Homeowner help center

Free, simple help for homeowners in Everett and Snohomish County. Use it whether you hire through Clynder or not.

Red flags and storm scams

Be careful if someone:

• Knocks on your door right after a storm, often from out of state.
• Can't give you a Washington registration number, or the number doesn't show up on L&I Verify.
• Wants most of the money up front, or cash only.
• Pushes you to decide today or to sign a loan.
• Won't put the price and the work in writing.

To report a problem: L&I (1-800-647-0982) or the Washington Attorney General at atg.wa.gov (1-800-551-4636).

Everett home care calendar

Everett gets about 40 inches of rain a year. November is the wettest month. July and August are the driest. Plan outdoor work around that.

• Spring (Mar–May): treat roof moss on a dry stretch, first pressure wash, clean windows, get the yard ready. Zinc strips can slow moss after cleaning, but zinc runoff can harm fish — ask your pro about it.
• Summer (Jun–Aug): the driest months. Best time for exterior paint and deck stain (paint needs dry weather for about 2 days after), pressure washing and roof work. Get your AC or heat pump checked before a heat wave.
• September: the last dry stretch. Finish paint jobs. Service your furnace or heat pump before heating season.
• October: clean gutters as the leaves drop. Disconnect hoses, cover outdoor faucets, and put together a storm kit.
• November–December: the rainiest weeks. Check gutters again after the last leaves fall. Know where your main water shutoff is.
• January–February: on freezing nights, let a cold faucet inside drip a little. Never thaw a pipe with an open flame. Look for storm damage.
• Every month: test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

Questions to ask and compare quotes

• What's your Washington registration number? (Then look it up.)
• Does the price include sales tax?
• What exactly is included — materials, cleanup, haul-away?
• When will you start and finish?
• Does this job need a permit, and who pulls it?
• What's the payment schedule?
• Is there a warranty, and is it in writing?

For bigger jobs, getting up to 3 quotes is a good idea. Print this page and fill in the table:

Save money: utility rebates

Amounts and rules change often. Always check the official page before you buy.

• Electricity (Snohomish County PUD): rebates for heat pumps, insulation, windows, duct sealing and heat pump water heaters. Most are for homes heated mainly by electricity, and the work usually has to be done by a PUD-registered contractor. See Snohomish County PUD rebates.
• Natural gas (PSE): PSE has rebates, including one for income-qualified homes that switch gas heat to a heat pump. See PSE rebates.
• Federal: the federal home energy tax credit (25C) ended for equipment installed after December 31, 2025. The new federal home energy rebates had not started in Washington as of mid-2026. See WA Commerce.

Before and after a storm

• Before: sign up for SnoCoAlerts through Snohomish County (SnoCoAlerts). Take a video of your home and belongings — it helps with insurance later.
• Power out? Check the PUD outage map.
• Downed lines or a tree on wires: stay away and call 911 or the utility.
• For insurance: take photos and video before you clean up, keep damaged items for the adjuster, make small repairs to stop more damage (a tarp, shutting off water), and keep every receipt. Questions? The WA Insurance Commissioner's consumer line is 1-800-562-6900.
• Before hiring anyone after a storm: check them on L&I and don't pay a big amount up front.

Clynder connects homeowners with local contractors. Contractors on Clynder pay a membership fee — that's how it stays free for you. Clynder is not a contractor. This page is general information, not legal or professional advice.