The United States is vast with multiple climates. From the rugged harshness of Alaska to the balmy breezes of coastal Florida, each climate affects your household budget in ways you may not have calculated. If you’re budget conscious, take a look at the regions below for the hidden climate costs.
The Northeast
With a higher priced housing market than most of the country, it’s not shocking that living in the Northeast is expensive. But what you may not have considered is the direct hits it has received recently from hurricanes. This means higher insurance premiums and re-adjusted flood insurance needs.
If you have a mortgage on your house and are living in a flood plain, the bank will require you to have home insurance and flood insurance. The average flood insurance policy costs about $600 annually.
This winter has been a particularly cold one and people living in the northeast will see the effects in their energy bill. This severe winter weather and large snowfall also mean many people are in danger of costly flooding when the snow melts.
The Southeast
While the cost of living is less than its northerly neighbor, the Southeast still contends with hurricanes.
States like Florida have been hit with high insurance premiums due to hurricanes and sinkholes — and a single insurance company covers most of the state. This means insurance is costly. If you live in a coastal area, you’ll need to worry about flood insurance as well. Homeowners who will get affected by severe weather conditions like hurricanes may need a roof replacement with the help of professional roofing services and even flood damage restoration services.
A very important thing to take into account when considering the material of your residential roofing replacement is the extreme heat and humidity in the southernmost part of the Southeast. It affects other aspects of living as well, as it ensures you’ll be operating your air conditioning most of the year. It’s possible your energy bills will be several hundred dollars for part of the year.
While it’s easy to see how the climate affects your heating and cooling bill as well as your insurance premiums, there are added hidden costs for living in high-probability hurricane and/or tornado areas. If you replace windows and doors in your home, you’ll now be required to have safety-glazing and hurricane impact resistant windows and doors. Consult your state building code for more information.
The Midwest
The Midwest is home to beautiful, flat farmland, and it’s at the intersection of cold northern air and a moist, warm jet stream. This has earned this part of the country the nickname of tornado alley. While flood insurance will be needed for a smaller percentage of the midwest population (because of its landlocked location), the cost of insurance because of tornadoes may mean higher home insurance than you had previously considered.
While it’s easy to see how the climate affects your heating and cooling bill, as well as your insurance premiums, there are added costs to construction too. For instance, Illinois passed one of the most energy-efficient building codes in the nation and all new buildings must adhere to it.
The Southwest
This beautiful desert climate certainly has an effect on your cooling bill, but many of its areas are consistently ranked as some of the least expensive towns in the country by The Council for Community and Economic Research.
Parts of the Southwest, like Arizona, are less prone to tornadoes, blizzards, and hurricanes, so those insurance premiums are less expensive than more often hit areas. Add in the unique beauty of the painted desert and you might just want to check out homes for sale in Arizona.
The Pacific Northwest
Many think of the Pacific Northwest as a rainy climate, but it also has an arid mountainous region and a few volcanoes.
Outside of the mountains, the coastal Pacific Northwest traditionally has received little snowfall. This year they’ve received much more, and you can expect it’ll see increased heating bills. The state will have to figure out how to pay for the unexpected snow removal.
The Mid/South Pacific
This is an expansive area of varied climates including California and Colorado. The area’s wildfires and extreme drought have caused insurance rates to increase on already pricey real estate.
While cost of real estate is something to consider when buying a home, the hidden costs due to climate differentials are important as well, particularly if you are new to the area.
