Winter time in Central Oregon is beautiful, but it can wreak some havoc on your home if you haven't prepared properly. Whether you are preparing your home in Central Oregon for sale or you own a home you love in the Bend area, we have some tips to help you keep you winterize your home this fall to prepare for the colder months.
1. Check your attic insulation
A well-insulated attic is one of the best things you can do for an efficient home, maximizing the efforts of your HVAC system. Consider hiring a professional to assess the condition of your current insulation to determine whether upgrading it might be beneficial for your home.
When you are considering your insulation, pay attention to R-value. The higher the R-value of your insulation, the more efficient it is. Talk to a local professional about the recommended R-value range for your location and consider investing in your home to get it within that range.
2. Seal air gaps
Air gaps are a common source of inefficiency in a home. Whether your home is older and has settled a bit, or simply wasn't perfectly sealed when it was built, sealing up these gaps can do wonders for keeping your home warm and cozy (as well as saving you wasted money on heated air that is leaking out of windows and doors).
Some leaks will be easy to identify yourself, by inspecting doors, windows, and the spaces behind your stove and dryer. If you'd like to be sure about the leaks in the home, consider scheduling a building pressurization test. This test involves a professional lowering the air pressure in the home by using a fan to blow air out of the house. All obvious holes (doors, windows, chimneys, etc.) will be closed so that any air escaping will be more easily identifiable.
3. Clean your dryer vents
Dryer vents should be routinely cleaned, but we know not everyone keeps up with them. Before winter begins, make sure you have cleaned yours out to avoid fire hazards and inefficient drying from the machine. Cleaning these vents out will also help prevent pests and critters from deciding they are a cozy place to call home this winter.
4. Test your smoke detectors
It's best to check your smoke detectors all year long, but they are particularly important during the winter. Check that the batteries in your smoke detectors are fresh and run a test to make sure they are working properly.
During the colder months, you may be cranking up your heater, lighting a fire in the fireplace, using a space heater, or turning on your stove and oven more often. There are increased risks during the winter because of these, so give yourself the gift of peace of mind by making sure your safety mechanisms are working as they should.
5. Replace HVAC filters
An easy winterizing task you can check off your list is replacing your HVAC filter. Before your furnace enters its busy season, make sure airflow will not be obstructed by an old filter. Efficient airflow will help keep your home more comfortable and keep your bill lower too.
6. Insulate your pipes
If you live in an older home, your pipes may not yet be insulated. This is what puts pipes at risk of bursting due to below-freezing temperatures, hence the old advice to leave faucets dripping when you go out of town during the winter. If your pipes are insulated, you won't have to worry about this.
Consider adding foam insulation to your pipes, especially those located in exterior walls. This is a relatively quick and affordable home improvement project that can save you some major headaches and expense in the future.
7. Clean your gutters
Your gutters will be much easier to clean before the temperatures drop below freezing. Clear gutters are essential to keep frozen water away from the house, helping you avoid flooding and other issues that can be created by this common problem.
8. Drain and shut off exterior water
Before the first freeze, make sure to drain and shut off and water sources outside the home. Blow out the irrigation system, shut off the water source to it, and pay attention to any other water outside that might be in landscape features or pools.
9. Check your roof and chimney
Hire a professional to check on the condition of your roof, and your chimney if you have one. While we don't get much snow in Bend compared to some places, a roof in poor condition can still be aggravated by even a small snowstorm.
For the health and safety of your family, your chimney should be inspected before you begin using your fireplace again for the year.
If you would like to learn more about living in Central Oregon or search for houses for sale in Bend, we can help. Contact us any time.