There was a chill in the air last night in our house, so it was a good reminder to check the heating system... guess what, IT DIDN'T TURN ON.

I'm glad we decided to check the furnace last night and so far today, to my knowledge, it still has not kicked on. This is a bad situation for a Minnesotan. I'll double check everything when I get home tonight to see if I can figure out the problem maybe, otherwise I'll need to get it serviced soon.

As my head has been filled "what if's" all day today while having the furnace on my mind, it got me thinking... this is my first house, what else do I have to do to prepare for grouchy old man winter?

After doing some research on the information highway, I grabbed the top ten things that were common tasks to check BEFORE winter blankets us with snow and sub-zero temps. Oh, by the way... if there a few things you need to update or fix, check "The Value Connection" out, save yourself some cash for Christmas.

1. Check your Heating System - turn your system on and give it a test run to make sure the thermostat is working correctly. Brush up on your maintenance checklist, that could include vacuuming out dust from the base of your furnace and changing your furnace filter amongst other maintenance things you probably don't think about.

2. Chimney and Furnace - Make sure no animals or birds decided this was the best place to make a nest inside during the summer.

3. Plumbing - Insulate any exposed plumbing. Disconnect your hoses and consider insulating the faucets to protect them in cold temperatures.

4. Insulation- We're in Minnesota, if things are properly insulated, your heating bill is going to sky rocket.

5. Doors and Windows - Weather Strip your doors, caulk or plastic where the air sneaks in through your windows

6. Roof - Check for missing or damaged shingles and take a look around your chimney at the flashing and empty out those gutters

7. Cooling System - Your air conditioner, much like your heater in the winter, is your best friend... so, remember to clean the condensing unit and cover it up to protect it during the winter.

8. Sprinklers - I don't have a sprinkler system, but if you do, make sure you winterize your systems by turning off their water supply and blowing compressed air through the line.

9. Landscaping and outdoor furniture - cover or move in your patio furniture, drain your lawn mower gas and sealant on your deck wouldn't hurt.

10. Get your Snow equipment ready- get that snow blower tuned up or if you're house is like my house, do a few more curls and get the shovels down from the rafters

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