6 Things You Should Do Before Every Northland Winter

A lot of people have snow tires they need to put on their car.  It's always a gamble when we have a warm fall like this.  When is the right time to switch them out?  It's always better sooner than later.  Nothing is worse than having that first snowfall with your summer tires on.

This also applies to just tires in general.  Take a look in  the fall, you're more likely to be affected by worn tires in the winter around here.

In a perfect world, you would have the money to get it serviced and checked each year by a professional.  I don't live in a perfect world.  I just turn it on and let it run for a while to make sure it works before I actually need it.  In the fall of 2012 I didn't check it.  We didn't have heat for a few cold nights until I could get it fixed.

For years I didn't bother putting plastic film over my windows.  I didn't see the point, and I didn't think it would make a noticeable difference in the heating bill.  One year my wife convinced me to try it, and it actually did make a HUGE difference.  So now as soon as the overnight lows get below freezing, we get out the plastic and hair dryer.

This was a big deal when I was growing up, because we had such distances to travel in between towns on the Iron Range.   My folks were adamant about having an extra blanket, candle, flashlight, and warm clothes in the car.  It's still a good idea to have.

Change the oil, check the sheer pins, start it up, and let it idle.  It's better to make sure it works now than when you actually need it.   Small engine shops are swamped after that first snowfall with either sales or repairs.  Don't be that guy.

Even though our winters can be brutal, there still is fun to be had.  Every year I get excited about a few winter activities.  If I've done a good job preparing for the inevitable issues the weather brings, I have that much more time to enjoy the season.  It's nice living in a place that has four seasons, even if one of them is a long winter.