Preparing for a power outage, especially an extended one, is much like preparing for other disasters or emergency situations. Taking these steps beforehand can ensure that you have everything you need to make it through an outage safely.

1. Be safe – When the lights don’t turn on, many people look to generators and other fuel-powered devices. If you’re using one of these, make sure there are working battery operated CO (carbon monoxide) monitors near every bedroom. Never run combustible equipment indoors and do not use your oven as a heater. Never plug a generator into an electrical outlet: This could cause backfeed, sending electricity out to the powerlines, which could result in serious line worker injury or death.
2. Make a plan – Create a communication process to account for everyone in your household. (Two-way radios are great for this!) Neighbors can be a key resource — include them in your plan and make sure to check in on each other.
3. Forecast and prepare – Winter storms are often forecasted. When one is predicted for your area, prepare accordingly:
   • Make sure your vehicle’s tank or battery is full.• Have extra jugs of potable water and non-perishable food items.
   • Make sure you have enough prescription medications to last the storm.
   • Conserve your phone’s battery power throughout the event and make sure external battery packs are charged.
   • Have spare batteries on hand for flashlights, lamps and other devices.
   • Layer up, stay dry and stick together. Set up a tent indoors, sleep and gather near each other to retain heat.
   • Prep extra seasoned wood if you have a fireplace or woodstove.
   • Prepare for your pets, too.
   • Have activities prepared, especially if you have children.
4. Know what your resources can handle – It’s likely that only a small portion of your home will need to be heated, such as the living room. Keep this in mind if you plan to purchase or set up a generator.
5. Winterize your home ahead of time – Follow the DIY tips in our winterization blog post or have a contractor insulate and air seal your home. You’ll be more comfortable and lower your bills right away, and be better prepared for the next outage.
6. Educate – Many communities have a disaster preparedness team. Check to see what resources are available in your area, then share that information with neighbors and friends.

Download a PDF with these tips in English or Spanish.

Ice, snow and freezing weather can be tough on your home, but there are plenty of easy ways to stay warm indoors and keep your house in good condition. Follow these DIY tips to prepare your home before the chill hits — you’ll be more comfortable when the thermometer dips and save more on energy bills.

1. Change your filters – Clogged and dirty filters are the number one reason contractors receive calls for failing heating systems. They cause the heater to work much harder and lead to early failure. Changing your filters regularly can prevent this, and if you have baseboard heating, make sure the coils are clean and clear of dust and debris.
2. Minimize air drafts – Easy-to-use air sealing kits and insulating spray foam are available at most hardware stores. Use these to seal gaps around doors, light fixtures and plumbing under the sink or behind your washing machine. This will reduce drafts and keep warm air inside.
3. Remove window A/C units – By leaving your air conditioning unit in your window during cold months, you’ll allow heated air to escape, leaving you colder and leading to higher heating bills.
4. Check your fireplace – Chimneys can be responsible for substantial heat loss. If you have an open fireplace in the home, make sure the damper is fully closed when it is not in use.
5. Close the curtains at night –Even with highly efficient windows, the area around them can get cold. Insulated shades and cloth curtains create a buffer zone between you and the cold glass, leading to more comfortable temperatures indoors.
6. Open the curtains in the day – Even in winter, opening your curtains allows your home to absorb plenty of free heat from the sun during the day. Plus, exposure to natural light has been shown to improve your mood!

If you’re not sure where to start or if you want help winter-proofing your home, contact your utility or reach out to a local contractor for support.

Download a PDF with these tips in English or Spanish.

This Veterans Day, Comfort Ready Home is highlighting the work of Veterans who provide critical HVAC services to their communities. From helping families stay safe during extreme weather events to making energy-saving home improvements, these dedicated professionals are using their unique skill sets to meet the needs of their customers. And as Veterans, Erique Arriaga, an HVAC installer at Marshalls, Inc., and Jurea Rubit, the owner of All New, LLC, can attest, each day is full of learning opportunities and hands-on experiences.

