Following one of the warmest and driest winters on record, Oregon leaders are preparing for what could be an active wildfire season further fueled by prolonged drought and extreme summer heat.  Here are some tips and resources Energy Trust of Oregon provides for when wildfire smoke enters your community and for communities, people, and businesses when they begin to rebuild.

Quick tips to help keep smoke out
When wildfire smoke blankets a community, fine air particles can get indoors through small gaps and cracks in homes and buildings. Along with the health risk, the particles can clog the filter of heating and cooling systems, forcing them to work harder and use more energy.

To keep smoke out of your home while saving energy, keep these strategies in mind:

• Tighten seals and seal gaps and cracks: Add weatherstripping around drafty doors and windows. If you use a window air conditioner, close its outdoor air damper. If you use a portable A/C with a single hose vented outside, avoid running it during heavy smoke as it pulls smoky air indoors. Dual-hose units are safe as long as the window seal is tightly secured.
• Switch to “fan only” mode: Temporarily set your cooling system’s fan to “on” or “fan only” rather than “auto.” This keeps your system running continuously, forcing indoor air through your filtration setup. Just remember to switch it back to “auto” when the smoke clears to manage energy costs.
• Upgrade and swap filters frequently: Under normal conditions, check or replace your air filter every three months. During active smoke events, inspect it every few days because smoke particles can clog it more quickly. Look for higher-rated filters to catch smaller particles but verify your system manufacturer’s recommendations first so you don’t use the wrong kind of filter and accidentally overwork your system.
• Skip indoor pollutants: Avoid activities that add extra particles to your air. Postpone frying or broiling food, smoking, burning candles or incense, or vacuuming (unless your vacuum has a sealed HEPA filter).
• Use portable air purifiers: Running a portable air purifier on high speed helps catch many of those fine smoke particles in the air. Energy Trust works with select local retailers to provide an instant $75 discount on energy-efficient air purifiers at the register and online.

Preparing new homes for fire risk
Energy Trust also works with communities, families, home builders and others in planning for a future with greater risk of wildfires. Through first-of-its-kind research, Energy Trust has identified specific building features that make a home more resistant to wildfires and help save energy. Following research into construction choices that deliver both efficiency and wildfire protection, Energy Trust introduced specialized cash incentives for fire-impacted homeowners, including:

• Triple-pane windows: a third layer of tempered glass, creates a stronger thermal buffer to withstand extreme heat and prevent embers from fracturing the window.
• Exterior rigid insulation: Replaces traditional siding bases with highly flame-resistant insulation to stop fire from climbing walls. This type of insulation can also help keep extreme heat or cold out which lowers energy bills.
• Unvented attics: By getting rid of traditional attic vents, you close off the number one entryway where airborne embers typically enter and ignite a home.

Severe weather and active wildfires also frequently trigger emergency power shutoffs. Adding solar and a battery that saves energy created by solar panels can also be an important tool during wildfires or other emergencies. The battery can keep things like refrigerators and medical devices running when the power goes out. Energy Trust helps lower the cost of adding solar and batteries to your home.

A blueprint for wildfire recovery
Many of these features have been incorporated into new homes and buildings rebuilt in Southern Oregon following devastating wildfires in 2020.

Since the fires, Energy Trust has helped hundreds of homeowners and small business owners in the communities of Talent and Phoenix rebuild with homes and buildings that use less energy and are better able to keep smoke out.  Thanks to solar panels, insulation, triple pane windows, and efficient appliances, one homeowner says his energy bill is around $25 per month.

Read more about Energy Trust’s support for communities rebuilding from wildfire.