How to prepare your home for a hurricane step by step (with emergency supply checklist)

Hurricanes are a major threat to people who live in Gulf Coast states and along the Eastern Coast. It’s important to know how to prepare for a hurricane before the storm hits. Preparation means taking steps across four key areas: structural protection, emergency supplies, documentation, and last-minute decisions as the storm approaches.

Timing matters when preparing for a hurricane. Hurricane season home prep should start before June 1 each year, and you should always review your homeowners insurance policy ahead of hurricane season to ensure you’re properly covered. You’ll also want key non-perishable supplies before a storm is announced. Other steps — like shutting off utilities — don’t happen until the hurricane is days away.

Secure the exterior of your home

When it becomes clear that your home is in the path of a hurricane, you need to immediately secure your home’s exterior. This is important even if you’re relatively far inland, as hurricanes bring heavy wind and rains long after they leave the ocean.

1. Protect windows and doors

First and foremost, close and latch all hurricane shutters, if your home has them. If you don’t have hurricane shutters, you should install pre-cut plywood in each window to prevent glass from breaking upon contact with projectiles. The plywood should be at least ¾ of an inch thick for proper protection.

Purchase urethane-based caulk to seal all gaps around window and door frames. You’ll also need to use specialized caulk or sealant to cover all exterior holes and pipe penetrations. For your dryer vent, install a double-door vent and seal the flap the day before the storm.

Seal all exterior electrical outlets or install weatherproof in-use covers. Turn off the power to these outlets before the storm hits.

2. Reinforce the garage door

Garage doors (on attached garages) are the largest opening into your home, making them particularly vulnerable during hurricanes. If the garage door fails under wind pressure, the sudden change in air pressure inside your home can lift the roof and compromise the entire structure.

If you can afford to, replace your garage door with a hurricane-proof door. These are designed to withstand hurricane-force winds. However, you can retrofit your existing garage door with a bracing system (either a ready-to-install kit or a custom solution, if you’re handy).

3. Clear the yard

Before the storm arrives, bring in anything that isn’t bolted down: grills, patio furniture, planters, bikes, trash cans, you name it. Store these inside a shed, garage, or your actual home.

Inspect your landscaping, and trim any dead or weak tree branches. Ideally, you should do this regularly so that you can ensure the resulting yard waste is picked up before the storm. In some counties, debris pickup may be halted as soon as a storm is named. If it’s too late to have the debris picked up, store it in your garage.

4. Check gutters, downspouts, and the roof

You should stay on top of gutter and downspout maintenance all year long, but you’ll absolutely want to do one final sweep before the storm hits. Clear out any debris that could cause water backup, and make sure your downspouts properly drain far away from your home’s foundation to prevent water damage.

Before the high winds pick up, inspect your roof to identify and remove loose shingles. Hurricane ties (also called straps or clips) are a good investment if you live in a hurricane-prone area; these better reinforce your roof. Or, when it’s time to replace your roof, consider impact-resistant shingles or even a FORTIFIED roof system, which may qualify you for homeowners insurance discounts where you live.

Build your emergency supply kit

Before hurricane season begins, create an emergency supply kit. You can always take from it and add to it as needed, but having one ready to go is your best bet to safely ride out a tropical storm or hurricane.

Here’s what to include:

• Water: First and foremost, you need water. Each person in your home needs roughly 1 gallon a day, per Ready.gov. Ideally, store enough water to last your whole family up to two weeks. For instance, a family of four needs 56 gallons of water. It’s always better to have too much than not enough.

• Food: Similarly, stock up on non-perishable foods, specifically those that don’t rely on a microwave, stove, or oven to be prepared and don’t need to be kept refrigerated. Consider granola and protein bars, canned fruit, nuts and dried fruit, peanut butter, cereal, pretzels, crackers, jerky, and canned meats.

• Medications and first aid: Always have at least a two-week supply of prescriptions and any over-the-counter medications you or your family rely on. You should also have a basic first-aid kit readily available.

• Power and lighting: You’ll need multiple flashlights and/or headlamps (and extra batteries). If you want power for small kitchen appliances or to charge devices (like laptops and phones), you can invest in a generator, but never run your generator indoors due to the carbon monoxide risk. Fully charged portable power banks are another great solution to keep smartphones charged.

• Hygiene and sanitation: Your hurricane emergency kit should also include hygiene essentials, including hand sanitizer and moist towelettes, paper towels and tissues, and garbage bags.

• Documents: Make sure all of your important documents — passports, birth certificates, medical records, insurance policies, deeds, etc. — are stored in a safe that is both fire- and waterproof. Keep this safe with you during the storm. Before hurricane season starts, digitize all your important documents and store them safely in the cloud.

Review your insurance before the storm

Standard homeowners insurance typically covers wind damage from hurricanes but not water damage from storm surge (flooding caused when hurricane winds push ocean water inland). To be covered for that kind of flood damage, you'll need flood insurance.

