Southern California can go months without rain, then get several inches in just a few days. When that happens, small problems around your home can quickly become expensive repairs.
With the potential for a wetter winter ahead due to the effects of El Niño, now is a good time to make sure your home is ready.
From Ventura County to neighboring communities in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties, homeowners throughout our area face a variety of challenges during heavy rain. Older roofs, clogged yard drains, worn garage door seals, and aging electrical equipment can all become trouble spots.
But a little preparation now can help prevent a lot of headaches later.
According to NOAA’s October 2026 Winter Outlook, El Niño is expected to bring wetter-than-average conditions for the 2026-7 winter in Southern California. The timing, intensity, and location of individual storms can vary considerably.
For homeowners, it’s important to prepare before storms arrive. Roof leaks, clogged drains, worn weather seals, and other small maintenance problems can become much more serious when heavy rain hits.
Here’s what to check around your home to prepare for whatever El Niño has in store for us.
With months of dry, sunny weather here in SoCal, leaks often don’t surface until heavy or ongoing rain arrives.
Here’s something many homeowners don’t realize: the spot where water appears inside your home isn’t necessarily where it’s entering your roof.
Water can get beneath roofing materials, travel along underlayment, rafters, or other structural components, and eventually drip through the ceiling several feet away. That’s why patching the roof directly above a ceiling stain doesn’t always fix the problem. Finding the actual entry point is extremely important.
And while a small leak might seem manageable during a brief shower, repeated or prolonged rain can allow much more water into your home, causing additional damage.
Learn more ➜ Roofing services
Gutters don’t get much attention during our dry months. But when heavy rain comes, they have an important job: collecting water from your roof and directing it away from your home.
Leaves, pine needles, and other debris can block that flow. When gutters overflow, water may run down exterior walls, seep under roofing materials, damage fascia and soffits, or collect near the foundation.
If your home is surrounded by mature trees, cleaning out your gutters is especially important. Gutters that were clear a few months ago may already be full of debris. For two-story homes or difficult-to-reach gutters, use a qualified gutter-cleaning professional rather than climbing onto the roof yourself.
If you’ve ever watched water collect on your patio, driveway, or lawn during a storm, you know how quickly a drainage problem can develop. Many Southern California properties rely on area drains, catch basins, and underground drainage pipes to move rainwater away from the home.
The problem is that these systems can collect dirt, leaves, roots, and other debris during the dry season.
If water consistently pools in the same area, the issue may be more than a clogged drain. Some properties benefit from additional area drains, French drains, or changes to grading.
The right solution depends on where the water is coming from and where it can safely go. This is particularly important for hillside and canyon properties, where runoff from higher ground can quickly overwhelm drainage systems.
Learn more ➜ Plumbing services
Your garage door might be closed, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s keeping the rain out. Garage doors are one of the largest openings in a home. Over time, the rubber seals along the bottom and sides can wear out, allowing wind-driven rain or water collecting on the driveway to seep inside. And if your driveway slopes toward the garage, heavy runoff can make the problem worse.
Keep in mind: Garage door seals help keep out rain, wind, dust, and debris, but they don’t make your garage completely waterproof.
If water regularly flows toward your garage, the underlying drainage problem needs to be addressed. A new seal alone won’t stop significant flooding.
Learn more ➜ Garage door services
Not all water damage starts with a roof leak. During heavy rain, water can collect against exterior walls, seep into crawlspaces, or enter through low doorways and other vulnerable areas. Over time, persistent moisture around a foundation can contribute to deterioration and other problems.
For hillside and canyon homes, pay particular attention to changes in runoff patterns, erosion, or movement of soil around retaining walls. If you notice significant erosion, ground movement, or new structural cracks, consult an appropriate licensed professional rather than attempting a quick drainage fix.
Your Foundation & Exterior ChecklistGFCI outlets are designed to help protect against electrical shock by interrupting power when certain electrical faults occur. If a GFCI won’t reset or repeatedly trips, don’t ignore it. There may be a problem with the outlet, connected equipment, or circuit.
Important: Never touch electrical equipment that is wet, submerged, or surrounded by standing water. Have a licensed electrician evaluate it before using it again.
Learn more ➜ Electrical services
A professionally installed standby generator can automatically supply backup power to selected circuits or, when properly sized, much of your home, keeping you safe and comfortable during a power outage.
Portable generators can also provide temporary power, but they require special precautions. Never operate a portable generator inside a home, garage, or enclosed space, or near doors, windows, or vents. Operate it outdoors at least 20 feet from the home, with exhaust directed away from openings. Carbon monoxide from generator exhaust can be deadly.
Never connect a generator directly to household wiring without properly installed transfer equipment.
Learn more ➜ Top 10 Reasons to Invest in a Home Generator
Don’t drain your pool completely in anticipation of heavy rain. Removing too much water can create serious problems, particularly when the surrounding soil is saturated. And if pumps, motors, or electrical controls have been submerged, don’t turn them back on until they’ve been inspected by a qualified professional.
Regular pool maintenance is especially helpful during rainy weather, when water chemistry and debris levels can change quickly.
Learn more ➜ Pool Services
Whether you need help with your roof, outdoor drains, electrical, pool, or more, Conejo Services’ experienced team of experts is available for same-day and next-day appointments.
Beyond your home’s major systems, a few simple precautions can help you avoid unnecessary damage and disruption.
If your property is near a hillside, canyon, creek, or recent burn area, pay particular attention to local warnings about flash flooding and debris flows.
Heavy rain can create dangerous conditions quickly. Never drive or walk through floodwater, and follow evacuation instructions from local authorities.
Final Storm Preparation Checklist🔨 Roof: Check for visible damage, water stains, and signs of leaks.
🍃 Gutters: Clear debris and make sure downspouts direct water away from the house.
💧 Yard drainage: Remove debris from area drains and catch basins.
🚗 Garage door: Check the bottom seal, side weatherstripping, and nearby drainage.
⚡ Electrical: Inspect outdoor outlet covers and test accessible, dry GFCIs.
🧱 Foundation: Look for low spots or runoff directed toward the house.
🏊 Pool: Check water levels, clear overflow drains, and plan to test the water after rain.
Even if your home appears to have made it through a storm without problems, it’s worth taking a few minutes to look around once conditions are safe.
Check ceilings and walls for new water stains. Look for debris blocking yard drains and downspouts. Inspect your property for standing water or erosion, and check your pool’s water level and chemical balance.
Look around your garage for water that may have entered beneath the door or around the weatherstripping. If you find moisture, try to determine whether it’s coming through a worn seal or from runoff collecting outside.
Be especially careful around electrical equipment. If anything has gotten wet or submerged, leave it alone until a qualified professional can inspect it.
Problems discovered after the first storm are worth addressing before the next one arrives.
At Conejo Services, we’ve been helping local homeowners take care of their homes since 1979. From roofing and plumbing to electrical, generators, pools, garage doors, and HVAC, our in-house team can help you identify and address problems before heavy rain arrives.
Whether you need a roof checkup, help with a troublesome drain, or garage door weather seal repairs, we’re right here in your neighborhood.
One call. One trusted team for your whole home.
Don’t wait until the rain is coming through the ceiling or collecting in your garage. Give Conejo Services a call, and let’s get your home ready for the season.
To get additional storm season updates, preparedness tips, and emergency planning guides for your area, you can also visit ready.lacounty.gov/rain or ready.venturacounty.gov
