With Winter swiftly approaching, there are a number of precautions one can take to prevent weather damage and minimize water damage to one's home.

Roof inspection and repair top the list. Don't wait until it starts to rain or snow to attempt this. Regardless of the type of roof cover you have, it's important that the roof be free and clear of debris such as leaves, pine needles, twigs, branches, mold and fungus growth. Not clearing such debris will likely result in damage to the roof and impede its ability to properly shed water, which can cause leaking.

Extreme caution should be taken when working on the roof. For most, the roof is unfamiliar territory. When working on the roof one should wear non-skid rubber-soled shoes or boots. Also, it's best to work on the roof when it is dry.

Start by removing any large objects on the roof by hand, then sweep. Power blowers are also useful. A power washing is the best bet for wood shake roofs and some composition roofs that may be plagued by mildew or fungus. Work from the top down when sweeping or power blowing the roof. When power washing, start at the lowest part of the roof and work backwards to the highest point. The spray should be directed downward to avoid water damage. Working from the bottom up will also minimize the amount of traffic on a wet surface.

Once the roof has been cleaned, consider having a professional roofing contractor make an inspection to ensure that it is in tip-top shape and ready to protect your home through another winter.

A clean roof is only part of what is required for proper water shed. The next step is to remove all of the debris in the gutters. While a good sweeping with a whisk broom is all that is typically required here, some gutters are so full of debris that a small hand trowel may be required to shovel out the layers of built-up debris. A putty knife and a wire brush are excellent tools for this.

After the majority of the debris has been removed, the gutters should be rinsed with a garden hose equipped with a spray nozzle. If a power washer was used to clean the roof it can be used on the gutters. Downspouts should also be flushed out from top to bottom. One of the best ways is to attach a spray nozzle to the end of the garden hose and run it down the length of the downspout. With some unusually configured downspouts this may be impossible; a small plumber's snake will dislodge debris that can then be flushed out with water.

If the home is surrounded by large trees, consider installing screening to keep leaves and other debris out of the gutters and downspouts. The screens will need to be cleaned periodically. Water shed from the roof and carried by the gutters and downspouts should not be discharged into a flower bed near the home's foundation. This could cause the house to move and result in cracks above windows and doors and possibly make some doors hard to open or close. In addition, water discharged from the downspouts could travel under the house causing dampness that could result in a musty smell and fungus-damaged framing.

Pre-cast splash blocks constructed of concrete or fiberglass can be placed at the base of each downspout. For homes with hilly or unusual terrain, splash blocks may not be enough, in which case a more sophisticated means of drainage should be used. Among these is a below-surface drainage pipe which starts at the shoe of the down-spout and terminates at the gutter, thereby discharging water into the sanity sewer system. Another version is a drainage pipe which contains perforations and is embedded in crushed rock. This acts as a leach line dispersing the water over a vast area. This alternative is especially appropriate for rural conditions where no public system exists.

Finally, if water is still a problem, we suggest that a landscape architect or soils engineer be consulted.