MyME
The cold Minnesota winters will soon be here. It is important to take the time to walk around your yard and home and get it ready for colder weather ahead. Preparing your home and property for the winter months is crucial to prevent damage and make the most of the season.
Follow these tips to winterize your home this season.
Conduct Fall Cleanup and Home Maintenance
Take advantage of the fall weather to get your home in shape before winter hits. Now is the time to inspect every aspect of your property, inside and out. If you don’t winterize your home properly, you might be faced with some expensive repairs next spring. Conducting fall cleanup before it gets too cold is important. Clean out gutters and downspouts so melting snow can drain properly. Check for any leaks in the roof and walls and seal any gaps with caulk. Insulate water pipes in unheated areas like the garage or crawl space. If you haven’t already, make sure to shut the water off to your outside faucet.
Have your heating system professionally serviced to ensure it’s running efficiently. Replace air filters and schedule a chimney sweep if you have a fireplace. Test your home’s smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors to confirm they are working. Regular property care at the turn of the seasons can keep the value of your home high, and it can make for an easier winter and a safer season for you and your family.
Focus On Your Lawn and Garden
Lawn and garden fall cleanup can make a big difference in the health and quality of your property next spring. Prep your lawn for winter by having the grass cut shorter than normal for fall. This helps the sunlight to reach the grass roots and keeps snow mold from developing. Rake and remove fallen leaves, twigs and debris. Prune overgrown bushes and trees, and if you can identify dead branches, be sure to trim those up to as a part of your regular property care routine.
As you winterize your home, consider planting any new trees, shrubs or in some cases, grass and plants so the roots can establish before the ground freezes. Doing so too early or late can cause the plants/seeds to die, so make sure the timing is just right.
Tune-Up Your Winter Equipment
Even if the last thing you want to think about is snow, getting your equipment ready before it comes can make the winter a whole lot easier. Service your snow blower and make sure it has fresh gas and oil. If you have a riding lawn mower or compact utility tractor, make sure you have the right accessories — including a snow cab and a blower attachment — to make snow removal easy this winter.
Getting other tools ready is important, too. Stock up on salt or sand for traction and snow melt. If you have pets, we would suggest using just plain water softener salt crystals without any chemicals so dogs and outdoor cats don’t get chemicals on their paws. Also, examine shovels, roof rakes and anything else you may need. Make sure your winter gear from last year still fits and is ready to go, like waterproof winter gloves, heavy coats and boots.
If you have a snowmobile or ATV, perform maintenance like oil changes, battery checks, tire rotations and engine inspections. This ensures they will run smoothly on winter adventures. Charge any batteries for battery-powered snow blowers. You can bring your winter equipment like tractors and other machines into your local Minnesota Equipment dealer to get them up and running in time for winter.
Let ME Help This Winter
Winterizing your home and yard completely takes some work in the fall. If you do it right, however, it can pay off all season long by preventing weather damage and making seasonal tasks easier when cold weather hits.
If you need help with fall cleanup, property care or other tips to winterize your home and your equipment, visit Minnesota Equipment. We have the tools and service you need to tune up your snow blowers, winterize your lawn mowers and help you get ready for the winter. Visit us at one of our four locations in the Twin Cities, or schedule service today.
