When spring blossoms signal the end to winter, it’s time to take care of a few important improvements around your home. Harsh weather has a way of leaving its mark on your home—the cold and rain or snow can leave considerable damage—and these issues should be dealt with before they cause bigger problems. Following are 10 post-winter repairs that should be taken care of sooner than later:

1. Fix damaged roofing.
If you’ve seen any signs of your roof leaking, be sure to check for problems. See Roof Leaks: Troubleshooting & Repairs for tips on how to find and repair trouble spots.

2. Repair water-stained ceilings.
If the roof has leaked, there is likely to be a brown stain on the ceiling somewhere downhill from the leak—but not necessarily directly below the source of the leak. Don’t paint right over a ceiling stain without proper preparation or the stain may bleed through the paint finish. Before painting, seal the stain with a stain sealer. Then you will probably need to repaint the entire ceiling. You can try to touch up the area, but, for uniformity, a complete repainting will likely be necessary. (For more information, see How to Repair a Water-Damaged Ceiling.)

3. Repair roof flashing leaks.
Many serious roof leaks are due to broken or improperly installed roof flashing. For information on fixing flashing, see Roof Flashing.

4. Repair siding leaks.
If you’ve discovered any areas where your home’s siding doesn’t hold out rain and cold, you’ll have to make repairs. For information about siding repairs, see the section on Siding, Columns & Detail.

5. Clean rain gutters & downspouts.
Water damage is often caused by clogged rain gutters and downspouts. Dry weather offers a good opportunity for cleaning them out. For information on cleaning and repairing gutters, see the section on Gutters & Downspouts. For information on new gutters, see Buying & Installing Rain Gutters.

6. Clear up basement or crawlspace flooding.
If your basement or crawlspace became flooded, it is important to dry it out to prevent dry rot and to stop moist air from being drawn up into the living space, where humidity can encourage condensation and mold. (For more information, see Basement & Crawlspace Moisture Control Maintenance. If a sump pump is needed to keep your basement dry in the future, check out the Sump Pumps Buying Guide.)

7. Repair storm doors.
Buffeting winds can take a toll on storm doors. Often, the door closer becomes bent, breaks, or pulls away from the doorjamb. For information on fixing a storm door, see the section on Screens & Storms.

9. Repair rotted woodwork.
Where wood sills or sashes have rotted because of too much moisture, you can use epoxy wood filler to repair the area. Use a chisel to dislodge most of the loose, rotted wood. Drill a few 1/4-inch holes into the damaged wood. Soak the entire rotted area with liquid epoxy “consolidant” to transform the area into a sturdy base for the filler. Let the wood absorb it for about five minutes, then reapply, wait, reapply, and continue in this manner until the wood ceases to accept consolidant. Knead a batch of epoxy filler, according to label directions, and mold the repair. As the material cures, dip a putty knife in solvent and use the knife to sculpt and shape the repair. Sand, file, or rasp as needed, and paint the area within three days. If large areas are affected, hire a carpenter or cabinetmaker. (For more about fixing windows, see the section on Windows & Skylights.)

10. Service your furnace and/or air conditioner.
With forced-air systems, air returning to the air handler’s blower first passes through an air filter designed to catch dust and debris and help clean the air before it’s recycled back into your home. A good furnace filter can help reduce allergens. When filters become clogged with dust, efficiency is reduced. Change filters quarterly or sooner if they look dirty. For other repairs or maintenance, call a professional heating-and-air (HVAC) contractor or furnace repair technician.