A Fall Maintenance Checklist for Minnesota Homes
In Minnesota, the stretch between the last warm weekend and the first hard freeze goes fast. A few hours of work now can save you from a frozen pipe, a wet basement or a January night waiting on a furnace repair. Here's a fall checklist for homes in Rochester and Southeast Minnesota. Print it, split it up and check things off as you go.
Outside, before the first hard freeze
- Shut off and drain outdoor faucets. Disconnect every hose. If your outside faucets have an indoor shut-off valve, close it and then open the outside tap to let the line drain. A connected hose can trap water that freezes and splits the pipe inside the wall.
- Blow out the irrigation system. If you have in-ground sprinklers, have the lines cleared before the ground freezes.
- Clean the gutters and downspouts. Wait until most of the leaves are down, then clear them out. Make sure downspouts carry water several feet away from the foundation. Clogged gutters can lead to ice dams in winter and water against the foundation in spring.
- Look at the roof from the ground. Missing or lifted shingles and loose flashing around chimneys and vents are much easier to fix in October than in February.
- Seal the gaps. Check the caulk around windows and doors and the weatherstripping on exterior doors, including the door between the garage and the house.
- Put the yard to bed. Add stabilizer to the mower's fuel or run it dry, store the patio furniture, and trim branches that hang over the roof.
Inside: heat, air and water
- Service the furnace or boiler. A tune-up before heating season gives a technician the chance to catch a problem while it's still easy to schedule a fix. Put in a new filter and plan to check it monthly through the winter.
- Test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Minnesota law requires a working carbon monoxide alarm within ten feet of every room used for sleeping (Minn. Stat. 299F.51). Press the test button on every alarm and change batteries where needed.
- Check the sump pump. Pour a bucket of water into the pit and make sure the pump kicks on. Check that the discharge line outside is clear and points away from the house.
- Find your main water shut-off. If a pipe ever freezes and bursts, you'll want to find the valve in seconds. Make sure everyone in the house knows where it is.
- Reverse your ceiling fans. Set them to run clockwise on low, which pushes warm air down from the ceiling.
Get ready for snow
- Start the snowblower now, with fresh fuel, before the first storm.
- Keep shovels, ice melt and a roof rake where you can reach them.
- Put driveway markers along the edges so the plow or snowblower stays off the lawn.
- Keep a flashlight, spare furnace filters and a few days of essentials on hand for winter storms.
Thinking about selling this winter?
If a move is coming, this list doubles as listing prep. Buyers and inspectors ask about the age and service history of the furnace and how water drains around the house. Having the answers ready makes a winter sale go more smoothly. (For more on timing, see Why You Should Consider Selling in the Winter.)
Questions about your home, or curious what it might be worth this season? Call or text the Reinalda Lancaster Real Estate Group at 507-951-7316. We're happy to help, whether you're buying, selling or just planning ahead.