MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - Michigan winters can be brutal. Homes and vehicles need to be protected from the harsh weather conditions winter brings.

When it comes to your home, Owner of the Allstate Insurance Agency in Okemos, Pam Lamb said,"The biggest thing is keeping your heat up to above 68 degrees. When it's below zero it's so much colder outside that you're going to have problems with your pipes bursting."

Lamb also went on to say that an entire frozen home is the equivalent to having a house fire and could cost you your entire home.

As far as snow removal is concerned, Michigan residents do not need to worry about clearing snow off their rooftops. Residents do however need to make sure they are steering clear of ice buildup on their homes.

Owner of Acme Roofing and Siding LLC, Patrick Dalton says, "Usually what you're looking for, for winter time problems is, how well insulated, how well ventilated that the roof is. That's what actually contributes to the ice build up on a house."

If you are still concerned about your roof or want to know if the past winter did cause any damage, Dalton highly suggest calling a roofing contractor to take a look and then going from there.

Along with homes, vehicles also need to be cared for to minimize problems during the winter months.

Service Manager Don Whitney over at Courtesy Ford says preventative maintenance is the best thing you can do for your vehicle. It's something drivers can plan for and is generally more cost effective in the long run

"One of the things that we see is batteries," said Whitney. "They tend to fail during the real cold temperatures, like the spell that we had here recently. So it's very important to get your batteries checked, it's also very important to get your fluids checked."

Keeping your car as clean as possible is another key thing drivers can do to protect their vehicles. According to the Department of Motor Vehicles, also know as the DMV, road salt can cause major damage to the body and undercarriage of a vehicle. Rusting is one main side effects.

Taking the time to wash that salt off frequently will cut that damage down and save your vehicle in the long run.