Minnesota landlord furnace checklist before winter
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A Minnesota furnace runs hard from October through April, and when it fails in January it fails at 10 below. Most winter emergencies in a rental start with something cheap that got skipped in the fall: a filter, a snow-blocked vent, a hose left on the spigot.
Here is the checklist we run on our own rentals before winter, in the order we do it.
1. Book a furnace tune-up
Have an HVAC technician clean and inspect the furnace once a year, ideally in September or October before the rush. Ask them to check the heat exchanger for cracks, clean the flame sensor, test the igniter and safety switches, and look at the blower motor. A tune-up costs far less than a no-heat call on a holiday weekend.
Minnesota law requires you to keep the rental heated to at least 68°F from October through April, and that duty can't be waived in the lease (Minn. Stat. § 504B.161). A furnace you know is healthy is the easiest way to meet it.
2. Put in a new filter and leave a winter's supply
Start the heating season with a clean filter, and leave enough for the rest of the winter next to the furnace, labeled with the size. A 1-inch filter needs changing about every 90 days, every 60 with pets. (How often to change a furnace filter in a rental has the full schedule.)
A clogged filter is the most common cause of a winter blower motor failure. Here's what happens when tenants never change it.
3. Test the carbon monoxide and smoke alarms
Minnesota requires a working carbon monoxide alarm within ten feet of every room used for sleeping, in single-family homes and in every apartment unit (Minn. Stat. § 299F.51). Test every CO and smoke alarm, replace batteries, and replace any alarm past its expiration date (it's printed on the back). The start of heating season is when CO risk goes up, so this is the time to check.
4. Clear the furnace intake and exhaust vents
High-efficiency furnaces vent through two plastic pipes on the side of the house. If drifting snow or ice blocks them, the furnace shuts itself off, and a blocked exhaust can push combustion gases back into the house. Make sure both pipes are clear and at least a foot above the expected snow line, and tell tenants to keep them clear after big storms.
5. Service the humidifier
Most Minnesota furnaces have a whole-house humidifier for the dry winter air. Replace the water panel (pad), make sure the water line is on, and if it's a bypass humidifier, open the damper to its winter setting. A crusted pad does nothing, and a leaking one can rust the furnace below it.
6. Protect the pipes
From our own rentals. A few winters ago, during a deep freeze, a pipe froze and burst inside a wall at one of our rentals in Delano. Our tenant called and chatted for a few minutes before mentioning, "Oh, by the way, water is coming out of the ceiling." The drywall, carpet and trim damage ran more than $10,000. Insurance covered it, but we'd rather never file that claim again.
- Shut off and drain outdoor spigots and disconnect hoses. A hose left attached traps water in the spigot.
- Insulate exposed pipes in crawl spaces, garages and exterior walls.
- Know where the main shutoff is, and show the tenant. Minutes matter when a pipe bursts.
- Set a minimum temperature in the lease for when tenants travel. Many landlords use 55°F. Tell tenants to open sink cabinet doors on exterior walls during a deep freeze.
7. Clean the dryer vent
Lint builds up in the dryer duct all year, and a clogged vent is a fire risk. Clean it from the dryer to the outside hood, and make sure the outside flap opens freely and isn't blocked by snow.
8. Check the thermostat and the basics
Replace thermostat batteries, make sure it switches to heat, and check that every room has a working register that isn't blocked by furniture. Cold rooms in November turn into complaints in January.
9. Plan for vacant units
An empty unit can freeze faster than an occupied one, because nobody notices the furnace quit. Keep the heat on (55°F or higher), check on it regularly during cold snaps, and read your insurance policy: many require heat to be maintained in a vacant property for a freeze claim to be covered.
10. Send tenants a short winter note
Tenants can't help with what they don't know. A short message in early November covers most of it:
- Change the filter when the reminder comes (and where the spares are).
- Keep the furnace vents outside clear of snow.
- Don't set the heat below 55°F, even when away.
- Call right away if the heat stops, you smell gas, or you see water.
- The emergency number for heat or plumbing problems.
The checklist at a glance
| Task | When |
|---|---|
| Furnace tune-up | September or October |
| New filter, winter supply on site | Start of heating season |
| Test CO and smoke alarms | Start of heating season |
| Clear intake and exhaust vents | Fall, and after every big snow |
| Humidifier pad and damper | Start of heating season |
| Drain spigots, insulate pipes | Before the first hard freeze |
| Clean dryer vent | Once a year |
| Thermostat batteries | Start of heating season |
| Vacant unit heat and checks | All winter |
| Tenant winter note | Early November |
Take the filter off the list
Most of this checklist happens once a year. The filter is the one item that comes back every few months, all winter long, at every property. Filterflow handles it: a year of filters in the right size ships free to the property, and your tenant gets a text each time a change is due, with one tap to confirm it's done. You get a text either way. Find your filter size or see how it works.
If the lease makes filter changes the tenant's job, put it in writing with our free lease addendum. (Who changes the furnace filter in a rental explains why.)
Quick answers
When should a Minnesota landlord get the furnace serviced? Once a year, ideally in September or October, before heating season and before HVAC companies get busy.
What temperature does a Minnesota landlord have to keep a rental? At least 68°F from October through April, under Minn. Stat. § 504B.161. The duty can't be waived in the lease.
Does a Minnesota rental need a carbon monoxide alarm? Yes. Minnesota requires a working CO alarm within ten feet of every room used for sleeping, in single-family homes and apartments.
What temperature should a vacant rental be kept at in winter? At least 55°F is a common minimum. Check your insurance policy, since many require heat to be maintained for freeze damage to be covered.
How do I keep pipes from freezing in a rental? Drain and shut off outdoor spigots, insulate exposed pipes, keep the heat at 55°F or higher, and have tenants open sink cabinets on exterior walls during deep freezes.
About the author. Wyatt D. has owned and managed rental homes in the Twin Cities west metro and Fargo, North Dakota, since 2010, and now has 10. He started Filterflow after tenants who skipped filter changes cost him two to three furnace repairs in a single year.