diff --git a/IntervalTree.h b/IntervalTree.h
index eb9fc62..2d904e7 100644
--- a/IntervalTree.h
+++ b/IntervalTree.h
@@ -21,6 +21,22 @@ class Interval {
     , stop(std::max(s, e))
     , value(v) 
     {}
+
+    Interval()
+    {
+    }
+
+    constexpr bool operator==(const Interval& other) const noexcept
+    {
+        return start == other.start &&
+            stop == other.stop &&
+            value == other.value;
+    }
+
+    constexpr bool operator!=(const Interval& other) const noexcept
+    {
+        return !(*this == other);
+    }
 };
 
 template <class Scalar, typename Value>
@@ -61,7 +77,7 @@ class IntervalTree {
     IntervalTree()
         : left(nullptr)
         , right(nullptr)
-        , center(0)
+        , center()
     {}
 
     ~IntervalTree() = default;
@@ -93,8 +109,8 @@ class IntervalTree {
             std::size_t depth = 16,
             std::size_t minbucket = 64,
             std::size_t maxbucket = 512, 
-            Scalar leftextent = 0,
-            Scalar rightextent = 0)
+            Scalar leftextent = {},
+            Scalar rightextent = {})
       : left(nullptr)
       , right(nullptr)
     {
@@ -106,7 +122,7 @@ class IntervalTree {
         if (!ivals.empty()) {
             center = (minmaxStart.first->start + minmaxStop.second->stop) / 2;
         }
-        if (leftextent == 0 && rightextent == 0) {
+        if (leftextent == Scalar{} && rightextent == Scalar{}) {
             // sort intervals by start
             std::sort(ivals.begin(), ivals.end(), IntervalStartCmp());
         } else {
@@ -118,10 +134,10 @@ class IntervalTree {
             assert(is_valid().first);
             return;
         } else {
-            Scalar leftp = 0;
-            Scalar rightp = 0;
+            Scalar leftp = Scalar{};
+            Scalar rightp = Scalar{};
 
-            if (leftextent || rightextent) {
+            if (leftextent != Scalar{} || rightextent != Scalar{}) {
                 leftp = leftextent;
                 rightp = rightextent;
             } else {