A Home Maintenance Checklist After a Storm

If your neighborhood looked anything like ours after last week’s storms, you’ve probably spent more time than you planned dragging branches to the curb, filling yard waste bags, or listening to chainsaws in the distance.

Central Connecticut took a pretty good beating. High winds and heavy rain left plenty of downed trees, broken limbs, and debris scattered across neighborhoods. Thankfully, many homeowners escaped with only minor damage, but storms like these are also a good reminder that your home’s exterior takes more of a beating than you might realize.

Once you’ve finished cleaning up the obvious mess, it’s worth taking a few extra minutes to walk around your property. A quick inspection now can help you catch small issues before they turn into expensive repairs later.

1. Start with Your Roof

Before you even grab a ladder, take a slow walk around your house and look up. You’re looking for anything that seems out of place such as missing shingles, lifted ridge caps, damaged flashing around chimneys or vents, or branches that may have scraped across the roof.

Not every problem is obvious from the ground, but if something catches your eye, don’t ignore it. Even a small area of damage can allow water to work its way underneath the roofing materials, and the leak often doesn’t show up until the next heavy rain.

2. Give Your Gutters Some Attention

After a storm, gutters have a way of collecting everything from leaves and twigs to pine needles and seed pods. Once they’re clogged, they can’t do the job they’re designed to do.

Instead of carrying water away from your home, overflowing gutters can send water behind your siding, damage fascia boards, wash out landscaping, or even contribute to water finding its way into your basement.

If you’ve already been outside cleaning up branches, this is the perfect time to make sure your gutters and downspouts are clear and draining properly.

3. Don’t Forget the Trees That Stayed Standing

Most people notice the branches that came down. The ones that are still hanging overhead deserve just as much attention.

Look for cracked limbs, split trunks, or branches that are now hanging over your roof or rubbing against your siding. Storms often weaken trees without bringing them down immediately, which means the next windy day could finish the job.

If you have mature trees close to your home, it’s worth having an arborist take a look if anything seems questionable.

4. Walk the Outside of Your Home

Wind doesn’t have to knock something over to cause damage. Flying debris can loosen siding, crack trim, or damage the caulking around windows and doors.

Take a slow walk around your home and look closely. Small gaps may not seem like a big deal today, but they can allow water, insects, and moisture to find their way inside over time. Catching those little problems early is almost always easier and less expensive than waiting until they become major repairs.

5. Keep an Eye Out for Hidden Water Damage

Not every storm leaves behind obvious damage. Sometimes the warning signs don’t appear for several days.

Over the next week or two, keep an eye out for new water stains on ceilings, damp spots in the attic, peeling paint, musty odors, or discoloration around windows. Those subtle changes are often the first indication that wind-driven rain found a way into your home.

The earlier you catch a leak, the simpler and less costly the repair is likely to be.

6. Use This as a Chance to Get Ahead

One thing we’ve learned over the past several years is that severe weather isn’t as unusual as it once seemed. Strong storms have become part of life here in Connecticut, and the best time to prepare for the next one is while this one is still fresh in your mind.

Ask yourself a few simple questions. Are tree branches hanging over your roof? Are your gutters getting old? Is your roof nearing the end of its life? Are your windows and siding still doing the job they were designed to do?

You don’t have to tackle every project this season, but having a plan is always better than being caught off guard.

Once the branches are piled at the curb and your yard starts looking like itself again, spend just a little more time giving your home a careful once-over. A few minutes of maintenance today can help prevent a much bigger headache tomorrow.

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

Last Minute Father’s Day Gifts for the DIY Dad

Every year around Father’s Day, somebody asks me what tool they should buy for the dad who has everything. Most guys reach a point where they already own three flashlights, six tape measures, two ladders, and a garage full of things they’re convinced they’ll need someday. Of course, they can never find any of them when they actually need them.

After nearly 50 years in the remodeling business, I’ve accumulated my fair share of tools, gadgets, and things that seemed like a good idea at the time. Some ended up collecting dust on a shelf. Others have become things I reach for every week.

If you’re still looking for a last-minute Father’s Day gift, here are a few that I think just about any homeowner would appreciate.

1. The Headlamp You Didn’t Know You Needed

Every homeowner eventually finds themselves crawling through an attic, looking behind a furnace, or trying to figure out why the circuit breaker tripped.

A rechargeable headlamp keeps both hands free and puts the light exactly where you need it.

Any home improvement store or on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=rechargeable+headlamp

2. A Leatherman Multi-Tool

I’ve always appreciated tools that solve multiple problems.

The Leatherman Wave+ includes pliers, knives, screwdrivers, scissors, wire cutters, and about a dozen other functions that seem unnecessary until the exact moment you need them.

