Getting your home ready for winter weather

As winter approaches, there are many steps that homeowners can take to get their homes ready for the colder weather.

According to Heidi Hollander, office manager at Pacific Building Center (PBC) in Blaine, homeowners should consider taking the following steps to safeguard their homes and families.

• Insulate your pipes. One of PBC’s most popular items at this time of year is pipe wrap. This product is used to insulate your pipes to prevent them from freezing. “Busted pipes are not fun,” Hollander said. There are many different options for pipe wrap, which is generally made out of foam. Six-foot pieces of pipe wrap typically range from $1.50 to $4 each.

• Plug your vents. Another popular product are vent plugs, which are used to winterize your crawl space vents. Priced at under $6 each, the plugs are typically made out of Styrofoam and come in different sizes depending on the age of your home. The plugs retain heat and prevent cold drafts.

• Replace your furnace filter. Furnace filters should be changed every three months, and now is a good time to make sure that you have changed your filter. There are many different sizes and options; higher-end versions are especially good at blocking allergens and dust particles. Furnace filters can be purchased for around $10 or less, but prices vary depending on quality and size.

• Clean your chimney. Cleaning your chimney can boost your fireplace’s performance and help avoid emergency fires. One product that can help clean your chimney is a creosote sweeping log. “You light it in your fireplace and it helps to reduce buildup,” Hollander said. The logs cost about $18 each. PBC also rents out brushes for cleaning, at a rate of around $10 per day.

• Check your smoke detectors. “It’s a good time of year to replace batteries in those and make sure that they are working,” Hollander said.

• Insulate your doors and windows. To prevent cold air from entering your home, you can purchase draft stops for your doors. These slide in at the bottom of doors and cost about $9 each. You can also weather strip your windows, sealing any openings with an adhesive. A basic window insulation kit costs just $3.50.

• Add lighting outside. “Around here, in the northwest, a lot of times people need more light in the winter,” Hollander said. “You leave for work and come home and it’s dark outside.” For this reason, she recommends installing security lights or brighter lights both outside and inside the home. PBC sells a variety of bulbs and fixtures, and a basic floodlight that can be mounted costs $20.

• Clean out your gutters. Hollander recommends that homeowners clean out their gutters and ensure they are hooked up properly. PBC sells gutter scoops to help remove debris from gutters. The store also sells foam gutter filters for $9.50 a piece. These help keep debris out of gutters and make sure they don’t flood over. Ladders can also be rented, for a minimum of four hours and up to one week or longer.

• Don’t forget about your car or RV. PBC sells windshield de-icer sprays, scrapers, flashlights, jumper cables and other equipment that can come in handy on the road.

For any questions about preparing your home or vehicle for winter weather, contact PBC at 360/332-5335 during business hours. PBC is located at 2677 Bell Road in Blaine.