Insulating? Snug Up These Six Key Areas And Keep Out The Oregon Chill

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Oregon weather is getting ready to shift toward cooler temperatures. Insulating your home is similar to choosing a lightweight sweater or a down coat for your own comfort in cold weather. Which would you rather wear? So as you get your sweaters and coats out of storage, button up your home to protect it from the cold too.

Here are six key areas to pay attention to:

  1. Attic spaces: This includes not only the space overhead, but also the access into your attic. Small uninsulated cracks around attic pull-down stairs or attic access panels allow a constant flow of heated air from your home into unheated attic spaces. Attic knee walls — walls separating finished attic spaces from unfinished spaces — need insulation as well.
  2. Cathedral ceilings: Cathedral ceilings are often insufficiently insulated to compensate for the lack of attic space overhead. A good choice for insulating above high ceilings is foil-faced batt insulation because the foil offers an extra measure of protection.
  3. Foundations (basements, crawlspaces and slabs): Just because your home is built on a slab does not eliminate the need for insulation. Cold concrete slabs underfoot need insulating, as well as the perimeter of the slab. The U.S. Department of Energy calculates a 10 to 20 percent reduction in utility bills by insulating the outer perimeter of a slab.
  4. Ducts: In unconditioned spaces, such as attics, garages and basements, rigid fiber-board insulation is used to insulate ducts and improve energy efficiency. Uninsulated or insufficiently insulated ducts can lose up to 30 percent of the energy used to heat your home.
  5. Floors above unheated garages: A sometimes overlooked source of a large loss in heating energy is the space between your unheated garage and the heated room(s) above it. Sufficient insulation buttons up this area and saves energy.
  6. Exterior walls: Air-sealed and properly insulated exterior walls place a warm barrier between your family and the winter chill outside. Make sure this area is protected by insulating with correct R-values.

Roth Home understands how Portland weather affects heating and moisture inside a home. We can help you prepare before cold weather sets in to keep your family warm this winter, so contact us today.

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Industry Affiliations
100 Best Companies Oregon
Happiness Award
Best Company Woman Badge
Best CEO Badge
Best Company Outlook
Bradford White - Water Heaters
GENERAC
Daikin - Air Intelligence
BBB Rating A+
Angie - Super Service Award 2023
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