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Is your home ready for El Niño?

Book a free El Niño storm check in San Jose. We check 50 points inside your home for signs of water getting in, then give you a preliminary estimate for the roof, gutters, siding and caulking.

Book my free storm check

Call (408) 667-4946Text us

CSLB #1050108 · Licensed & insured · Roofing by a licensed C-39 subcontractor

Free while this offer runs. Serving San Jose and the South Bay.

Interior wall opened to expose water damage
Meadowhurst: hidden water damage, opened so it could be rebuilt properly.

Why check before the rain

A very strong El Niño is forecast

On September 10, 2026, NOAA's Climate Prediction Center put an El Niño Advisory in effect and gave a greater than 90% chance of a very strong event this fall and winter.1 El Niño raises the odds of a wet California winter. It does not guarantee one.

Small leaks are cheaper now

A cracked bead of caulk or a clogged downspout is a small repair in the dry season. After a storm pushes water behind the wall, it can turn into drywall, insulation and flooring work.

Water is coming in already?

Call an emergency water mitigation provider first for active water and drying. Then tell us about the damage and we will scope the repair.

The 50-point interior check

What we check inside your home

A look-only visit with a moisture meter and a thermal camera. We photograph and write down what we find, and nothing gets opened up. Open a group to see every point.

Where the 50-point check looks Cross-section of a house with seven numbered zones: 1 ceilings and upper walls, 2 the attic, 3 exterior walls from inside, 4 windows and sliding doors, 5 floors, 6 kitchen, bathrooms and laundry, 7 garage, crawlspace and foundation. R marks the roof, gutters, siding and caulking. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 7 R
  1. Ceilings and upper walls 8 points
  2. Attic, where there is safe access 9 points
  3. Exterior walls, from inside 6 points
  4. Windows and sliding doors 8 points
  5. Floors 5 points
  6. Kitchen, bathrooms and laundry 7 points
  7. Garage, crawlspace and foundation 7 points
  8. Roof, gutters, siding and caulking For the preliminary estimate
Ceilings and upper walls 8 points
  1. 1Ceiling stains, rings or discoloration in every room
  2. 2Sagging, bubbling or soft drywall on ceilings
  3. 3Peeling or blistering paint, or popped drywall seams, on ceilings
  4. 4Moisture-meter readings at every stain, compared with dry drywall nearby
  5. 5The ceiling around skylights: stains, rust, or drips on the frame
  6. 6Ceilings under roof valleys, chimneys and roof-to-wall joints, where roofs leak most often
  7. 7Around ceiling fans, recessed lights and ceiling vents: stains or rust
  8. 8Corners where the ceiling meets exterior walls: shadowing or stains
Attic, where there is safe access 9 points
  1. 9Daylight through the roof deck or around roof penetrations
  2. 10Water stains or dark streaks on rafters, trusses and roof sheathing
  3. 11Soft or delaminated roof sheathing
  4. 12Wet, matted or compressed insulation
  5. 13Stains or rust around plumbing vents, exhaust fans and the chimney
  6. 14Bath and kitchen fans vent outside, not into the attic
  7. 15Soffit, gable and ridge vents are open and not buried in insulation
  8. 16Rusty nail tips, a sign of condensation
  9. 17Openings left by pests or animals that water can follow
Exterior walls, from inside 6 points
  1. 18Stains or bubbling paint below windows
  2. 19Swelling, stains or separation on baseboards along exterior walls
  3. 20Moisture-meter readings along the bottom of exterior walls
  4. 21Musty smell in closets on exterior walls
  5. 22Drywall cracks running from window or door corners
  6. 23White powder or damp spots on exposed masonry or concrete
Windows and sliding doors 8 points
  1. 24Window sills: stains, soft wood or swelling
  2. 25Window tracks: weep holes clear, tracks not holding water
  3. 26Fog between the panes of dual-pane glass, a failed seal
  4. 27Interior caulk at windows: cracked, missing or pulling away
  5. 28Sliding door tracks drain, no staining at the threshold
  6. 29Flooring inside exterior doors: staining, cupping or soft spots
  7. 30Thresholds and weatherstripping: gaps or light showing through
  8. 31Window and door frames: rot, soft spots or gaps to the wall
Floors 5 points
  1. 32Hardwood or laminate cupping or gapping near exterior walls
  2. 33Damp carpet or pad at exterior walls and doors
  3. 34Cracked grout or loose tile near exterior doors
  4. 35Soft or spongy subfloor spots
  5. 36Floors next to the garage, where garage water can reach
Kitchen, bathrooms and laundry 7 points
  1. 37Under sinks: drips, old stains, soft cabinet floors
  2. 38Shower and tub caulk and grout: cracked, missing or moldy
  3. 39Toilets: loose at the floor, stains at the base
  4. 40Around shower doors and tub edges, and the ceiling below them
  5. 41Washing-machine hoses: type, bulging, age
  6. 42Water heater: rust, drips, drain pan, earthquake straps
  7. 43Dishwasher and refrigerator water lines at the connection
Garage, crawlspace and foundation 7 points
  1. 44Garage ceiling and walls: stains from the roof or rooms above
  2. 45Garage floor: water paths from the door or walls
  3. 46Crawlspace, where safe to open: standing water, wet soil, damp framing
  4. 47Crawlspace vents open and clear
  5. 48Foundation cracks with staining or white powder
  6. 49Sump pump, if present: runs and discharges away from the house
  7. 50Main water shutoff: found, turns, and you know where it is

