The Farmers’ Almanac is predicting an “ice cold & snow-filled winter” in the Northeast, so let’s button down, bundle up, and brace ourselves and our homes before the flakes fly. Winter storms in the United States caused an estimated $3.5 billion in insured losses in 2015, up from $2.6 billion in 2014, the Insurance Information Institute has reported, so we’ve compiled a to-do list to help you prepare and persevere.

■ Check for loose shingles, damage from branches, and leaks around vents, skylights, and chimneys. Clean off leaves and debris.

■ Carefully inspect flashing at dormers, plumbing stacks, and valleys.

■ Have a flat roof? Look for blisters and bubbles.

■ Trim bushes (to at least 1 foot away from the house) and trees back from roof edges.