Notably, in high-risk coastal areas, home insurance may also exclude wind damage. If that’s the case, you’ll need to secure separate windstorm coverage from a specialty insurer or state-backed program.

Before each hurricane season, review your policy or talk to your insurance agent to make sure:

1. You have the right types of home insurance coverage.

2. You have high enough coverage limits to fully rebuild or replace what you own.

3. You can afford the deductible(s) specified in your policy.

All of this information should be listed in your homeowners policy's declarations page — a one- or two-page summary at the front of your policy documents that spells out your coverage types, coverage limits, and deductibles at a glance. If you're not sure where to find it, check your email, log into your insurer's online portal, or call your agent.

Don't wait until a storm is in the forecast to buy or update coverage. The National Flood Insurance Program typically has a 30-day waiting period after you purchase a policy before coverage kicks in, and many private insurers have waiting periods of around two weeks. Once a storm is named, insurers may also impose a moratorium — a temporary freeze — on new policies and coverage changes.

One more thing to do before hurricane season: document everything in your home. Walk through each room and take photos or videos of your belongings — furniture, appliances, electronics, clothing, jewelry, tools, and anything else of value. Don't forget items stored in a shed, garage, or basement. If your home is damaged in a storm, this record will make it much easier to file a home insurance claim and get reimbursed for what you lost.

Final steps when a storm is approaching

A good portion of our hurricane preparedness checklist involves tasks that should be completed well before hurricane season even starts, but there are some steps you’ll take in the final 24 to 48 hours before the storm hits.

1. Get fuel and cash: Top off all your fuel tanks and store additional fuel in a gas can, to be safe. If you think you’ll need cash in the days following the storm, head to the ATM as well. Gas stations and ATMs may be inoperable for days following the storm.

2. Preserve food: Turn your refrigerator and freezer to the coldest settings. This will extend food preservation if the power goes out. (If the power does go out, open the doors sparingly and strategically to keep food cold longer.)

3. Move furniture: Move all furniture away from the windows and toward the interior walls. You should also close all interior doors, which can minimize pressure damage.

4. Shut off utilities: If you plan to evacuate, you should shut off gas, electricity, and water before leaving. Make sure you know where the shut-off valves are before hurricane season begins.

5. Monitor for updates: Visit Ready.gov, listen to NOAA Weather Radio, or stay tuned with local news stations for updates about the storm and evacuation orders.

6. Know your route: In the event that you’ll need to evacuate, map out multiple routes to get out. Your local emergency management office should have zone maps that you can reference online.

Frequently asked questions

What are 10 things you need to prepare for a hurricane?

Here are 10 crucial steps you can take to prepare for a hurricane:

1. Make sure you have proper homeowners insurance, including a separate flood insurance policy and windstorm policy if wind coverage is excluded from your home coverage, before hurricane season starts.

2. Install hurricane shutters, have a professional fortify your roof ahead of hurricane season, and brace your garage door.

3. Pack an emergency kit, including ample water, non-perishable food, flashlights and batteries, and medical supplies.

4. Clear your yard of all debris.

5. Charge all your devices, including portable power banks.

6. Close and latch hurricane shutters or install thick plywood in all window openings. Seal exterior outlets and pipe penetrations.

7. Clear your gutters and ensure your downspouts direct water far from your home’s foundation.

8. Top off your fuel tanks.

9. Move furniture away from windows, and shelter in an interior room without windows on the lowest floor.

10. Shut off all utilities if evacuating, and make sure you have multiple routes planned.

Where is the safest place to be in your house during a hurricane?

The safest place in your house during a hurricane depends on the type of threat you're facing. For high winds, shelter in a small, interior room on the lowest level of your home — a closet or hallway works well. You want as many walls between you and the outside as possible, and stay away from windows. If storm surge or inland flooding is a risk in your area, move to a higher floor instead, since the lowest level could flood. Whatever you do, avoid the attic. If water rises, you could become trapped with no way out, and a weakened roof might collapse there.

Should I fill my bathtub with water before a hurricane?

Yes, you should fill your bathtub with water before a hurricane, but not for drinking. Drinking water from your tub, even if you’ve just cleaned it, would not be sanitary. Instead, use this water to fill your toilet tank to flush the toilet in the event that your water gets shut off. If you do need safe drinking water and don’t have bottled water on hand, you can install a waterBOB storage bladder in your tub to hold water and keep it safe to drink.

Does homeowners insurance cover hurricane damage?

Homeowners insurance usually covers wind damage from a hurricane, but not flood damage. Flooding is one of the most common home insurance exclusions. To cover water damage from storm surge, you’ll need flood insurance. Note that, in some states, standard home insurance policies have a separate (higher) deductible for wind and hail or hurricanes. And in high-risk coastal areas, home insurance may exclude wind damage altogether. If that’s the case, you’ll need to secure separate windstorm coverage from a specialty insurer or state-run program.