How to get your home ready for a storm
Get a home ready for a big storm in the day before it arrives: bring in or tie down anything the wind can throw, clear gutters and drains, charge phones and power banks, fill a few jugs of water, and put flashlights, a radio and the go-bag where you can find them in the dark. Know where your shutoffs are, and leave early if officials order an evacuation.
About 30 minutes to learnTake care: injury or damage if careless
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How to do it
- Sign up for local emergency alerts and follow the forecast from official sources.
- Bring in or tie down patio furniture, grills, bins, toys and anything else the wind can move.
- Clear gutters, downspouts and the storm drain nearest the house.
- Charge phones, power banks and rechargeable flashlights, and find the battery radio.
- Fill jugs with drinking water and fill the car's fuel tank.
- Move the car away from large trees, and move valuables off the floor in basements.
- Know where the main water shutoff and breaker panel are, and keep the go-bag by the door.
- Leave early if officials order an evacuation, taking the go-bag and your documents.
Stop and call a professional if
- A tree or a power line is down on the house, the car or the street: stay well away and call the utility's emergency line or 911.
- You smell gas after a storm: leave the house first and call from outside.
- Officials order an evacuation: go, rather than staying to protect the house.
Common mistakes
- Waiting until the wind picks up to secure the yard.
- Running a generator in a garage, porch or near a window.
- Driving through floodwater of unknown depth.
Quick self-check
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Teach this to someone
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Teach: How to get your home ready for a storm
What to say
Get a home ready for a big storm in the day before it arrives: bring in or tie down anything the wind can throw, clear gutters and drains, charge phones and power banks, fill a few jugs of water, and put flashlights, a radio and the go-bag where you can find them in the dark. Know where your shutoffs are, and leave early if officials order an evacuation.
What to show, in order
- Sign up for local emergency alerts and follow the forecast from official sources.
- Bring in or tie down patio furniture, grills, bins, toys and anything else the wind can move.
- Clear gutters, downspouts and the storm drain nearest the house.
- Charge phones, power banks and rechargeable flashlights, and find the battery radio.
- Fill jugs with drinking water and fill the car's fuel tank.
- Move the car away from large trees, and move valuables off the floor in basements.
- Know where the main water shutoff and breaker panel are, and keep the go-bag by the door.
- Leave early if officials order an evacuation, taking the go-bag and your documents.
When to stop and call a professional
- A tree or a power line is down on the house, the car or the street: stay well away and call the utility's emergency line or 911.
- You smell gas after a storm: leave the house first and call from outside.
- Officials order an evacuation: go, rather than staying to protect the house.
The check question
Ask: Where may a portable generator run?
Related skills
- How to pack a go-bag
- How to clean gutters safely
- Where is my main water shutoff
- Every skill in Yard, Garage and Seasons
Words on this page
Sources
- National emergency management guidance on storm preparation, 2026. Checked September 28, 2026.
Last reviewed . First published .