An Energy-Efficient Home for Every Season

Here in Central Oregon, we are lucky enough to enjoy all four seasons each year. This means cold winters, a mild fall and spring, and hot summers. It can be challenging to maintain a comfortable temperature in your home when things get especially hot or cold, but there are a few ways you can be sure to stay energy efficient through the changing seasons.

The first step to making sure you are maintaining an energy-efficient home is to examine what you already have in place. How old are your windows and doors? Are there any cracks? Can you see the light coming in anywhere around your door frame? These questions will help you determine whether it’s time to replace the whole thing entirely, or if it’s just time for some regular maintenance.

If your windows and doors seem to be in good shape, but you’re just looking to improve their efficiency, here’s what you can do:

Use caulk or weatherstrip to seal cracks and fill gaps

This will help prevent air leaks that keep your home from being efficient. When hot or cold air leaks in, it keeps your heating and cooling systems running much more often than they should.

Hang curtains, blinds, or both

The hot summer sun can make a huge impact on the temperature inside the house. Window treatments are a great way to keep things cool. If you don’t have air conditioning in your home, this is especially important. Try opening up your windows and screened doors early in the morning. Then, before temperatures rise too much, seal everything up and close all the blinds to keep the temperatures down.

Install storm windows

If you live in an older house and aren’t ready to replace your single-pane windows, storm windows can be a great alternative. These go on the outside of the house and help reduce airflow in and out of the home.

Utilize a light-blocking screen or film

Similar to a storm window, large screens can be installed on the outside of the window to reduce the amount of heat and light that can enter. Films can also be fixed directly onto the window glass to create a reflective quality that repels heat.

Invest in outdoor awnings or blinds

Sometimes, windows just get too much sun during the day and something more needs to be installed to keep things cool. An awning or blind outside the house works great for this.

Most of these improvements can be made over a weekend and will help improve indoor temps greatly. They will also keep your heating and cooling systems running less often as your home becomes more energy efficient! But what if small improvements aren’t enough? Maybe your home has single-pane windows or the door just doesn’t seal properly. Maybe you’re ready for an upgrade that will also improve the appearance of your house. Whatever the case, the next step up from here is replacing your windows and doors.

Look no further than Building Solutions. We’ve been a leading window and door supplier in the Bend area since 2003. Our experienced professionals supply Central Oregon’s leading home builders and contractors with the best in new, replacement, and upgraded windows and doors. At our design center, we carry a variety of products from the most reputable manufacturers like Simpson Door Company, JELD-WEN, Milgard, and PlyGem. We understand how confusing all the options can be, so we’ll help you narrow down your decision. We know which ones to recommend, and which to avoid.

We also have tons

of color options and specialty glass samples for you to browse. That way you can have a style that matches the look of your home and keeps your energy costs down. If we don’t have the option you like in stock, we can get it ordered and even delivered for you.

Let’s get started on a more energy-efficient home today!

(541) 388-9988

62960 Boyd Acres Road

Bend, OR 97701

It's Deck Season!

Custom decks are extremely popular in residential and commercial spaces, especially during these beautiful summer months in Central Oregon. Decks are perfect for hosting friends and family, adding value to your property, and giving you a space outside to simply relax. That’s not to mention they are also an excellent place to take in the Central Oregon views!

As outdoor living spaces continue to grow in popularity, homeowners are creating custom outdoor areas for a variety of reasons on their properties. In fact, we’ve seen some pretty cool outdoor kitchens, fire pits, hot tub platforms, and even sunrooms! Personalizing these areas with deck railings, different colored materials, and LED deck lighting are also some fun trends that have been gaining popularity this summer with decks and patios.

These spaces can be used all year round and allow you to enjoy the fresh mountain air, comfortably from your own home.

With this huge burst of inspiration and drive in our community to build your dream backyards, there’s been a massive influx of interest in deck materials in our shop and Design Center. Because of your enthusiasm, we are one of Central Oregon’s leading providers of residential and commercial decking! We supply sustainably harvested redwood deck materials, and decks in cedar, composite, and more. From large decks for entertaining to a small, intimate space for relaxing, you will find all the deck materials you need under one roof.

Already have a deck, that may need some repairs? No problem! We can help get your deck back to the way it looked the day you installed it. Check for rotted wood or mildew, loose or cracked floorboards, or rusted nails or hardware to determine the scope of your repair. We specialize in handling building projects from beginning to end, and from the ground up. As a result, we also carry a wide selection of hardware and tools you might need while undertaking these projects.

