Start With the Outside Walk-Around
Spend twenty minutes walking the full perimeter of your home with a notepad. Look at the stucco, the trim, the fascia boards under the roof edge, and anywhere two different materials meet, such as stucco meeting a wood trim piece or a window frame. Those joints are where wind-driven rain finds its way in first.
Pay attention to caulk lines. After years of Arizona sun, caulk dries out, shrinks and pulls away from the surface. A gap you can slide a fingernail into is a gap water can enter. Resealing is inexpensive and fast compared to repairing the wall cavity behind it.
Also look at the base of exterior walls. Stucco that is cracked near the ground, or wood that feels soft when you press a screwdriver tip into it, deserves attention now, because summer rain will keep it wet longer than you expect.
Do not forget the garage and the areas around utility penetrations. Pipes, cables and vents that pass through exterior walls are often sealed with caulk or foam that has aged. A quick look with a flashlight shows whether the seal is intact, and a small tube of exterior sealant can close the gap on the spot.
- Failed or missing caulk around windows, doors and penetrations
- Cracked stucco or open hairline cracks that have widened
- Soft, swollen or peeling wood trim and fascia
- Gaps under exterior door thresholds where daylight shows
Doors, Windows and Weatherstripping
A dust storm, often called a haboob, pushes fine dust through any gap it can find. The same gaps let wind-driven rain inside. Close the front door and look from the inside for light around the edges. If you see any, the weatherstripping is worn out or the door has shifted in its frame.
Check that every window latches fully and that screens are intact. Sliding glass doors deserve special attention: the track fills with dirt, rollers wear down, and the door stops sealing tightly. Clean the track and make sure the door closes and locks with a firm, even motion.
Garage doors are another common weak spot. A damaged bottom seal lets water and dust under the door, and a door that is out of balance can struggle in strong wind. If your garage door seems noisy or uneven, have it looked at before storm season rather than during it.
Fences, Gates and Block Walls
Monsoon winds are one of the most common reasons wood fences and gates fail in the valley. Wood that has baked for years becomes brittle, and fence posts that were set in shallow or loose concrete will lean or snap. Grab a post and push firmly. If it moves, it needs to be reset or replaced before a gust does it for you.
Gates take the worst of it because they act like a sail. Check hinges, latches and the diagonal brace. A sagging gate that drags the ground will be the first thing to break. Tightening hardware and adding a brace is often all that is needed.
For block walls, look for stair-step cracks or sections that lean. Those are structural concerns, and they are better evaluated by someone qualified before heavy rain softens the soil around the footing.
Wood fence panels are held by nails or screws that loosen as the wood dries and flexes. Replace failing fasteners with exterior rated screws and check that pickets are not split along the nail line. Small fixes now keep a whole section from blowing over in the first big gust.
Roof Line, Gutters and Drainage
Many valley homes have tile or flat roofs, and both have their own vulnerabilities. A slipped or cracked tile, or a flat roof with ponding spots, should be inspected by a roofing professional. A handyman is not the right call for roof work, and it is worth being honest about that. What you can do from the ground is look for obvious displaced tiles, debris piles in valleys, and loose flashing.
Drainage matters just as much. Make sure downspouts and any roof drains discharge away from the foundation, not right at the base of a wall. In a short, intense downpour, water that pools against a stucco wall will wick upward and show up as stains or bubbling paint inside.
Walk your yard after the first rain and note where water collects. A small regrade, a splash block or an extension on a downspout can solve a recurring problem cheaply.
Inside the House: Where Leaks Show Up First
Check ceilings and the tops of walls for faint brown rings, bubbling paint or soft drywall. Pay special attention near exterior walls, around skylights, below the attic hatch and near bathroom or kitchen vents that pass through the roof.
Look in the attic if you are comfortable doing so, using a flashlight on a dry day. Daylight coming through the roof deck or dark streaking on the wood suggests an older leak. Do not step between joists onto bare drywall.
If you find damp material after a storm, deal with it quickly. Wet drywall and insulation can develop mold if they stay damp, and early repair is much simpler than tearing out a large area later.
Yard Items, Trees and Loose Objects
Haboob winds turn lightweight items into projectiles. Before storm season, secure or store patio umbrellas, lightweight furniture, planters and trash bins. Trampolines and shade sails need anchoring that can really hold, not just a few stakes.
Trim tree branches that hang over the roof or lean toward the house, and remove dead limbs. A healthy tree flexes in wind, while a dead branch snaps. Palms with dead fronds should be trimmed by someone who does it regularly, since falling fronds can be heavy.
Keep a small kit nearby: flashlight, batteries, plastic sheeting, tape, and the phone number of a repair company you trust. Power outages are common during big storms, and the last thing you want is to hunt for a number in the dark.
Take a few photos of the house in its current condition before the season starts. Dated pictures of the roof line, fence, walls and yard give you a clear before-and-after comparison if you ever need to document damage later.
After the Storm: What to Do First
Once the weather passes, walk the outside again before cleaning anything. Photograph damage as you find it. Look for displaced fence panels, cracked windows, broken sprinkler heads, and water stains inside.
Make temporary repairs to stop further damage, such as covering a broken window or tarping an opening, but save your receipts. Beyond that, avoid permanent fixes until you know the full extent. For anything involving your insurance policy, read your own policy and speak with your insurer. We cannot advise on coverage.
If you have water damage, drywall repair, or a fence section down, a local handyman can often handle the repair in a single visit. Charme and Sons works across Peoria, Surprise, Sun City and the rest of the northwest valley, and you can find our contact details on the site.
It also helps to know where your main water shutoff is and how to turn it off. If a pipe or fixture is damaged during a storm, being able to stop the water quickly limits the mess while you wait for repairs.
“Jesse did a great job installing a fence in our backyard. He made sure his work was up to our standards and was very professional. It was completed quickly and was priced very reasonably. I would definitely use Charme and Sons again!”