Before hiring a contractor for any home repairs, check references, reviews and the Better Business Bureau to make sure they are not scammers who will bleed your retirement savings while leaving you a partially or poorly done job. (Metro Creative)

Wintertime has a nasty way in bringing out the worst in any house. Cold weather can reveal the need for a new furnace, additional insulation or better windows. Ice storms and subzero weather bring along another set of potential problems, including roof and spouting damage or basement flooding when a sump pump decides to quit.

The list of things that can go wrong in winter is probably crowned by frozen pipes.

When serious things need repair, most of us start looking for a good contractor to set things right. Finding a solid, honest contractor to work on your home isn’t difficult if you proceed in a businesslike way.

Making a hasty decision to hire a poorly chosen contractor, though, can bleed your retirement savings and even cause more damage to your home than you started with.

Absolutely the best contractor is one who has worked for someone you know and trust. On this basis, I’ve chosen plumbers, landscapers, heating and concrete contractors and a local window supplier with good results.

A good contractor will instantly agree to give you a list of references you can call to see if they are happy with the work done. Avoid contractors who balk at providing references and just want to talk about getting a down payment.

Check online with the Better Business Bureau when looking for a contractor. Select one that is accredited by the bureau, and stay away from contractors who show up at your door with an unmarked truck, or want to do your project without a written estimate or contract. Run away from anyone offering you a deal for “cash only” or asks for the full project payment up front.

Other websites give you the chance to check up on a new contractor, and some of these include customer reviews. Look for contractors with satisfied customers, and steer clear of contractors who have earned complaints and low ratings.

If you don’t know of a contractor specializing in what you need done, a good place to start is the contractor listings in your newspapers’ classified ads, or Yelp or Angi. I’ve used Yelp to get started with good results.

After you’ve had a meeting with the contractor, circle around online with the Better Business Bureau to make sure you’re not dealing with a crook.

When you’ve come to terms for a project, expect a written contract that itemizes costs for materials, labor and a payment schedule. When the project starts, grab a notepad and keep a little journal of what your contractor has done on every visit. Take an extra step and shoot some photos of the work done on each visit. You will need all this information if your contractor does a shoddy job, or doesn’t complete the job at all.

Most contractors are reputable business people, honest as the day is long. As in every other profession, a few bad apples make it necessary to protect yourself before signing a contract, or jotting out a check for the down payment.

If you meet a contractor who raises your gut instincts that something isn’t right — trust your feelings and move on. Don’t let anyone pressure you into signing anything on the spot.

Valley seniors grew up in a time when a person’s word was his bond, with many a deal done on a handshake. Those days are over. Check references before signing, avoid door-to-door deals, and run for cover if someone wants to work on your home without a license or insurance.

And here’s hoping for no epic ice storms, a low number of super-cold days and an early spring.

If you have a question on a possible scam, talk to a family member or call your local police department. Seniors can also call their county Senior Services Unit for more information about scams. In Mahoning County, call Bob Schaeffer at 330-480-5078. In Trumbull County, call Don Hyde at 330-675-7096.

• Dave Long of Poland, a Youngstown State University graduate, is a retired public affairs officer with U.S. Customs and Border Protection who later worked as an Elder Scam Prevention Outreach specialist in Rochester, N.Y., before moving back to the Mahoning Valley.