Preparing your home for spring rains

Everyone has heard the expression, "April showers bring May flowers."

In reality, the rainy season in the U.S. is just getting started in April, and strong rains throughout the warmer months can cause serious damage to homes and their contents for homeowners who aren't prepared. Because of the wide variety of weather types experienced throughout the year, American homes are built to take a beating. Over time, however, a home's water defenses can wear down, resulting in basement floods and potentially lost property.

This spring, one of the smartest things that you can do is to take just a little bit of time to make sure that your property is ready for the oncoming rainy weather. We're here to help you keep your house in great shape, so we've put together a short list of some of the most important items for you to check off your list.

Clean the gutters
Even though a little bit of snow weighs next to nothing, the large amount that can build up on your roof in northern parts of the U.S. can be enough loosen or crack your gutters, resulting in improper drainage. Worse, many homeowners don't clean their gutters out in the late fall, when they tend to get the most clogged. This means that spring rains can end up "waterfalling" over the sides of your gutters, damaging your home's exterior and causing water to leak into the basement. Clean and repair your gutters as soon as it is warm enough to do so.

Check the shingles
Hot summers and cold, snowy winters can also damage the shingling on your roof. Fixing a few shingles isn't a big expense – if you're handy, and your roof is on a shallow pitch, you can probably even do it yourself. If you don't repair damaged shingles, however, the price of repairing the water damage to your attic and any place that water finds its way down can be significant. 

Inspect the fixtures
Water from melting snow or heavy rain will find any way it can to make its way to lower ground – in other words, your basement. Every spring, you should do a thorough check around the lower exterior of your home to look for anywhere that water might be able to get in. Make sure that all of your wood fixtures are tightly fastened and finished with a water-resistant coating. Windows and doors to the basement should be caulked and sealed when closed so that no water can get through.

A little bit of time and money now can save you significantly in the long run by helping you to avoid water damage. Another way you can invest now for your long term benefit is to purchase a TotalProtect® Home Warranty.

The information in this article is intended to provide guidance on the proper maintenance and care of systems and appliances in the home. Not all of the topics mentioned are covered by our home warranty or maintenance plans. Please review your home warranty contract carefully to understand your coverage.