ANGIE'S LIST - Pretty soon we'll be in the dead of winter. But there are some simple chores you can do right now to prepare for the cold months ahead.

Servicing your heating system is first on the list. Angie Hicks of Angie’s List says, “It's important to have your heating system inspected. It should be inspected twice a year - once in the spring in the air conditioner, and once in the fall for the furnace."

Protecting your pipes is also important. You should have your plumbing looked at and water lines insulated.

Next on the list is gutter maintenance. Hicks explains, "You want to be sure that you are cleaning them out because if the leaves are left in there you could have gutter damage, you could have roofing damage, you could even have water in your basement which can be an expensive item to fix."

You want to rake-up as many fallen leaves as possible. They will deprive your grass of sunlight and, once they're wet, could lead to mold growth and pests.

Finally, if you have a fireplace it should be both inspected and cleaned each fall.

Those are the top five fall chores that could end up saving you cold hard cash.