9 post-winter home repairs

1. Reseal the driveway

"The first thing that I would think about doing is possibly re-seal-coating your driveway," says Paul Ryan, a home-improvement expert, licensed contractor and a licensed adjuster in Minnesota. "In the wintertime, you're getting a lot of water in the cracks, you're getting a lot of freeze-thaw, a lot of expansion in the cracks" that will cause the driveway to deteriorate further come spring and summer, Ryan says.

Prepare the driveway first by filling in cracks with a crack sealer — a tedious job, but a necessary one, he says; otherwise the cracks will continue to expand and contract.

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2. Inspect the roof

If you've had leaks during heavy storms, you'll want to deal with those once the weather clears. Either use binoculars and go around your house looking for broken shingles and loose metal flashing or — if you can do it safely — get up on your roof and do the same, says Don Vandervort, a home-improvement expert and founder of HomeTips.com.

Look for holes in flashing where two roof planes come together or where the roof meets a dormer or chimney. If you're worried about a leak, look for its source, which often is higher than where water has come in. Or go into the attic — and step carefully — to check for signs of moisture, Vandervort says.

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3. Clean up stains

If your roof has been leaking, the ceiling underneath the leak may be stained yellow or brown. You can try to simply touch it up with paint, but the stain will likely show right through, Vandervort says. Instead, seal the stain first with a primer/sealer such as Kilz. Then repaint the ceiling.

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4. Deal with your deck

Fear not: This isn't a chore for every spring. Every few years, however, you should reseal your deck, Ryan says.

The sealer can be applied either via a fine-mist sprayer or with a brush or roller, he says. If you use a sprayer, make sure it's one designed for a water sealer. Those sprayers create a finer mist than regular paint sprayers, he says.

Ryan usually pressure-washes the deck before resealing it.

"But you don't have to do it real aggressively," he says.

Be careful: If you use the wrong attachment or get the pressure washer too close to the deck, you can damage the wood. Make sure you test the water's spray and your technique on a section that won't be seen.

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5. Mend fences

"Something I have to do every year is fix my fence," Ryan says. "We get a ton of snow up here in Minnesota" and a lot of it pushes on the fence, rotting and loosening the slats and posts. Come spring, Ryan takes a careful walk along the fence line, looking for pieces that need to be reattached and others that need to be replaced.

"If you don't do it, a couple weeks into the season you'll notice that your dog's not there," he says.

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6. Unclog that spout

Winter wreaks havoc on gutters and downspouts. Storms clog them with leaves, while icy weather, especially in the Northeast and Midwest, creates ice dams that bend and break gutters from their moorings and render them unprepared to swallow spring's showers. The first patch of dry spring weather is the chance to get them back in shape. Get up on a sturdy ladder and clean them out, with the help of a trowel and a pair of heavy gloves, and repair them if you can, Vandervort says.

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7. Deal with winter's water

"So many parts of the country have been hit by major weather, especially this winter, that snow buildup and heavy rains have occurred and a lot of water, if the grading around the house isn't right, can work its way back into the home," Vandervort says.

Now's the time to banish any lingering water or moisture from the basement. Fail to act and you eventually may be wrestling with enemies such as dry rot and mold. What to do? Depending on your water problem, Vandervort says you may need to install a sump pump.

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8. Caulk those leaks

At winter's end, Ryan likes to walk around his house, checking the caulking on siding where the walls come together — the place where there's a lot of expansion and contraction.

"It's a good idea to get that sealed up before the rains of spring come," he says.

Do the same around windows, looking for cracks in the caulk.

Depending on your siding, an exterior paintable caulk is often the type to use, Ryan says; if you use a clear caulk of 100% silicone, "paint doesn't stick to it."

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9. Service the storm door

Winter winds slap around the humble storm door.

"Often, the door closer becomes bent, breaks or pulls away from the doorjamb," Vandervort says.

Now that you have a spring breather, fix the door. And as you change out the storm panels with screens for warmer weather, make sure the screens are in good shape. If they're not, you'll want to repair or replace them.

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