Q: Our home in Toro Canyon is cut into the slope of the hill and there is a cement wall against the hill that our wall is built on top of. During last month’s rains we had quite a bit of water flowing into our living room area under the baseboards that are against this wall.

The damage to the wall itself is not very much, but there is going to be considerable damage to the flooring.

Why would this happen now for the first time, and what can we do to keep it from happening again?

Your Handyman: The good news is that we have finally had our first really wet winter since 2011, but the bad news is that many Santa Barbara homeowners discovered they have all types of foundation leaks, retaining wall leaks, window leaks and roofing leaks.

Correctly waterproofing a foundation wall of a house that also serves as a retaining wall ideally is done while the house is being constructed and, if done correctly, will channel moisture away from the wall for the life of the house.

A trench is dug at the outside base of the wall with a perforated drainpipe commonly referred to as a French drain. This perforated pipe is wrapped in a porous sleeve or sock that allows water to enter the pipe while keeping silt and dirt out.

The pipe is set below the level of the foundation of the house and has a minimum slope of a ¼-inch per lineal foot going away from the house, the trench is filled with gravel and the pipe eventually finds daylight to drain at a location down the slope.

If the pipe doesn’t have adequate slope, it will be much less effective and may also fill with silt that is not washed away by the drainage.

The outside surface of the wall needs to be water sealed and has a covering adhered to it that is commonly called drainage matting or dimple board. This matting gives moisture that pressures up to the wall a quick downward path to the French drain.

The first thing for you to do would be to examine the sloped area behind the house where the leak is occurring to see if there are any surface drains or swales that are clogged with leaves and debris that need to be cleared.

If this is the case, then clearing the drains can only improve the situation by helping to move surface water away from the house.

The next step would be to try to identify where the French drain — that was (should have been) installed at the base of the retaining wall — ultimately reaches daylight somewhere below the house, and then clear that pipe opening so it can drain freely.

Finding this drain opening may be difficult if it has become covered with plants or dirt. If it is clogged, then opening it up may allow the French drain to work correctly and solve your problem.

If it turns out that there was not a proper drainage system installed when your home was built, then, unfortunately, you may have to have a few horizontal feet of soil excavated away from the wall and then have it correctly sealed and drained. You will need the services of a local contractor who specializes in this type of work.

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Q: We have a very expensive front door at our home in Goleta and, much to our surprise, quite a bit of water came in under the door during the recent heavy rains.

Is the door defective and should we get it replaced before the next storm arrives?

Your Handyman: Sorry to hear that your new door leaked but, if it is a quality door that was installed correctly, it doesn’t need to be replaced.

On the Central Coast, due to the rotation of the earth as it affects storm systems, the brunt of our bad weather comes from the southwest.

If you have an exterior door or window that faces to the southwest and is not protected from the weather by eaves or an entry area, then the door or window is going to get direct rain falling onto it, which is more than the typical door or window is designed to withstand.

The solution is to have an awning or a minor roof structure built to protect your nice door from the ravages of the next big storm. Replacing the door will not be cheap and probably will not solve the problem.

Home Maintenance Tip

If your home has a forced air furnace for heat, it is a good idea to change the filter at least once during the winter, and twice couldn’t hurt.

Your filter is either going to be found in the return air register inside the house where air is drawn in for the furnace, or in a compartment attached to the furnace unit itself.

The old filter will have its size clearly printed on the edge and can in most cases be purchased at the local hardware store. If your filter is more of a box style that is 2 inches or more thick, then you can go to the local HVAC store, Johnstone Supply at 740 Cacique St. in Santa Barbara, which should have it in stock.