Arriaga, an Infantryman for the U.S. Army, enrolled in an HVAC trade class for transitioning soldiers as soon as he returned from his 9-month deployment in Iraq. “I’ve always enjoyed working with my hands and learning new things,” said Arriaga. With its huge variety of work and ability to have an immediate impact, Arriaga knew the HVAC industry was the perfect fit for him. “It’s so satisfying to bring my knowledge and experiences together to install systems that I know will benefit my community.”

For Rubit, it was her 8 years in the Air Force scouting contractors, negotiating contracts and supervising contractors that lead her to start her own company. After a little maternal encouragement, Rubit started All New, LLC to complete work her mother needed done on her home. Since that day, Rubit has been offering a full suite of weatherization, HVAC, repairs and remodels to the South Puget Sound area. “In my career with the Air Force, I built deep relationships with many skilled Veterans and have seen firsthand the immense dedication they bring to their work.”

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, a relatively high percentage of Veterans work in installation, maintenance and repair occupations. On this day, it’s important we recognize and celebrate their contributions to our country and our communities, and call out training programs like Helmets to Hard Hats and Hard Hat Heroes, which help Veterans transition to civilian life with training opportunities and careers in the trades.

Comfort Ready Home thanks Erique Arriaga, Jurea Rubit and all Veterans for their service.

Comfort Ready Home recently held a free training titled, Evaluating the Home as a System.  Zach Wilson, owner of Columbia Basin Heating and Cooling, requested a manufactured home evaluation, which provided a golden opportunity to train local contractors in Umatilla Electric Service territory on how to test the home for air leaks and improve its performance. 

“Homes come in all shapes and sizes, so opportunities for contractors to get hands-on learning experience in a variety of homes are critical,” said David Olivas, Training Manager for Comfort Ready Home. “This training allowed contractors to understand areas where a manufactured home may have air leakage and insulation problems and improve comfort for their customers.” 

The training showed contractors how to set up a blower door test, diagnose air leakage points, calculate a home’s ventilation needs and test the effectiveness of an exhaust bathroom fan. “One of the great things about these trainings is that we are able to customize them to contractor’s specific interests,” mentioned Olivas. “My favorite part is seeing contractors have those aha! moments when something clicks.”  

Check out this video highlighting key topics from the training. 

As one attendee expressed: “I can’t imagine how this training could get better. Let me know when the next one is!” Participating contractors can request free trainings and the regional Field Specialists can customize trainings to meet the interests of contractors. To learn more or request a free onsite training for your crew, contact your local Field Specialist or send a request to info@ComfortReadyHome.com. 

Available Comfort Ready Home trainings:  

• Effective Air Sealing Made Simple 
• Evaluating the Home as a System: Manufactured Homes 
• Evaluating the Home as a System: Stick-Built Homes 
• Heat Pump Water Heater Opportunities and Installation Considerations 
• Selling Energy Efficiency 
• Window Installation Best Practices & Fundamentals 

Frederickson Electric has been providing electrical services and solutions to Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula for almost 50 years. Fredrickson’s team of journeyman electricians have an average of 17 years of experience in the field performing residential and commercial electrical systems, solar installations, electric vehicle charging and more. 

When Frederickson joined Comfort Ready Home, they were connected with one of the program’s Field Specialists, who provided free technical assistance on energy-efficiency upgrades and local utility incentive programs, as well as other program resources to help engage customers. “Partnering with like-minded professionals helps us gain insights into the market and stay ahead of the curve,” said Hans Frederickson, President and second-generation owner of the company. “We are always trying to find new and better ways to serve our customers.” 

Recently, the team at Frederickson worked with Comfort Ready Home Field Specialist Troy Zdzieblowski to run a hands-on blower door workshop, to train the employees to accurately  measure the amount of air entering or escaping homes. “Before we do any work, we want to decipher the best way to bring comfort and savings to the customer,” shared Frederickson. “Diagnostic tools like blower door tests and infrared cameras are methods we use to make the invisible visible.” 

Frederickson plans to continue using Comfort Ready Home’s tools and resources to better serve homeowners and builders while expanding into services such as air sealing and improving indoor air quality to meet their customer’s needs. 

If you are interested in bringing a free educational workshop to your company, like the blower door workshop, contact your Field Specialist.