When was the last time you gave your house a Valentine? Yes, even houses need love, and this February you can give yours a special Valentine’s treat. Here are six things you can do this month for your house.

Door sweep and weather stripping

Check out your exterior doors. Over the years, the sweep (the weather strip along the bottom of the door) and the weather stripping around the frame can deteriorate and fail. As that happens, drafts come in and air escapes, which drives up your heating bills in the winter and cooling bills in the summer. Replace them if they’ve seen better days.

Baseboards

Baseboards take the brunt of family life. Kids crash cars into them and whack them with hockey sticks. Adults and kids both kick them from time to time. If your baseboards look tired and bruised, it’s time to buy some paint, painter’s tape, and a brush to touch them up. It’s a small thing, but it’s a detail that can breathe new life into a room for little cost and effort.

Furnace Filter

When was the last time you checked your furnace filter? If it’s been a while, take out the old, and replace it with a new one. In fact, most filters should be replaced every couple of months. Not only will it enhance the efficiency of your HVAC system, it will improve the air quality in the house for everyone. Bob Vila offers some guidelines for choosing the type of filter that will best suit your needs.

Vacuum the Dryer Vent

Out of sight, out of mind. The poor dryer vent can get neglected. Think of it like an artery. When it’s clear, the dryer runs efficiently. But as it clogs with lint, it reduces efficiency. The dryer has to work harder, and it may eventually stop drying your clothes altogether. Not only that—a clogged vent becomes a fire danger. So, pull your dryer out, disconnect the vent tube, and vacuum it. You get bonus points for going outside and vacuuming the vent tube from the opposite direction.

Light Bulbs

Do you have some light bulbs way up high that are hard to replace? If you’ve been putting that off for a while and living in the dim shadows, then let there be light! Get out the ladder and change out all the bulbs that need it. You can install energy-efficient bulbs to save some money on your energy bill and avoid changing them again for a while. In addition to brightening the room, good lighting will brighten your mood, too.

Smoke Alarms

Don’t put that ladder away yet! While you have it out to change the light bulbs, scoot it around to your smoke and carbon dioxide alarms. If you haven’t changed their batteries in a while, give them fresh ones.

In any relationship, it’s always the little things that show you care the most. It’s the same with your house. Treat your home to some TLC this month!