Unfortunately, homeownership isn’t something you can take on from the sideline, especially if you live in a state like Oregon. While the mild summers are a refreshing welcome, the fall and winter seasons will present a different story. Your home will take a hit when the cold weather starts to roll in if you don’t take the following precautions. Below, you can learn four ways to prepare your Oregon home for colder days.

1. Paint & Caulk Your Structure’s Exterior Wood.

The wood trim donning your home’s exterior undoubtedly adds excellent aesthetic appeal to your property. But without adequate protection, it’ll quickly wither away. 

And the same rule applies to the wood on your patio deck. While this wood typically consists of rot-resistant and pressure-treated panels, it still demands your attention if you want it to last through the colder days.

So, the solution is to paint, caulk, and seal all the wooden elements around your home. Before you start painting, you need to clean the wood thoroughly. Instead of using a standard hose, your best bet is to power wash all the wooden components. 

If you don’t have the equipment or patience to complete this task yourself, you can hire services for professional pressure washing Albany Oregon. Once your surface is clean, you can ensure the paint will adhere better. Your efforts will protect your home’s wooden elements from freezing conditions and prevent them from rotting.

2. Check the Drainage Around Your Home.

Water should never drain around your home’s foundation. You should check to ensure that the soil around the foundation hasn’t had the chance to settle. 

If it has, you may notice pools of water near your foundation after a heavy rain shower. These pools of water can lead to the collapse of your building’s entire structure, which is every homeowner’s worst nightmare. Even worse, the water can freeze and expand during the colder months in Oregon and inflict further damage.

You can address this potential hazard via a couple of steps. For one, you can go around your home and check for low spots of soil. Fill any low spots of soil that you notice with new dirt. 

You can also walk around your property’s perimeter and check your rain gutter downspouts. Ensure that these devices are directing water away from your foundation. You may have to add downspout extenders to help these structures perform their function more adequately.

3. Clean Your Gutters.

The National Center for Healthy Housing recommends that homeowners clean their gutters at least twice a year — once in the spring and fall. Try to time your fall cleaning to coincide with the last leaf drops of the season. Otherwise, your efforts will be for nothing, and the leaves will keep clogging your gutters.

Cleaning your gutters is essential to protecting your home from an Oregon winter. By doing so, you’ll prevent the overflow of water onto your landscaping below and the cracking of your gutters due to frigid temperatures.

4. Prepare Your Attic.

As temperatures in Oregon begin to drop, squirrels, raccoons, and other critters will seek refuge in your toasty attic. Even though they’re just trying to stay warm, these critters can cause severe property damage and inflict health problems on your family.

Prevent these animals from getting in by:

• Trimming tree branches that are touching your residence.
• Ensuring your gable vents are intact.
• Addressing holes present in your fascia and soffit.

Head Into the Oregon Fall & Winter with Confidence!

Your Oregon home can fall into complete disarray without the right preparation under the stress of cold conditions. But as long as you follow these four tips, you’ll be well on your way to protecting your property all fall and winter long!