Monsoon-Proofing Your Home: A Mohave County Contractor's Checklist

Monsoon season typically runs mid-June through September in Mohave County, and it delivers most of our annual rainfall in a handful of violent bursts — often with 50+ mph winds attached. The damage we get called for every August is mostly preventable in May. This is the checklist we use.

Roof first

Desert sun destroys roofing from above while you're not looking; monsoons just expose the damage. Walk your property (or have someone qualified do it) and look for cracked or slipped tiles, lifted shingle edges, and deteriorated pipe-boot flashings. On flat roofs, check that scuppers and drains are clear and the coating isn't cracked or bubbled.

A $300 repair in June routinely prevents a five-figure interior remediation in August. If your roof is over 15 years old, get a professional inspection annually.

Drainage and grading

Water should move away from your foundation — quickly. Check that the soil slopes away from the house on all sides, that downspouts discharge several feet from the wall, and that landscape gravel hasn't built up against stucco weep screeds. If you've seen water pond against the house in past storms, that's a grading fix, not a wait-and-see.

Stucco, windows, and seals

Hairline stucco cracks are normal in the desert; cracks you can fit a credit card into are not — they let wind-driven rain into the wall assembly. Re-caulk window and door perimeters where sealant has dried out and pulled away. It's an afternoon of work that protects thousands of dollars of drywall and flooring.

Trees, shade structures, and patio covers

Microburst winds take down limbs and undersized patio covers every season. Trim back anything overhanging the roof, and check that ramadas and patio covers are actually anchored to footings — not just sitting on pavers. If a structure moves when you shake it, a storm will finish the job.

When to call a contractor

Call a licensed contractor when you see: water staining on interior ceilings or walls, stucco cracking that returns after patching, doors that suddenly stick after rain (possible foundation movement), or any roof damage you can see from the ground. These are symptoms; the cause is usually upstream and cheaper to fix early.

We do pre-monsoon inspections across Mohave County every spring. If you'd like a professional set of eyes on your roof, drainage, and exterior before the storms arrive, get in touch — it's quick, and it buys real peace of mind.