Hurricane and flood prep: what to do before, during and after

Before the season

Hurricane season runs June through November. The preparation that matters is done in spring, when contractors have time and nothing is urgent.

• Roof. Have a roofer inspect for lifted shingles, cracked boots around vent pipes and loose flashing. Fix small things now. A roof with a known weak spot is where the water comes in.
• Trees. Have a tree service look at anything large near the house. Dead limbs, trees leaning toward the roof, and trees with root damage from past flooding come down in wind. Trimming is cheap. A tree through the roof is not.
• Gutters and drainage. Clear the gutters, confirm the downspouts carry water away from the foundation, and clear the storm drains at the curb.
• Generator. If you own one, test it. If you plan to use it to power the house, a licensed electrician installs a transfer switch or interlock. Never backfeed through a dryer outlet. It can kill a line worker and it is illegal.
• Shutoffs. Know where the main water shutoff, the gas shutoff and the main breaker are.
• Supplies. Water, food, medications, batteries, cash, and a full tank of gas before the stations run dry.

Document the house

Walk through every room with your phone and take video. Open closets and cabinets. Photograph the exterior from all sides, the roof from the ground, the AC unit, the water heater and the electrical panel. Photograph serial numbers on appliances. Store the files somewhere other than the house. This is the evidence that settles your claim. Without it, you are describing what you had from memory to an adjuster who has seen a thousand houses that week.

Insurance basics

Three kinds of coverage matter in Houston, and they are separate:

Coverage	What it covers	Where it comes from
Homeowner policy	Wind, hail, fallen trees, water that comes in through storm damage	Your regular insurer
Windstorm (TWIA)	Wind and hail in designated coastal counties, including parts of Harris County east of Highway 146, where regular insurers exclude it	Texas Windstorm Insurance Association
Flood (NFIP or private)	Rising water from rain, bayous, surge and overflowing drainage	National Flood Insurance Program through your agent, or a private flood insurer

A standard homeowner policy does not cover rising water. Flood policies usually have a 30-day waiting period, so they must be bought before the storm is in the Gulf. Hurricane claims often carry a separate percentage deductible, which can be much larger than your normal deductible. Read the declarations page now and ask your agent what applies.

During the storm

• Stay off the roads. Most Houston storm deaths are in vehicles in water.
• Keep the generator outside and away from windows.
• Do not go into floodwater. It carries sewage, chemicals, debris and, where lines are down, electricity.
• If water enters the house, turn off the main breaker if you can reach it safely before water reaches outlets.

After the storm: the first 48 hours

1. Safety. Downed lines, gas smell, structural damage. Call the utility. Do not enter a house with a gas smell.
2. Power. If the house flooded, have an electrician check the panel and outlets before you restore power. Water in the walls and energized wiring is a fire risk.
3. Water. Get the standing water out, pull wet carpet and pad, and get air moving. Mold starts within 24 to 48 hours. A water mitigation company with drying equipment is worth the cost. Photograph everything first.
4. Claim. Call your insurer and open the claim. Write down the claim number and the adjuster’s name. Keep receipts for everything, including the hotel.
5. Temporary repairs. Tarp the roof and board the windows to prevent further damage. Your policy expects this and usually reimburses it.

Who to call, in order

1. Utility and the City of Houston for lines, gas and street flooding.
2. Insurer.
3. Water mitigation or restoration.
4. Electrician, if there was water in the house.
5. Roofer, for permanent repair.
6. Plumber, if the sewer backed up or the water heater sat in water.
7. HVAC, if the outdoor unit or ductwork flooded.
8. Mold assessor, if there was water in the walls for more than two days. In Texas the assessor and the remediator must be different companies, and work over 25 contiguous square feet requires state licensing.
9. General contractor, for the rebuild.

The contractor problem

Within a week, Houston fills with out-of-town crews, door-knockers and companies that did not exist last month. The scams are specific: offers to waive the deductible, which is a crime in Texas; assignment-of-benefits forms that hand your claim to the contractor; and large deposits for materials that never arrive. Verify the license with the state, get the scope and price in writing, pay as work is done, and ask where the company was a year ago. The full list is in our guide on contractor scams after a storm.