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Labor Day Weekend Is Your Deadline — Here’s How to Use It
If you live anywhere between Airway Heights and Kettle Falls, you already know the calendar rule out here: once Labor Day passes, the good weather is on borrowed time. That’s not scare talk, it’s just Eastern Washington. We’ve watched enough Augusts turn into surprise October frosts to know that this weekend is your last real window to knock out the projects that are easy now and miserable in November.
Builders Supply & Home Center has been helping folks in Airway Heights, Colville, and Kettle Falls get ready for winter since 1979, and every year the same pattern plays out: the families who spend an hour or two this weekend on prep spend a lot less time in January dealing with frozen sprinkler lines, drafty rooms, and a garage they can’t park in. So instead of fighting the crowds and picked-over shelves at a big-box store 45 minutes away in Spokane, let’s talk about what to actually get done this weekend, right here in your own backyard.
Close Out the Growing Season the Right Way
Stevens County gardens don’t ease into winter — they get hit. If you wait until the first hard freeze to think about your beds, sprinklers, and hoses, you’re already behind. Here’s what to handle today:
Blow out your irrigation lines now. Even if it’s still 70 degrees in Colville this week, a surprise overnight freeze can crack a line you forgot about. Pick up an irrigation blow-out kit and get ahead of it before you’re doing this in a parka.
Feed your lawn one last time. A winterizing fertilizer application now helps your grass build root strength before it goes dormant, which means a better-looking lawn come May in Kettle Falls or Airway Heights.
Cut back and mulch. Grab pruning shears and loppers for late-season cleanup, then lay down mulch or ground cover over perennial beds. It’s the difference between plants that bounce back in spring and ones that don’t survive a hard Eastern Washington winter.
Do this work while the ground is still workable. Once it freezes solid — and out here, it will — you’re stuck waiting until spring thaw to fix what you skipped.
Install a Ceiling Fan Before You Turn On the Furnace
This one surprises people every year: fall, not summer, is actually the smartest time to install a ceiling fan. Here’s why. A reversible ceiling fan set to spin clockwise on low speed pushes warm air that’s collected near the ceiling back down into the room. Once your furnace kicks on for the season, that means less strain on your heating system and a noticeably more comfortable house — without touching the thermostat.
We keep fixtures, mounting hardware, and wiring supplies in stock at our Airway Heights, Colville, and Kettle Falls locations, and our staff can walk you through picking the right blade size and CFM rating for your specific room. A fan that’s too small for a great room won’t move enough air; one that’s oversized for a bedroom just wastes energy. Get this installed now, while you can still work in a warm garage with the door open, instead of fighting it in January.
Refresh Flooring While the Windows Are Still Open
Flooring projects need ventilation — good airflow while adhesives cure and finishes off-gas makes a real difference in both the smell and the timeline. That’s much easier to manage this weekend than it will be once Eastern Washington’s windows stay shut for the season.
If you’ve got a mudroom that’s about to take six months of muddy boots and melting snow, or a bathroom floor that’s seen better days, now’s the time. We carry laminate, vinyl plank, and tile suited to how people actually live out here, plus all the underlayment, trim, and adhesive you need to finish it properly — not just the flooring itself.
Get Your Garage Ready Before Winter Gear Takes Over
Through September 9th, we’re bundling our most-requested fall categories to save you extra trips:
Garage storage systems — shelving, wall-mounted racks, and bins to get tools and equipment organized before snow tires, shovels, and sleds move in.
Lawn & garden clearance — seasonal tools and supplies at reduced pricing while it lasts.
Hand tools & fall essentials — gutter cleaning tools, firewood racks, and the small stuff that always gets forgotten until you need it.
Ask our team in-store about simple financing options if you’re tackling a bigger project this fall. There’s no reason to wait for a national chain’s sale event when we can help you spread out the cost locally, today.
Your Quick Fall Prep Checklist
Whether you’re near Fairchild Air Force Base in Airway Heights, off Highway 395 in Colville, or out toward the Canadian border in Kettle Falls, here’s what to knock out this weekend:
Winterize sprinklers and store hoses before the first hard freeze.
Install a reversible ceiling fan to cut heating costs before the furnace season starts.
Refresh worn flooring in mudrooms and entryways while ventilation is still easy.
Organize garage storage before winter equipment takes over the space.
Stock up on firewood racks and gutter tools ahead of the rush.
Don’t wait until the snow flies to get your property ready. Stop by Builders Supply & Home Center in Airway Heights, Colville, or Kettle Falls this Labor Day weekend, or shop online anytime at bldrsupply.epicor-inet.com. We’ve been part of Eastern Washington for over four decades, and our team is ready to help you plan the project, grab the right materials, and get it done before winter settles in.
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