Clean Gutters
Gutters are an important defense during the rainy season by keeping water away from your siding and home. However, gutters get filled with leaves, needles, dirt and bugs over time, especially during winter: The result is clogged gutters and downspouts during rainy weather, causing water to backflow, so the gutters do more harm than good. It's a good idea to clean out your gutters at least twice a year: in the fall and spring. If you have pines around your home, which shed a lot of needles, you may need to clean your gutters quarterly.
Protect Your Foundation from Moisture
Gutters and eaves help protect your siding from exposure to moisture and rot, but your foundation isn't always as well-defended, especially if there is soil next your foundation that can soak up water from rainfall and let it linger. Cracks and decay result, threatening the structural integrity of your house. If you have a basement, water seeping inside your home may also be a cause for concern. Gradient control, gravel drain installation and sump pumps can solve many of these problems if your home is at risk from rain for your yard.
Prevent Soggy Soil
Even if your foundation is safe, keep an eye on the soil around your yard, lawn and garden. Stepping on soggy soil can ruin seedlings and shoots, especially on new, growing grass. And if the soil is too soggy for too long, plants will become waterlogged and open to some nasty diseases, which means you may have to do some emergency landscaping.
Clean Up Debris and Damage Quickly
During rainy days, yard debris is particularly dangerous. Those piles of leaves, trash or anything else covering your yard will become soaked and allow moisture to linger for long periods of time. Mildew and mold can grow as a result, so take care of debris immediately. The same is true of cracks, missing shingles and other problems that allow leaks to form when spring and summer rains become a problem.
Watch for Encroaching Bugs
Rainy weather can create bug problems as well. Lots of rain can drive some insects (such as ants) indoors in search of drier locations. Additionally, moisture can soften up wood and attract plenty of pests that want to chomp down on it. Don't forget to look out for pests like mosquitoes that need moisture to breed; frequent rainfall can help them swarm unless they are controlled.