohio. Go Back to Your Inspection Report Before buying anything at the hardware store, find your home inspection report. Many buyers read it carefully during negotiations, then forget about it once the keys are in hand. Read it again with winter in mind. Flag anything related to heating, roofing, gutters, plumbing, windows or the foundation. Those systems take the biggest beating between December and March. Separate the list into weekend projects and jobs for professionals. Then call contractors soon. HVAC companies, roofers and chimney sweeps often get booked up once the weather turns. Know Where to Shut Things Off Every homeowner should be able to find the main water shutoff, the gas meter and the electrical panel quickly. In many homes, the water shutoff sits in the basement where the line comes through the foundation wall. Spend a few minutes labeling breakers if the previous owners never did. A burst pipe in the middle of the night is not the time to start searching. Give the Furnace a Checkup No system matters more during a Northeast Ohio winter than your furnace. If the sellers did not leave recent service records, schedule a professional cleaning and inspection. A licensed technician can check burners, safety controls and the heat exchanger. Install a new furnace filter right away. You have no idea how long the old one has been in place. Check it every month through the heating season, since a dirty filter forces the system to work harder. Test every smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector while you are at it. Replace batteries and fill in gaps where detectors are missing. Carbon monoxide risk climbs in winter, when windows stay shut and furnaces run around the clock. Keep Pipes From Freezing Burst pipes rank among the costliest winter headaches for Ohio homeowners. Most cases are preventable. Disconnect garden hoses and drain them before the first hard freeze. Look for interior shutoff valves that feed outdoor spigots, close them and open the outside faucets to drain leftover water. If your property has an irrigation system, have a professional blow out the lines. Inside, check pipes running along exterior walls, through crawl spaces or in the garage. Foam pipe sleeves are cheap and quick to install. When temperatures plunge, open the cabinet doors under sinks so warm air can circulate. Clear Gutters and Look at the Roof Wait until most leaves are down, then clean the gutters thoroughly. Clogged gutters can trap water that freezes into ice dams. Those dams can push meltwater under shingles and into ceilings. Make sure downspouts send water several feet away from the foundation. Use binoculars to scan the roof from the yard for missing or damaged shingles. Spotting a problem now is far better than finding a ceiling stain in February. Anyone planning to use a wood-burning fireplace should schedule a chimney inspection and cleaning first. Creosote and debris can create a serious fire hazard. Stop Drafts Before They Raise Your Bill Drafts make a home uncomfortable and drive up heating costs. On a breezy day, run your hand around window frames and exterior doors. Replace cracked weatherstripping, add door sweeps and recaulk gaps. If the attic is accessible, take a look at the insulation. Thin or uneven coverage lets warm air escape through the roof. Ask your utility provider whether it offers home energy audits, which can identify the biggest sources of heat loss. Switching ceiling fans to spin clockwise on low is another simple step. The gentle airflow pushes warm air down from the ceiling. Check the Basement and Sump Pump Basements are standard in much of Northeast Ohio, and winter thaws can bring water problems. Test your sump pump by slowly pouring a bucket of water into the pit. It should start automatically and drain the water. A battery backup can keep it running during power outages. Look along basement walls for cracks, damp spots or white powdery residue. Those signs may point to moisture issues worth monitoring. Be Ready for Snow Day One Buy a good shovel and a bag or two of ice melt before the first storm sends everyone to the store. Homeowners who plan to hire a plow or snow removal service should sign up now, as many companies fill their routes early. Look up at the trees around your home. Limbs over the roof, driveway or power lines can snap under the weight of snow and ice. Call Ohio811 before any digging project so underground utility lines can