Is Your Home Ready to Ride Out a Prolonged Power Outage?

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Here in Maine, the power can go out for long stretches of time due to the weather (“ice crisis” of ‘98, anyone?) This is especially true with the number of extreme weather events on the rise. Even this last fall, hundreds of thousands were without power just because of a wind storm. Many Mainers waited for over a week for their power to be restored.

Now, you may be wondering—in addition to considering a generator and stocking up on food, drinking water, and flashlights – are there improvements you can make to your home to make the next power outage more comfortable for your family?

Our answer: Absolutely!

Inclement Weather Prep Starts with Shell Improvements

You never know when the next wind storm, rain storm, or snow storm will hit; but you can be ready. Preparing for foul weather and power outages includes improving your home’s “building shell,” or building envelope. That means making improvements to the exterior of your home for better protection against the outside elements.

With the right shell improvements, your house will:

  • Be less susceptible to heat loss from high winds

  • Retain conditioned air far longer

  • Feel more comfortable overall

  • Reduce the load on your generator to maintain indoor temperatures

Plus, when you complete basement work like basement encapsulation and sump pump installation, your home will be more resilient against flooding.

Prepare Your Home with These Shell Improvements

“How do I improve my home’s shell?” you ask. As home comfort and efficiency experts serving Mid Coast Maine, we recommend three particular energy saving upgrades:

Insulation

Insulation is key year round for keeping unwanted heat out during the summer and valuable heat in during the winter. When your home is properly insulated in important areas like the exterior walls, attic, and basement, you can expect it to remain more comfortable—especially in the event of a power outage.

Most houses here in Maine are under-insulated, so chances are your house could use an insulation upgrade. An energy audit conducted by one of our experts can reveal where insulation is needed and which types of insulation would be best.

Air Sealing

Another important step in the insulation process is air sealing. Air sealing with spray foam eliminates air leaks throughout your home’s shell. This keeps those air leaks from decreasing the effectiveness of your insulation and letting the outside elements in.

Basement Encapsulation

Basement encapsulation is a key home performance measure that many Mainers neglect, but it is especially important if you want to protect your home from water issues and flooding. Basement encapsulation involves ensuring proper drainage; installing a sump pump to handle bulk water; and installing a heavy duty vapor barrier along the floor and walls of the basement. These steps keep moisture out and keep the outside from infiltrating your home through the basement.

Find Out How Your Maine Home Stacks Up with an Energy Audit

It isn’t always easy to tell how well sealed and insulated your home is, and sometimes it can be too late. You probably don’t want to find out when your lights flicker off and your furnace shuts off with an abrupt clunk. That’s why we suggest starting your storm preparations with an energy audit. During the audit, our home experts will complete a thorough inspection and perform diagnostic testing to pinpoint potential areas of improvement before the inclement weather causes another power outage!

Is your home ready for the next power outage? It can be with help from Evergreen Home Performance. Call 207-594-2244 or contact us to consult our home performance specialists!

Make sure your home will be comfortable during the next outage.

Schedule an energy audit to get started 207-594-2244

I am very pleased with my experience with Evergreen Home Performance. I met several times with Richard Burbank and he was very detailed in his explanations to all of my questions. He provided me with several options for improving the insulation to our home. The team of installers were very professional and respectful of our home. They did a great job of cleaning up every day after the days work and they were also very responsive to all my questions as well as we collaborated to get our home better insulated. It was a pleasure to work with Richard and…

Brian C.

Falmouth

Evergreen removed and replaced the insulation in my attic. They did a great job!, Crew was excellent, and the whole thing went smoothly, and the attic was NOT easy to get into or work in, so kudos to some hard work done well!

Joel A.

Portland

We are thrilled with the job Evergreen did to transform our 213 year old home into a warm, draft-free, cozy space. The entire team led by Bruce was prompt, courteous, knowledgeable, and hard working. If Evergreen could transform our home in this way, we are sure they would make a comparable difference in YOUR home!

Jonathan M.

Bridgton

The Evergreen crew from initial inception to installation were professional, on time, and left our place spotless. The end result was exceptional.

John Brown

Evergreen Home Performance shows its expertise from start to finish. Evergreen did three house projects in winter/spring/summer 2020 for me, attic insulation, crawl space under a porch insulation, and basement foam/vapor barrier. From my initial discussion with Bryan, I understood the reasons for choosing different types of insulation, the associated costs, and time estimates. Evergreen scheduled in advance, came when they said they would, and the crews were highly professional in their work and demeanor.

Iris S.

Portland

I never leave reviews, but had a great experience with Evergreen and wanted to spread the word! In short, we worked with them to insulate our roof this winter and have noticed surprising immediate results. The constant ice dams I have wrestled with are completely gone, and the home is noticeably more comfortable. It's a little too early to tell if our oil bill is going to reduce, but I imagine we will see an impact there as well.

Joel W.

Portland

The Evergreen Team did a fabulous job, well exceeding our expectations, In just over a week they transformed our very drafty, noisy 213 year old house into a snug, draft-free, quiet haven with warm floors! The team was prompt, did everything they said they'd do and more. We are thrilled!

Trudy M.

Bridgton

They were highly recommended. I found them to be very knowledgeable and so helpful, with practical ideas. Despite my not living within their service area, they were generous with their knowledge, describing the usual solutions to correct leaks in my basement, and what the result is likely to be by following path A, B or C, and why. I was discouraged. Talking with Evergreen helped me see that my basement problems are far from insurmountable and really, fairly common in 100-year old homes. There are proven solutions.

Rosalind J

Damariscotta

Evergreen came back this year to finish insulating our house. We have been remodeling and renovating an 1850s cape for several years. Their employees are very professional and pleasant to deal with. Over several years Brian Robinson has been able to schedule us in for several small areas that needed addressing and finally turning a room we used to close off in the winter into a comfortable usable space. We primarily heat with wood and since Evergreens great work our furnace has only come on ONCE this winter. Fantastic. Really satisfied customer in Thomaston.

Chris F.

Thomaston

We needed basement encapsulation to stop moisture coming up into the house from our regularly flooding basement. We had mold growing on windowsills and furniture. All the staff were friendly, respectful of our home, and easy to work with. Humidity has gone from 70% down to 40% and mold has not grown back after two months. Very grateful.

Sarah C.

Belfast

I had gotten estimates from several other companies, but Evergreen was in another league entirely with their professionalism. If you want the job done correctly, I couldn't recommend this company enough.

Rayna Mayo

Freeport

Professional, friendly and hard-working staff. The product/approach they use for insulation is top notch. We felt the difference immediately, both from added warmth and eliminating drafts. The team and management were easily available to answer our questions or coordinate meeting times. Highly recommended.

Kevin J.

Yarmouth

Bryan, Dave and the entire Evergreen team are wonderfully professional, prompt and thorough. I enjoyed working with them and look forward to continued work as we upgrade our home! Thank you so much for your professionalism, fairness, time and diligence.

Cait

Yarmouth

Very Satisfied with the work performed by Evergreen. Professional employees, high quality work done in a timely manner. My sales rep was Justin, and he was phenomenal During the initial walk around my house, he gave me great ideas for how to improve the efficiency of our home. We will consult with Evergreen for our future home projects.

Adam G.

Westbrook

Great company. Very professional and thorough. They take the time to explain everything and offer options to fit your budget. Wonderful experience from start to finish.

Bonnie Eustace

Portland Buy Local
Efficiency Maine
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