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Fall Home Maintenance Tips to Lower Your Winter Bills

Fall in Minnesota is beautiful. We love watching the leaves change, visiting apple orchards, and enjoying a warm beverage by the fire as much as the next Minnesotan. But fall is also the time to prepare your home for winter. A little maintenance now can help you avoid costly emergency repairs and steep energy bills during the colder months. At SharePoint Credit Union, we are here to help you manage your finances wisely and protect your most valuable asset—your home. Use this fall home maintenance guide to get ready for cold weather and save money during Minnesota’s harsh winters.

The Best Fall Chores for Winter Savings

There are many easy chores you can do in the fall that translate to big savings during the winter. While this isn’t an exhaustive list, here are some of the most impactful home maintenance tasks to tackle this fall.

Seal Up Drafts

Air leaks around doors and windows, and even in your siding, can put a big damper on your home’s energy efficiency. Not only do they let heated air escape during the winter, but they also allow cold air in. This forces your furnace to work overtime to keep your home at a comfortable temperature, raising your energy bills.
To fix this, apply caulk or weatherstripping anywhere that a gap or crack is allowing air to pass through. Caulk can be applied to stationary joints, such as where window and door trim meet drywall or where an exterior window frame meets siding. You can install weatherstripping around movable parts, like doors and opening windows. A door sweep is a type of weatherstripping placed under a door that blocks drafts while still allowing the door to open easily.

Clean & Maintain Gutters

Cleaning gutters isn’t the most fun task, but it is important for protecting your roof and foundation. Clogged gutters contribute to ice dam formation on your roof, which in turn causes roof leaks. Make sure that the downspouts are directing water away from your home’s foundation, too. If water pools and freezes around the foundation, it may cause cracks that are costly to repair.
To clean your gutters, set up a ladder and work your way from the downspout to the closed end. Use a gutter scoop to remove debris, then flush the gutters with a garden hose.

Furnace Tune-Up & Filter Changes

Before your furnace starts working hard to heat your home, make sure it can do its job unhindered. Check your air filters and replace them if they are dirty. This will improve airflow and efficiency in your home. It can also be wise to have a professional check your HVAC system and perform routine maintenance to ensure it operates at peak performance. Taking care of your furnace will extend its lifespan, maximize winter energy efficiency, and help you avoid emergency breakdowns in the middle of winter.
For an extra tip to save on heating costs, set your ceiling fans to turn clockwise so that they will push warm air back down to you.

Winterize Your Outdoor Faucets

Frozen and burst pipes can cause flooding and costly water damage. There are a few steps you can take to prevent that from happening and to protect your outdoor water equipment.
First, disconnect all garden hoses, splitters, and nozzles from your spigots. Drain the hoses by lifting and walking the length of each one, then store them in a shed or garage where they won’t crack during the winter.
Next, locate the indoor shut-off valve for your outdoor faucets. It’s probably on the basement ceiling, in your utility room or crawl space, along a perimeter wall, or behind an access panel. Turn the valve clockwise to shut off the water supply. Then go back outside and open the faucets to allow all remaining water to drain. Finally, protect the faucets with insulated faucet covers from your local hardware store.
For more information on these and other fall home maintenance tips, check out this guide from Lowe’s®.

Create an Emergency Maintenance Fund

Even with the best preparation, Minnesota winters can still throw curveballs at your home. A failing water heater, an unexpected roof leak, or a surprise burst pipe can upend your budget if you’re not prepared. That’s why we recommend building a dedicated emergency fund specifically for home maintenance. By putting away a little bit of money each month, you can avoid being caught off guard by unexpected expenses.

Finance Your Home Goals with SharePoint Credit Union

Maintaining your Minnesota home is easier with the support of a local credit union. For example, you can open a secondary savings account to build that emergency fund or to save up for a home improvement project. And for larger upgrades, like replacing drafty windows, replacing insulation, or installing a new furnace, our home equity loans and lines of credit offer flexible, low-rate borrowing options.

A little fall maintenance can save you a lot of money in the winter. And our local team is here to help you finance your home maintenance projects responsibly. To learn more about how we can help, stop by one of our branches or contact us today.