Minnesota HVAC repair services prepared for busy weekend during blast of cold air

SHAKOPEE, Minn. —  Wednesday's snowfall was no record breaker, but most Minnesotans know it's best to be prepared.

"What I do is get my snow kit ready for my car," Michael Menden, of Shakopee, said. "So I got the shovel, extra pair of snow pants, the boots, the hat, the gloves and then, obviously, extra time to commute to work."

On top of that, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety recommends having jumper cables, a flashlight, cellphone charger and snacks in case you're stuck.

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"The home is pretty much good to go. Had the furnace guy come out, I think before Thanksgiving. Everything's good to go there," John Hennen, of Shakopee, said.

Or is it? Jon Ryan with Genz-Ryan says the usual number of people did their furnace checkup back in the fall, but with the mild temperatures, an unusual number decided to put off repairs. At least for now.

"I'll tell you I've never looked at the weather forecast more my entire life in the last six to eight weeks," Ryan said.

Ryan says with the cold snap, your heating system will be running hotter for longer, increasing the chance of it failing.

"Easiest thing to do is change your air filter. That is the most common thing that people do not do. It's an easy maintenance thing," Ryan said.

According to CenterPoint Energy, turning down your heat by 7-10 degrees at night or when you leave not only lightens that load, but you can save 10% off your bill.

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Ryan says he's staffing up heading into the weekend and next week, anticipating those last-minute calls.

"The last thing you're gonna want is have your heat go out in the middle of the night," Ryan said "And then you are scrambling and you're probably paying emergency dispatch fees if you really have an issue."