Any home improvement store or on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079MJBP21

3. The Magnetic Wristband

This is one of those products I laughed at when I first saw it.

Then I used one.

When you’re on a ladder installing hardware or making repairs, having screws and drill bits attached to your wrist is surprisingly convenient.

Any home improvement store or on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=magnetic+wristband+for+screws

4. A Flashlight That Actually Works

Every house has a junk drawer flashlight.

It usually has dead batteries.

A good rechargeable flashlight is useful during power outages, home repairs, camping trips, and those mysterious noises that always seem to happen after dark.

Any home improvement store or on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=olight+flashlight 

5. A Portable Jump Starter

This may be the smartest item on the list.

Most people don’t think about a dead battery until they’re stranded in a parking lot.

A portable jump starter can get you back on the road in minutes without waiting for help.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015TKUPIC 

6. The Tape Measure That Won’t Stay Lost

I’ve probably owned hundreds of tape measures over the years.

I couldn’t tell you where most of them went.

A quality Stanley FatMax remains one of the most useful tools any homeowner can own.

Any home improvement store or Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=stanley+fatmax+tape+measure 

The truth is, none of these gifts are particularly flashy. They’re practical, useful, and they’ll still be getting used long after Father’s Day has come and gone. That’s probably why they make good gifts in the first place. Most dads don’t need another gadget that’ll end up in the back of a drawer. Give them something that helps them tackle a project, solve a problem, or make life a little easier, and it’ll earn a permanent spot in the toolbox.

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

The Great Thaw, A Homeowners Guide

After weeks of frozen ground, packed snow, and temperatures that barely cracked freezing, the first stretch of warmer days can feel like a gift. The sun comes out. The air softens. You can finally see your lawn again. But here’s what most homeowners don’t realize. Winter damage rarely shows up during the storm. It shows up during the melt.

When everything begins to thaw at once, your home goes through one of the most stressful transitions of the year. And if you know what to look for, you can prevent small issues from turning into expensive repairs.

Let’s talk about what’s actually happening. During deep winter, the ground freezes solid. That means when snow starts to melt, the water has nowhere to go. Instead of soaking into the soil, it runs across the surface. If that water pools near your foundation, it can find its way into tiny cracks or gaps that you didn’t even know were there. That’s why basements often leak during the first warm spell, not during the blizzard. 

Take a walk around your home during this thaw. Look for standing water near the foundation. If you see it, that’s a grading issue. The soil should slope away from your house, not toward it. Over time, soil settles, mulch builds up, and landscaping shifts. The thaw exposes those subtle changes.

Next, check your downspouts. During heavy snow months, they often get buried or knocked loose. When meltwater starts rushing through clogged gutters, it can overflow right next to your foundation. Make sure downspouts extend at least a few feet away from the house. If water is pouring over the edge of your gutters instead of flowing through them, they may be clogged with debris or shingle granules loosened over the winter.

Speaking of roofs, the thaw is when ice dam damage reveals itself. Ice dams form when warm air from your attic melts snow on the roof, which then refreezes at the colder edges, and this season has been the worst for them. During the melt, you might notice staining on ceilings, damp insulation in the attic, or granules collecting near downspouts. Even lifted shingles or small flashing separations can become visible once the snow clears.

It’s also common to see foundation cracks that weren’t noticeable before. Freeze-and-thaw cycles cause expansion and contraction in concrete and masonry. Small hairline cracks are normal. Wider cracks that appear suddenly or show signs of shifting are worth a closer look. The thaw doesn’t create all the damage, it simply reveals what winter stressed.

Driveways and walkways can also show signs of frost heave this time of year. If sections look uneven or edges are crumbling, that’s freeze expansion at work. It may settle back down, but it’s a good time to assess whether repairs will be needed in warmer months.

And don’t forget about your sump pump. If you have one, now is the time to test it. Pour a bucket of water into the pit and make sure it activates properly. The first heavy spring rain combined with melting snow is not the moment you want to discover it isn’t working.

Here’s the bottom line: the first thaw is a diagnostic window. It’s your opportunity to see how your home handled the winter. Most issues we see in early spring started months earlier. The difference between a manageable repair and a costly problem often comes down to catching it early. A small gutter adjustment, a downspout extension, sealing a minor crack, these are simple fixes when addressed promptly.

Winter in Connecticut is tough on homes. That’s just reality. But the homes that weather it best are the ones that get a little attention when the seasons shift. So enjoy the warmer air. Open a window. Take that walk around the yard. And while you’re at it, let the great thaw show you what needs a little care before spring rains arrive.

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. For remodeling or home improvement needs, call (860) 589-5155 or visit http://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.