A Storm-Season Water Checklist for Williamson County Homes

What should be checked before the storm season?

The sump, the gutters, the grading, the window wells and the water heater. Each is a common path for water into a Williamson County house.

Start with the sump, if there is one. Raise the float and watch the pump run and stop. Look into the pit for silt and debris, and walk the discharge line to its outlet, making sure it carries the water well away from the foundation.

Clear the gutters of leaves and check the downspouts for a loose joint or a blockage. Then check the grading around the house and fill any low spot so that the soil slopes away from the foundation.

• Test the sump float and watch the pump run and stop
• Clear the pit and the discharge line of silt and debris
• Clear the gutters and check each downspout outlet
• Fill low spots and confirm the grading slopes away from the house
• Clear the window wells and the floor drain

What should be checked on the roof and in the attic?

The roof edges, the flashing, the vent boots and the attic insulation. A storm that lifts a shingle or cracks a vent boot can leak at the next rain.

From the ground, look at the roof edges and the flashing for lifted shingles and bent metal. Binoculars help. In the attic on a dry day, look for damp insulation, dark rafters and light showing through the deck.

A roofer should inspect anything that looks damaged. The cleanup company can note what it sees from the attic if a loss occurs.

What should be checked on the lot after heavy rain?

The water path, the silt line, the lowest corner of the lot, the garage threshold and any new mark on the lower walls.

Walk from the high point of the lot toward the house and note where the water ran. Look for silt, leaves pressed against a fence and a flattened strip of grass, because those show the path.

Check the garage threshold and the lowest window well, and look at the lower walls for a line or a damp patch. Photograph each mark with its date.

What should be checked in the house?

The water heater base, the closet floor, the supply valves and the hoses, and any leak sensor that is fitted.

Check the water heater's base and the closet floor for rust, a white crust or a damp line. Check the supply valves at the sinks and toilets, and the hoses behind the washer.

Test any leak sensor. A sensor that has not been tested may not sound when it is needed.

What should be recorded?

A dated note of each check and each heavy storm, with the water line if there was one and the condition of the lot, kept with the house papers.

The note costs a few minutes and shows the change over the seasons. It shows whether the lot is taking more water or less, and it is evidence for the insurer if a claim is made.

A dated photograph of the lower walls, the garage threshold and the lot, taken in dry weather each spring, gives the crew a baseline to compare with after a storm.

Why the checklist works in order

The items are arranged from the lot to the house, so the walk follows the path the water takes.

Starting at the lot and walking toward the house follows the path the water takes. The grading, the gutters and the window wells come first, then the foundation, the lower walls and the sump. The house items come last.

Doing the walk in the same order each time makes it quick and consistent, and it makes a change from one season to the next easier to see.

What to do when something is found

A problem found in a check is fixed by the right trade, and the fix is recorded.

A blocked gutter is cleared by the homeowner. A failed sump is repaired by a plumber, and a damaged roof edge by a roofer. A grading problem is corrected by a grading contractor or by the homeowner with soil.

Record each finding and each fix with the date. The record shows what was found, what was done and when, which is useful if a later storm causes a loss.

Keeping the checklist useful over the years

The checklist is updated after each storm, so it reflects the house as it is.

After a storm that caused any damage, add the new weak point to the list. A list that grows with the house's history is more useful than a fixed one, and it helps the next owner understand the property.

Keep the checklist with the house papers, and give a copy to any new owner.

Using the checklist with a neighbor

A neighbor who uses the same checklist shares the path of the water across the street.

Water that runs across one lot can come from the lot above or cross into the lot below. Sharing the checklist and the observed water paths with a neighbor helps each household understand the flow across the block.

A short conversation after each storm, with the dated notes, costs little and helps the street plan its drainage work together.

Insurance records to keep with the checklist

The checklist and the insurance papers are kept together so the record of the house is complete.

Keep the policy, the endorsements, the declarations page and the agent's contact with the checklist. When a loss happens, the homeowner can see the coverage, the record of the house and the history of the storm in one place.

Keep a note of any change to the policy, such as a flood endorsement added, so the coverage in force on the date of a storm is clear.

Checking the foundation vents and the crawl space

A crawl space vent that is blocked or flooded can let water and moisture into the framing above it.

Clear the vents of leaves and soil, and check that the vent screens are in place and not damaged. Look inside the crawl space after a storm for standing water, damp soil and a damp joist.

A crawl space that takes water after most storms needs a grading or drainage fix, and the homeowner should ask a contractor for a plan.

The first week after a storm

The checks in the first week after a storm catch the damage that appears after the water has gone.

Check the lower walls, the window wells, the attic and the ceilings in the week after a storm. Some damage, such as a ceiling stain or a damp line, shows only after the water has soaked into a material.

Write down what is found with the date, and call for a reading if anything is new.

Keeping the house prepared through the year

The checklist is used in each season, not only before the storm season, so the house stays ready.

In winter, check for frozen pipes and the insulation of exposed lines. In spring, check the roof and the gutters. In summer, check the sump and the grading. In autumn, clear the leaves from the drains and the gutters.

A homeowner who runs the checklist in each season keeps the house in readiness for the year's weather, and the record shows the house's history over time.

A short guide to who does each fix

Each item on the checklist has a responsible trade, and knowing it prevents delay.

A gutter and a downspout are cleared or repaired by the homeowner or a gutter contractor. A sump and its discharge are repaired by a plumber. A roof edge or flashing is repaired by a roofer, and a grading problem is corrected by a grading contractor or by the homeowner with soil.

A water heater or a supply line is repaired by a plumber, and a crawl-space vent or barrier is installed by a contractor. The cleanup company removes the water and dries the structure, and it does not do these repairs.

What a homeowner should do before the next season

Review the checklist, update it with what the last season showed and set a date for the next walk.

A short review at the end of each season shows which items were found most often and which took the longest to check. The list can be shortened where a check is always clear and expanded where the storms found a new weak point.

Set the date of the next walk in the calendar before the season ends. A checklist that is not scheduled is easy to forget, and a missed check is the usual start of a preventable loss.