The preliminary roof and exterior estimate

The interior check shows where water already gets in. The outside shows why. We price the fixes for what we find, as a preliminary estimate until the full scope is confirmed.

Roof
Missing, cracked or curled shingles or tiles, flashing at chimneys, walls, skylights and vents, clear valleys, and pipe boots. Roofing work is done by Ineguez Roofing Inc, CSLB #1073395, our licensed C-39 subcontractor.
Gutters and drainage
Clogged, sagging or leaking gutters, downspouts that drain away from the foundation, and soil that slopes away from the house.
Siding and stucco
Cracks, gaps, holes, loose or rotted boards, and stucco cracks wide enough to take water.
Caulking and seals
Around windows, doors, trim, siding joints, vents, hose bibs and anything that passes through a wall.

How the storm check works

Know what happens at the visit and what you get after it.

  1. Book a visit

    Send the form or call. Tell us about any stains, leaks or soft spots you already know about.

  2. We check the house

    The 50-point interior check with a moisture meter and a thermal camera, then the roof, gutters, siding and caulking from outside.

  3. You get the findings

    A written list of what we found, with photos, so you can see each problem for yourself.

  4. Fix what matters first

    A preliminary estimate for the repairs we recommend. Nothing is scheduled until you approve a written scope and price.

Book your free El Niño storm check

Tell us where the house is and anything you have already noticed. We will call to set a time.

  • Your city or neighborhood
  • Any stains, leaks or musty rooms you already know about
  • Roof type and age, if you know them

Prefer to talk? Call (408) 667-4946 or send a text. Office hours: Monday to Friday, 7 am to 4 pm.

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San Jose storm resources

Before and during a San Jose storm

Free local help that works alongside a storm check. Each item links to the agency that runs it.

Free sandbags

Valley Water gives Santa Clara County residents free filled sandbags from November 1 through April 15. San Jose has two sites: the City Central Service Yard at 1661 Senter Road, and the Winfield Warehouse on Winfield Boulevard. Some sites ask for proof of residency.2

Emergency alerts

Sign up for AlertSCC, Santa Clara County's free alert system, to get flood and evacuation warnings by text, email or phone.3 Valley Water also posts live creek and rain gauge readings.4

Report a problem

Report blocked storm drains, street flooding and downed trees to the City at 408-794-1900 or 311. Call 911 for downed power lines.3

Know your flood risk

Check whether your home is in a FEMA flood zone through Valley Water's Get Flood Ready page.5 In February 2017, Coyote Creek crested at 13.6 feet, above its 1922 record of 12.8 feet, and the evacuation zone covered an area where about 14,000 people live.6

El Niño storm check: common questions
Is the storm check really free?
Yes. The storm check is free while this offer runs. If you want repairs afterward, we give you a preliminary estimate, and nothing is scheduled until you approve a written scope and price.
Is this a home inspection?
No. It is a storm-readiness check that looks for water getting into your home. It is not a home inspection for buying or selling a house.
Do you fix what you find?
Yes. We are a licensed general contractor, CSLB #1050108. We repair the interior and exterior ourselves, and roofing is done by our licensed C-39 subcontractor, with one written scope for both. You decide what to fix and when.
My ceiling is already stained. Should I still book?
Yes. A stain tells us where to look. A stain below a bathroom is often plumbing, and a stain near a chimney, skylight or exterior wall is often flashing. We look for the source before recommending a repair.
Which areas do you cover?
San Jose and the South Bay. See the cities we serve.

Sources

Related: how to prepare your San Jose home for El Niño, roof leak repair, water damage repair and rebuild, home repairs, and work for property managers. Or see the cities we serve.