You’ve made it to the point where you know you want to build or replace your dream deck and you know who to go to to help plan and get it done, so now what? It's never too late to transform your backyard, and there’s no time like the present! In fact, it seems like we’ll be having a late summer, perfect for you to enjoy your space for the next few months! If you start now you can get your deck ordered and installed with time to enjoy it this season, so let’s get going!

Our Design Center is an excellent place to get started, get creative, and consider your options when thinking about your next project. Our team has decades of building experience and industry knowledge, and we are dedicated to you and your vision. Our family of experts has seen it all and we are happy to give as much or as little input as you may need.

If your deck needs a revamp, we may suggest something like composite decking. This is often the first choice of many as it appeals to the environmentally conscious (read our previous blog) and is able to withstand our Central Oregon weather mood swings. Plus, it looks as natural as real wood- you’d never know the difference! That being said, we still offer our Trex Wednesday special where every Trex Composite deck ordered on Wednesday also includes free Universal Nylon Hidden Fasteners for your project AND free delivery on Friday!

At the end of the day, we are here to help and suggest the best materials for your specific project needs. We are proud to provide the finest quality decking materials from the world’s finest brand names like Trex, Allweather, Fiberon, and Timbertech and have a wide selection of the best tools from top name brands like Makita and Diablo. You really can’t go wrong.

Stop by our design center to see our in-house selection of deck material displays and to get an accurate, honest estimate for your building project. Our friendly staff can help you get everything you need for the job and we can even deliver your materials straight to you!

Let’s get your next project underway!

(541) 388-9988

62960 Boyd Acres Road

Bend, OR 97701

Keeping It Green!

Sustainable building is more than just a trend. As our concern for the environment increases, preserving our ecosystems, and wildlife and reducing our carbon footprint becomes more and more important in everything we do.

Central Oregon is such a beautiful place and the longer we can keep it this way, the better it will be for all of us!

For these reasons, our business is dedicated to supporting and promoting sustainable and green building practices whenever possible. We partner with vendors who share our commitment to environmentally friendly building design and materials and are constantly on the lookout for new relationships we can foster.

Trex is a great example of a company using sustainable and green building materials. Not only do their products create beautiful results, but they are manufactured with the future in mind and that is what makes us proud. We are Central Oregon’s leading provider of residential and commercial decking; Trex is only one of the widespread, eco-friendly options you’ll see in our showroom.

So why not go green with your next home project?

With summer just around the corner, backyard gatherings are becoming increasingly popular. There's nothing like putting together a great barbeque or celebration for the people you care about. When you choose materials from Building Solutions, you can feel good about hosting your friends, family, and neighbors knowing that the outdoor space you've created was built with sustainability in mind.

We supply sustainably harvested redwood deck materials, and decks and siding in cedar, composite, and more. From large decks for entertaining to a small, intimate space for relaxing, you will find the deck materials you need under one roof at Building Solutions.

Trex composite decks are made of 95% reclaimed wood and recycled plastic film. This means that not a single tree is cut down while making their product, sawdust and all. There’s plenty of reclaimed wood to go around and Trex does their best to locally source this wood that would otherwise end up in the landfill.

Combining reclaimed wood with recycled plastic makes this durable product certified green and easy to maintain when compared to wood materials. Trex uses plastic from a variety of packaging from everyday items such as newspaper sleeves, sandwich bags, and grocery bags. To them, nothing is wasted!

Fun fact:

“The average 500-square foot composite Trex deck contains 140,000 recycled plastic bags!” Source: www.trex.com

Interested in Trex decking? Learn more about Trex recycling here or take the plunge with our special offer on Trex Wednesdays! Purchase your new Trex Deck on a Wednesday and receive FREE Trex Universal Nylon Hidden Fasteners for your project. You will also receive FREE delivery on Friday, so you can get an early start on those weekend projects!

Being environmentally and socially conscious protects the big picture and helps create a better world for us and our families to enjoy for years to come. This is something we value at Building Solutions, with hopes to transform the way we build and create new structures. We live here, work here, and play here, and we believe that our community is better when we all come together to make an effort.

From deck materials, hardware, and tools, to lumber, trusses, windows, and doors, our materials can make your dream projects a reality!

Now’s the time to plan those deck builds and revamps. Our calendar is constantly filling up this time of year! If you have an idea in mind, please don’t hesitate to contact us, we want to be your long-term building materials partner. Our construction supplies are from top-name brands, and our customer service and efficiency are second to none.

Want to watch your ideas come to life? Stop by our design center to see our in-house selection and to get an accurate estimate for your building project. Our friendly staff can help you get everything you need for the job. We can even deliver deck materials for an individual or an entire subdivision!

Get in touch today! (541) 388-9988

62960 Boyd Acres Road

Bend, OR 97701