Spring Home Exterior Checklist: 17 Ways to Prevent Costly Water Damage

This is the “meat and potatoes” of homeownership. After a long winter, your house has basically been in a fight with ice, wind, and freezing rain. Water is the most dangerous thing for a home—it’s like a slow-motion wrecking ball. If you find a small leak now, it costs $10. If you find it in July after a big storm, it costs $10,000.

Here is my personal 17-point checklist to make sure your house stays dry and your foundation stays strong.

1. The Gutter “Flow Test”

Cleaning leaves is only half the job. I always take my garden hose up the ladder and run water directly into the gutters. You want to see if the water actually moves fast toward the downspouts. If it pools in the middle, your gutters are sagging or the “pitch” is wrong. Standing water is heavy—it can pull the gutter right off the wood (the fascia) and cause rot that costs a fortune to fix. I use a Gutter Sense cleaning tool to reach the high spots without leaning too far off my ladder.

2. Downspout Extensions are Non-Negotiable

If your downspouts drop water right at the corner of your house, you are basically begging for a flooded basement. I check every single one to make sure they carry water at least 6 to 10 feet away from the walls. I love the StealthFlow low-profile extensions because you can hide them under mulch so they don’t look ugly in your garden, but they still keep your foundation bone-dry.

3. The Binocular Roof Check

You don’t need to walk on your roof (it’s dangerous and can actually damage the shingles). I stand in the street with a pair of binoculars. I look for shingles that are “balding” (losing their gravel texture), cracked, or curling up at the edges. If you see a missing shingle, fix it today. One missing shingle is all it takes for rain to rot your attic floor.

4. Window & Door Caulking

Winter cold makes old caulk brittle, and it will snap like a dry cracker. I walk around and poke the seal around my windows. If it feels hard or has gaps, water will sneak behind your siding. I scrape the old junk out and use GE Silicone II Window & Door sealant. It stays flexible for years and won’t crack when the house moves. It’s a $10 tube of glue that prevents a $2,000 window frame repair.

5. Ground Grading: The 6-Inch Rule

This is the “big one” for foundation safety. Walk around your house and look at the dirt. The ground should slope down and away from your house. Specifically, you want a 6-inch drop over the first 10 feet. If the dirt is flat or—even worse—slopes toward the house, every rainstorm is pushing water against your basement walls. I usually buy 10 bags of topsoil every spring just to fill in the “low spots” where the ground has settled over the winter.

6. The “Nickel Test” for Foundation Cracks

It is normal for a house to settle, but you need to check the cracks. I walk the perimeter and look at the concrete. If I find a crack, I try to slide a nickel into it. If the nickel fits, the crack is wide enough for water to get in, freeze, and break the concrete. I use a SikaLatex Concrete Patch to seal those small gaps before the spring rains start.

7. The Outdoor Spigot “Thumb Test”

This is a trick I learned the hard way. If you left a hose attached during a freeze, the pipe inside the wall might have burst. To test it, turn the water on and try to stop the flow by putting your thumb over the opening. If the pressure is so strong you can’t stop it, you’re good. But if the pressure is weak and you hear water “spraying” inside the wall, turn it off immediately. Your pipe is burst inside the house, and you need a plumber before you flood your drywall.

8. Cleaning AC Coils

Your outdoor AC unit has been a magnet for dead leaves and mud all winter. If those metal “fins” are dirty, your AC has to work way harder, which kills the machine and raises your electric bill. I use a gentle stream from the hose and some Frost King Coil Cleaner to melt away the winter grime. Just don’t use a high-pressure power washer, or you will bend the delicate metal fins!

9. The Dryer Vent Flapper

Go to where your dryer blows out. If that little plastic door is stuck open with lint, you are letting cold air and rain into your house. It’s also an open door for mice. I reach in, pull out the “lint hairball,” and make sure the door snaps shut tightly.

10. Siding “Popped” Nails

Vinyl and wood siding can “breathe” in the wind. I walk around and look for panels that look loose or “wavy.” Often, a nail has popped out. I just tap them back in or add a new stainless steel siding nail. If the siding is loose, rain gets behind it and creates a hidden mold factory.

11. Basement Window Wells

These are basically buckets attached to your house. If they are full of leaves, the drain at the bottom is probably plugged. If that well fills with water during a rainstorm, it will push right through your window into the basement. I scoop the junk out every March.

12. The Deck “Screwdriver Test”

Wood rot is like a cancer for your deck. I take a flat-head screwdriver and poke the wood where the deck meets the house and where the posts touch the ground. If the wood feels soft or the screwdriver sinks in, you have rot. Most people just paint over it, but that’s dangerous. If the “ledger board” (the part attached to the house) is rotten, the whole deck could fall. Catch it now while you can still replace just one board.

13. Spalling Bricks & Mortar

Look at your chimney or brick walls. Do you see red dust or “chips” of brick on the ground? This is called Spalling. It happens when water gets inside the brick and freezes. If the mortar (the grey stuff) is falling out, you need to “re-point” it. I use a small tub of Quikrete Mortar Repair to fill those gaps and stop the water from getting deeper.

14. Attic Vent Airflow

I spend 5 minutes in my attic every spring. If it smells “musty,” the vents are blocked. I check the Soffit Vents (the ones under the roof edge) to make sure insulation hasn’t moved and blocked the air. You need that air to move so your roof stays cool and dry.

15. The Peeling Paint Warning

Paint isn’t just for color—it’s a seal. If I see peeling paint on my wooden window trim or door frames, I know the wood is now “naked.” Naked wood rot starts in weeks. I do a quick scrape and “touch-up” with a small brush to keep the moisture out.

16. The “3-Foot” Tree Rule

I make sure no tree branches are touching my house or roof. Branches act like a bridge for squirrels and ants to get into your attic. They also scrape the shingles when the wind blows. I trim everything back so there is at least a 3-foot gap between the leaves and the house.

17. The Flashing Check

Flashing is the metal “skin” around your chimney and where the roof meets the walls. This is where 90% of roof leaks start. I look for metal that is bent or pulling away from the brick. If the old black “tar” looks cracked and dry, I add a fresh bead of Henry 208R Roof Cement. It’s messy, but it’s the best way to stop a leak before it starts.

❓ FAQ
Q: How often should I check these things?
A: At least once a year in the spring. If you live somewhere with a lot of trees, you should check the gutters again in the fall.

Q: Can I fix a foundation crack myself?
A: If it’s a small “hairline” crack, yes. If you can fit a finger in it or if the wall is “bowing” inward, stop and call a structural engineer immediately.

Q: What is the most important item on this list?
A: Grading and Downspouts. If you keep the water 10 feet away from your house, you solve 80% of all home maintenance problems.