The Newsleaders
  • Login
  • Register
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Sartell – St. Stephen
    • St. Joseph
    • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Column
    • Editorial
    • Letter to the Editor
  • Community
    • Calendar
    • Citizen Spotlight
    • Criers
    • People
  • Notices
    • Funerals/Visitations
    • Obituary
    • Police Blotter
    • Public Notices
    • Support Groups
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Submissions
  • Archives
    • Sartell-St. Stephen Archive
    • St. Joseph Archive
  • Advertise With Us
    • Print Advertising
    • Digital Advertising
    • 2021 Promotions
    • Pay My Invoice
The Newsleaders
No Result
View All Result

PineCone Pet Hospital MillerCarlin Serving all of central Minnesota locations!

Albany: 320-845-2035
Holdingford: 320-746-9994
St. Cloud: 320-252-7004
Upsala: 320-573-6234
Toll-free: 1-800-644-4058
Collegeville Stearns Bank
Home Opinion Editorial

Timely preventive maintenance can make winter less miserable

October 31, 2013
in Editorial, Opinion, Print Editions, Print Sartell - St. Stephen, Print St. Joseph
0
New collaboration tool is helpful resource
0
SHARES
0
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

With a sudden nippy chill in the air and the sun sinking faster, we all know what we’re in store for – brrr! – another long winter.

That nip in the air, however, is nature’s way of reminding us to get prepared. Any long-time Minnesotan knows – or ought to know – fall is the best time to get ready for the long, cold season. Once the bitter cold sets in, it becomes much harder to make preparations and to fix things. An ounce of prevention, as they say, is worth a pound of cure.

Perhaps the most important winter-readiness procedure is to make sure to get a complete all-systems check and tune-up for vehicles. There aren’t many things worse than getting stuck in the middle of nowhere during arctic weather with a broken-down car. Preventive maintenance for vehicles is essential for a safe, hassle-free winter.

Another vehicle-related form of preparedness is to make (or re-stock) a car-emergency kit. A plastic tote or coffee can should be filled with such items as a flare, matches, candles, quarters for phone calls and a bright-red thin banner to attach to a car antenna. Several heavy-duty blankets should be packed in the trunk to stay warm with until help arrives.

Other preventive maintenance involves the home:

Now is a good time to check the roof for any leaks, which can wreak havoc just when snow and ice prevent fixing them. Unrepaired leaks can seriously damage ceilings and walls come spring.

Make sure all water pipes in the home are warm enough or insulated to prevent freeze-ups that can cause pipes to burst and a big expensive headache of a mess. That is especially true of mobile-home residents. They should double-check heating tape around pipes is working and the undersides of their homes are either insulated or the trailer skirting is intact.

Heating systems, such as stoves and furnaces, should be double-checked to be sure they are in working order and free of hazards. Chimneys can be especially hazardous if they have creosote build-ups inside them.

Be sure to check all smoke alarms and carbon-monoxide detectors. Even if the battery detectors aren’t bleeping their warnings, it’s best to buy all new batteries to be sure they will last through the winter. Fires and monoxide-poisoning cases tend to increase in the winter months, and so – of course – it’s crucially important to be prepared.

And speaking of fire, all families should plan and rehearse a fire drill this time of year, making sure everyone understands in case of a fire, they should evacuate the house immediately and go to a place in the yard or at a neighbor’s where all can meet and be accounted for.

Finally, for comfort as well as savings, be sure all windows and doors in a house or apartment are checked for air leaks. Even the smallest air leak can add a hefty amount to heating costs. Inspect all places in a residence where cold air can get in or warm air can get out, and then use weather stripping or caulking to seal them.

To many people, winter is a long, cold, miserable season. Diligently completing the preventive measures listed above can make it much, much less miserable.

Previous Post

Voter-suppression can destroy democracy

Next Post

Building permits show healthy growth

Next Post

Building permits show healthy growth

Please login to join discussion

CMCU Twitter Follow us on
Twitter
for the latest news!
Facebook Follow us on Facebook
for the latest news!
Calendar 2 Click here for our
community events!

Go Fund Me # 1 Thank You
Newsleader
Supporters!
Elizabeth Brunsvold
Cultural Connections
Jim Berg & Mary Kruger
Mary & John Davis
Sandy Denne
Bobbi & David Gouker
James & marry Graeve
Juliana Howard
Julia Joplin
Linda Kmitch
M. Molus
Sheila Nahan
Go Fund Me # 2 Thank You
Newsleader
Supporters!

Peggy & Michael Roske
Judy Scheuerell
Geraldine Schwab
James Stotko
James Towler
Anna Trobec
Kaye Wenker
Ellen Wahlstrom
Leona Wieland
Jeanie Wilkens
GAGEN & VASUGI RAMANATHAN
Go Fund Me # 3 Thank You
Newsleader
Supporters!
Nicole Borg
Erica Karger-Gatzow
Dane & Lori Listug-Lunde
Nadine Martin
Doris Minnerath
Merry Mund
Marilyn Peitso
Stephen Schwanke
Dianne Tuff
Dale Zacher
Private Donors

Search

No Result
View All Result

Categories

Recent Posts

  • Winter fun at Snowfest
  • Foundation sponsors I Love to Read Giveaway
  • Free frozen meals available for senior citizens
  • Kluesner sworn into St. Joseph City Council
  • Local artists serve up art by the slice

City Links

Sartell
St. Joseph
St. Stephen

School District Links

Sartell-St. Stephen school district
St. Cloud school district

Chamber Links

Sartell Chamber
St. Joseph Chamber

Community

Calendar

Citizen Spotlight

Criers

People

Notices

Funerals/Visitions

Obituary

Police Blotter

Public Notices

Support Groups

About Us

Contact Us

News Tips

Submissions

Advertise With Us

Print Advertising

Digital Advertising

2021 Promotions

Local Advertising Rates

National Advertising Rates

© 2021 Newleaders

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Sartell – St. Stephen
    • St. Joseph
    • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Column
    • Editorial
    • Letter to the Editor
  • Community
    • Calendar
    • Citizen Spotlight
    • Criers
    • People
  • Notices
    • Funerals/Visitations
    • Obituary
    • Police Blotter
    • Public Notices
    • Support Groups
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Submissions
  • Archives
    • Sartell-St. Stephen Archive
    • St. Joseph Archive
  • Advertise With Us
    • Print Advertising
    • Digital Advertising
    • 2021 Promotions
    • Pay My Invoice

© 2021 Newleaders

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In