Maintaining Your Home in Minneapolis During Fall: 3 Things You Should & Shouldn’t Do
Fall is fast approaching and as much as we’d like to hang on to summer, Minneapolis is rapidly going to turn from summery and comfortable to brisk and chilly. While you might be prepared to break out the sweaters, boots, and knit caps, your home doesn’t quite have that luxury.
So, before it gets too late, consider some chores around the house to prepare for the cold. But don’t think everything has to get done—some of those ideas may not be sound. Check out this list of three things you should have done to prepare for fall and three more things you shouldn’t do, just for good measure.
To Do: Exterior
Chief among fall preparations is going to be an exterior diagnostic on your home. This can long go neglected over the summer because of fair weather, vacations, and other excitement. But with the season changing and the weather getting unpredictable, you’ll need to be sure your home’s exterior is prepared.
Do a visual inspection of the siding.
- Is it deteriorating?
- Are there cracks or missing pieces?
Do the same for the roof and shingles. Go over the gutters and make sure they’re cleared for rain, sleet, and snow. Be doubly sure that they’re securely attached; heavy wind, rain, and snow can loosen them over time and without proper maintenance your home could suddenly be down a gutter in a storm.
For houses with fireplaces, schedule an inspection and potentially a cleaning to prevent any potential blockage. Don’t forget any of your lawn irrigations, like automatic sprinklers, will need to be properly winterized or you might have more trouble come spring.
To Do: Internal
Internal inspection is also key! Before it gets too cold, be sure your heating system is in working order. Check for drafts around the house and consider hiring an HVAC professional to test for leaks and change the filter. This is also an opportunity to winterize your air conditioning, so the toll of the winter months doesn’t have you overheating come spring and summer.
Some purchases that are helpful for internal climate control include a programmable thermostat, which is ideal for insuring you aren’t heating an empty house and humidifiers. Humidifiers are going to be a financial and time investment, as they need to be cleaned somewhat regularly to function properly. Use them in rooms you’re more likely to be in because just like your heating, you don’t want to be paying for rooms you aren’t in. Redoing any heat sealant on your windows is another good way to cut heating costs in fall and winter.
To Do: Stock Up
Use the end of summer and beginning fall to stock up on supplies, both emergency and otherwise. Those with fireplaces should stockpile firewood sooner, because as winter approaches, the prices will rise. Put together an emergency kit, or if you have one already, go over the supplies. Heavy snow can lead to power outages, so it needs to include batteries, thick blankets and clothing, and flashlights. A gas-powered generator is also an option, though tends to be costlier. If you do have one, stock extra gas for it.
To Avoid: Touch Ups
You may be tempted to use this time to do some home touch-ups, like repainting the fence or power washing the siding, fence, and driveway. Unfortunately, power washing and painting can do more harm than good as the weather gets colder. Hold off on any larger cosmetic projects like that until summer and consider hiring a professional so nothing goes wrong.
To Avoid: Storing Furniture Based on Weather
Some people are tempted to leave their lawn furniture out until the first frost. While it’s okay to leave your furniture out in early fall, waiting until the first snowfall could damage your much-loved furniture. Waiting to move the furniture isn’t inherently bad – after all, you should enjoy it while you can. Most of the time, moving the furniture is just unnecessary. However, if you leave it outside, there is a large chance that the furniture will remain to go unused, and just defers the inevitable removal of the summer furniture. Don’t wait until it’s too cold to be hauling furniture around in the snow. Start your winter preparations early and remove your outdoor furniture sooner rather than later.
To Avoid: Procrastination
The key thing your home simply does not need for fall and approaching winter is procrastination. Time flies especially when you’re ignoring responsibilities. It’s for the best that you get all your fall preparation out of the way as soon as possible because the worst things happen unexpectedly. You don’t want to be scrambling about in the dark during inclement weather or dealing with a broken heater when fall weather becomes a smudge unbearable. Devise a list and schedule out your various preparation throughout September and October before Minnesota starts approaching snow days and ice.
Article Written by Haley Kieser
