Consulting a professional is the best idea. Good pros to approach are your tax consultant or an IRS representative. These people can point you to resources that you can use to find more about property improvement claims. The IRS website at irs.gov also has some good information for the home.

Your preparations for winter should be well underway or finished, but if you have not made any improvements to your home or purchased the items that will give you a warm winter, do not delay! If you start now, there's still time to get yourself squared away.