BURNSVILLE, Minn. — Temperatures have finally dropped, giving Minnesotans their first taste of cold air and their first reminder of the checklist to protect their homes and save money.
Outside, this also includes blowing out the sprinklers and taps so that no puddles are left behind.
“In the short term, the backflow of the pipe exposed to the air will break,” said Dave Wilson of Upper Mississippi Irrigation. ‘That could end up here in your basement if the tap breaks. It won’t be so bad in the garden, it’s just that your water bill will skyrocket.’
Wilson visited 20 homes on Monday and the company’s crews will handle thousands of properties in the coming weeks.
“You don’t want your pipes to freeze as soon as the weather gets below freezing,” Wilson said.
So it’s clearly a proactive vote, but when it comes to preparing for winter indoors, the heating experts we spoke with are concerned that too many Minnesotans are being reactive with their furnaces.
“Everyone likes to think that these systems assume they were working last night and then all of a sudden they’re broken,” says Jon Ryan, owner of Genz-Ryan Heating and Cooling. “What happens is that these systems have components that are working, but they are on the verge of failing. The biggest thing people overlook is that you need to do regular maintenance.”
According to experts, this maintenance includes replacing the air filters monthly.
“The system relies on steady airflow, so if you don’t get airflow, you’re putting stress on the fan motor, which causes higher temperatures, and they’re not designed to operate in extreme temperatures.”
A new furnace can cost as much as $10,000. Other important tips ahead of the cold snap include the proper placement and operation of carbon monoxide detectors.
Jonas Kaplan
