Ask House Spouse · PNW Seasonal · Fall Rain Prep
What should I do to prepare my house before the PNW rainy season?
Short answer
Six items, mid-October: clean gutters and downspouts, check and extend downspout runouts, seal any exterior wood cracks with caulk, verify the sump pump works (if you have one), swap furnace filter, and test every smoke and CO detector. This routine takes half a day and prevents 90% of the wet-season damage we get called for.
The 6-item checklist
1) Gutters cleaned and free-flowing. 2) Downspouts extended 4–6 feet from foundation. 3) Exterior caulk inspected — any cracks over 1/16" re-caulked. 4) Sump pump tested by dumping a bucket in the pit. 5) Furnace filter replaced. 6) Every smoke and CO detector tested and battery replaced.
The bigger items to schedule NOW
If you were going to repaint the exterior, do it by mid-September (paint doesn't cure in cold wet weather). If you needed a roof repair, book it. If you were going to add gutter guards, do it before the leaves drop.
The one thing homeowners always skip
Drainage away from the foundation. Look at the ground within 4 feet of the house — does it slope AWAY (correct) or is it flat or sloped toward the house (wrong)? Adding topsoil to grade the slope away is a Saturday afternoon and prevents crawlspace problems for a decade.
What we see on Home Health Assessments
Around 74% of PNW roofs we assess show active moss establishment — accelerates shingle wear by an estimated 3–5 years if untreated.
Caught early on assessment: $220–$650 · Left until failure: $3,500–$22,000
Based on real experience across Snohomish and King County, pnw seasonal issues like this are among the ones homeowners most often miss until they become expensive. Our Home Health Assessment catches them early — while they're still a maintenance item, not a repair.
How the Home Health Assessment worksServices we'd bring to this job
Especially common in these neighborhoods
We see this often on assessments across these Snohomish and King County cities we serve.
Related questions
Exterior & Weatherproofing · Gutters & Downspouts
How often should I clean gutters in the Pacific Northwest?
Twice a year minimum — once in late fall after the leaves drop (mid-November) and once in spring (late March). Homes surrounded by Douglas fir, cedar, or big-leaf maple need a third mid-fall cleaning, typically late October. Skipping cleanings is the #1 cause of preventable siding and foundation damage we see.
Exterior & Weatherproofing · Gutters & Downspouts
Do I need downspout extensions on my gutters?
Yes — every downspout should discharge water at least 4–6 feet from the foundation, and ideally into a splash block or buried drain. The single cheapest crawlspace-moisture fix in the PNW is $15 flexible downspout extensions on every corner. It takes an hour and prevents the majority of foundation damp problems.
PNW Seasonal · Freeze Protection
How do I winterize outdoor faucets in Washington?
Disconnect every garden hose, drain each hose bib by shutting off the interior stop valve and opening the outdoor spigot to drain, then cover with an insulated foam faucet cover. A leftover garden hose is the #1 cause of burst pipes in the PNW — the water in the hose freezes back into the wall and splits the pipe.