Seasonal, June to November
Two lists for two moments. One for a calm weekend in June, when the stores are full and the roofers are free. One for the day a storm gets a name and a track toward the bay.
The house, the roof, the paperwork, the photos, flood insurance and its waiting period, the generator and the refrigerator, and what to do first when it is over.
Storm already passed?
If the roof is open or water is in the house, call {{PHONE}}. A person answers at any hour.
Most of the damage we see after a hurricane on this coast was decided before the storm arrived: a gutter full of pine straw, a policy nobody had read, a freezer that could have been full of ice, a flood policy bought too late to count. None of those take money or skill to fix in June. All of them are hard to fix the day before landfall.
This page is written for homeowners in Mobile and Baldwin counties, from Saraland to Orange Beach. It is two checklists and a short plan for the days after, built from what the Weather Service, FEMA and the CDC actually say.
The storms that shaped this coast came in late summer and fall. The time to prepare is before them.
Frederic, Georges, Ivan and Sally all hit our area in September, and Katrina at the very end of August. Sally, which the Weather Service says was moving "at less than 5 mph" at landfall, left Orange Beach with almost 30 inches of rain. A house that went into that storm with clear gutters, a sound roof and current photos came out of it in better shape and with a cleaner claim.
A dry Saturday early in the season. Most of this is free.
Homeowners insurance does not cover flood, and storm surge is flood. A flood policy bought when a storm is in the Gulf usually will not help with that storm.
FEMA’s own wording: "Typically, there’s a 30-day waiting period from date of purchase before your policy goes into effect." FEMA links to a page of exceptions, and your agent can tell you whether one applies, but the rule of thumb is simple. If you want flood coverage for September, buy it by August at the latest, and June is better.
Surge can reach farther than expected
Around Mobile Bay, the Weather Service has recorded surge of 12 to 14 ft at Bayou La Batre in Katrina and 7 to 9 ft in the back bays of southeast Baldwin County in Sally. Our guide to flood zones and flood insurance shows how to look up your address and what the zones mean.
Once a storm has a name and a track toward the northern Gulf, the work changes from planning to closing up.
Local forecasts, surge warnings and evacuation information come from the NWS office and county emergency management. Follow their instructions on evacuation first, and leave early if your zone is called.
Do the walk through again, even if you did it in June. New photos with today’s date close any argument about what was damaged before the storm.
Bring in furniture, grills and anything the wind can throw. Cover windows if you have shutters or cut plywood.
Fill empty freezer space with containers of water so they freeze into ice. A full freezer holds its temperature much longer than a half empty one.
Phones, power banks and flashlights. Gas stations lose power too.
On the ground floor, lift electronics, papers and photographs off the floor and away from exterior walls.
Find the main water valve and the electrical panel, and keep a flashlight beside each.
After Sally, the Weather Service reports, almost all of Baldwin County lost power. The days without it carry their own dangers.
The CDC’s guidance is direct: "Never use a generator inside your home or garage, even if doors and windows are open," and run it outdoors "more than 20 feet from windows, doors, and vents." Carbon monoxide has no smell. The CDC lists headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain and confusion as the common symptoms.
The CDC says to use a battery powered or battery backup CO detector in the home whenever a generator is running. Put one near every sleeping area.
Ready.gov says the refrigerator keeps food cold for about four hours, and a full freezer holds its temperature for about 48 hours, if they stay closed. Throw out perishable food that has been at 40 degrees or higher for two hours or more.
The first day after a storm decides how large the repair becomes.
Stay out until officials say it is safe, and treat every downed line as live. Then walk the house in this order: the roof and ceilings first, then walls and floors, then the attic if you can reach it safely. Photograph everything before you move it. Cover openings, keep receipts for tarps and supplies, and report the claim. Our guides on roof damage after a storm and the first hour after water damage take each of those steps one at a time. When water has come in, our storm damage team documents every room for the adjuster from the first visit.
Find out your flood zone and whether you need flood insurance, because of the 30 day wait. Everything else on the June list can be done in a weekend. That one cannot be done in a hurry.
Yes. Photos and video of a house in good condition, with a date on them, are the clearest way to show an adjuster what changed. They also help you remember what was in each room.
No. The CDC says never inside the home or garage, even with doors and windows open, and more than 20 feet from windows, doors and vents.
A person answers 24 hours a day, every day of the year. When the wind is gone and it is safe to look, tell us what you see.