Winter 2021-2022 is expected to be one of the most expensive ever for homeowners, according to Yahoo! News. Experts are predicting that Oregonians will have a wetter and snowier winter than they’ve had in a while. This type of weather is costly for homeowners in many ways, including higher energy bills and costly repairs. It therefore pays to prepare your Oregon home for winter now.
Insulate the roof, walls, & floors
More than 40% of your home’s heat is lost through the roof, according to Architecture Now. A further 24% of heat is lost via the walls of your home and floors are the cause of 10% of heat loss. One in four households in Oregon admit to finding it hard to pay their energy bills and prices have risen sharply this year. To prevent this from being a problem, insulate the roof, walls, and floors of your home. Insulation reduces heat loss, meaning you won’t need to have your heating on as high or as long as you would do normally.
Clear out gutters and drains
When the leaves fall from the trees during fall they block up the gutters and drains of your home. This is a problem when a cold winter is coming as it causes blockages. When there’s no suitable drainage solution, rainwater and water from melted snow and ice will seep into your home. In a warm and humid environment, mold will grow. This is bad for your health and for the appearance of your home. When you have fungus in your home, such as mold, you’ll need to have it inspected, tested, and removed. A Hepa Vacuum or air scrubber may need to be used to do this. The best thing you can do in preparation for this winter in Oregon is clear out your gutters and drains so that water can run freely through them.
Cut back trees
If you’ve got trees close to your house, make sure you cut their branches back before sub-zero temperatures hit the state. If a large amount of snow falls this winter, it will sit beautifully on top of tree branches. But snow is heavy and if it suddenly falls off a branch, it may damage the roof of your home. This will let a lot of cold and damp in and will need repairing immediately. A similar principle applies to icicles. National Safety, Inc. states that icicles can weigh as much as 100 pounds and be several feet long. You don’t want these suddenly falling off a tree branch that’s hanging over your home and putting a hole in your roof or window that will need an urgent and costly repair.
If this winter in Oregon is anything like predicted then it’s going to be a cold and frosty one. Rather than hoping for the best and risking paying out a small fortune, act now to protect your home and your finances from the upcoming cold weather.
