Houston & the Gulf Coast · Hurricane Season

Storm Ready: A Houston Homeowner's Hurricane Guide

Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30. We live here, we sell homes here, and we've weathered the storms here. This is the prep guide we wish every Houston homeowner had — written the way Keri and Joseph actually talk about it.

Joseph: Every June it's the same thing — the season opens, the Gulf gets warm, and half of Houston waits until there's a cone on the news to think about it.

Keri: And by then the plywood's gone and the water aisle at H-E-B is a desert. So we built this. Not a fear piece — a checklist. Before, during, after. Plus the part nobody else covers: what a storm means for your house as an asset — your insurance, your equity, your listing if you're mid-sale.

Joseph: That last part is our whole job. So let's get you ready.

This page is your hub. Work the three phases below, then dive into the full Storm Ready series for the deep dives. Every factual prep claim here is sourced to ready.gov (FEMA/DHS), the National Hurricane Center (NOAA), and Texas state guidance (Texas Division of Emergency Management / TexasReady). Links at the bottom.

Phase 1 — Before the Storm

Almost everything that matters happens here, on a calm day, with no cone on the map.

PLAN

Know your zone and your plan

Find out whether you're in a hurricane evacuation zone (a different thing from a FEMA flood zone) and what your evacuation route would be. Texas runs a zip-zone evacuation system along the coast; Harris County uses a zone and reentry framework. Decide now: do you shelter in place or leave? (Texas Division of Emergency Management; ready.gov “Make a Plan”)

Emergency supply kit (build it in May, not when the cone appears)

One gallon of water per person per day, for at least 3 days (ready.gov)
At least a 3-day supply of non-perishable food + a manual can opener
Battery or hand-crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio is ideal) and flashlights
Extra batteries, power banks, and a car phone charger
First-aid kit, a 7-day supply of medications, and copies of prescriptions
Cash in small bills — ATMs and card readers fail when power does
Important documents in a waterproof, portable folder (see the home-documentation guide below)
Supplies for pets, infants, and anyone with special medical needs

HARDEN

Harden the home

Clear gutters and storm drains, trim dead branches, and bring in or secure anything that can become a projectile — patio furniture, grills, trash cans. Know how to cover windows (storm shutters or pre-cut, labeled plywood). Know where your water, gas, and electrical shutoffs are before you need them in the dark. (ready.gov “Hurricanes”; National Hurricane Center preparedness guidance)

PROTECT

Protect the asset — the part most guides skip

Photograph and video every room and the exterior while everything is intact. Confirm what your homeowner's policy covers — and remember that standard policies do not cover flood. Flood insurance (NFIP or private) typically has a 30-day waiting period, so you cannot buy it once a storm is named. If you're mid-listing or under contract, call your agent now. (FEMA / NFIP via floodsmart.gov; ready.gov)

Phase 2 — During the Storm

Keri: Once it's here, the to-do list is short and it's all about staying alive, not saving stuff.

Joseph: Stuff is replaceable. You are not.

When the storm arrives

If told to evacuate, evacuate — immediately, on your planned route. Don't wait it out to “watch the house.” (ready.gov; National Hurricane Center)
If sheltering in place, move to a small interior room on the lowest safe floor, away from windows and exterior doors.
Turn Around, Don't Drown — never drive or walk through floodwater. Most hurricane deaths are water, not wind. (National Weather Service / NOAA)
Stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio or local officials. Beware the calm of the eye — the back side of the wind is coming.
Stay away from windows even with shutters up; keep your kit and phone within reach.

Phase 3 — After the Storm

Joseph: The day after is when people get hurt and where mistakes cost real money on insurance claims.

Keri: Slow down. Document first, touch second.

SAFETY

Stay safe first

Assume downed power lines are live. Don't wade into floodwater — it hides contamination, sharp debris, and wildlife. Use flashlights, not candles. Never run a generator indoors or in a garage — carbon monoxide is invisible and kills. (ready.gov “Returning Home”; CDC generator safety)

DOCUMENT

Document the damage — before you clean up

Photograph and video everything before you move or remove a thing. Make a written inventory with rough values. This is the difference between a smooth claim and a fight. Contact your insurer promptly; you can hire a public adjuster, but you're not required to. (Texas Department of Insurance claims guidance)

First 72 hours after

Check on family and neighbors; report gas leaks and downed lines to utilities, not yourself
Photograph/video all damage, interior and exterior, before cleanup
Make temporary repairs to prevent further damage (tarp the roof, board broken windows) — and keep those receipts
Call your insurance company to open a claim early
Throw out food exposed to floodwater or that was unrefrigerated too long
Watch for post-storm repair scams — verify licenses, never pay in full up front

Storm season meets selling season?

If you're mid-listing, under contract, or weighing a sale during hurricane season, we'll walk you through documentation, disclosure, insurance, and timing — the same playbook we use on our own properties.

Talk to The Property Joes Group

The Storm Ready Series

Five deep dives, written as a back-and-forth between Keri and Joseph. The first two are live now.

Part 1 · Live

Document Your Home Before the Storm (And Why Your Equity Depends On It)

Room-by-room photo/video method, the documents that protect your largest asset, and how proof-of-condition makes or breaks an insurance claim.

Part 2 · Live

The Houston Prep Kit & Evacuation Plan That Actually Works

What goes in the kit, evacuation zones vs. flood zones, your route and reentry plan, and the homeowner steps people always forget.

Part 3 · Coming soon

Flood Insurance vs. Homeowner's: What Houston Owners Get Wrong

Why your policy probably won't cover the water, the 30-day NFIP waiting period, and how to read your coverage before you need it.

Part 4 · Coming soon

A Storm Hits While You're Mid-Listing or Under Contract — Now What?

Disclosure obligations, option periods, re-inspections, financing/appraisal ripple effects, and protecting the deal.

Part 5 · Coming soon

After the Water Recedes: Repair, Restore, and Resell Smart

Permits and remediation done right, documenting repairs for future buyers, and how storm history affects value and disclosure.

Sources for the prep guidance on this page

ready.gov — FEMA / U.S. Department of Homeland Security: Hurricanes, Make a Plan, Build a Kit, Returning Home (ready.gov/hurricanes)
National Hurricane Center (NOAA) — hurricane preparedness and “Turn Around, Don't Drown” water-safety guidance (nhc.noaa.gov/prepare)
Texas Division of Emergency Management / TexasReady — coastal evacuation zones and state preparedness (tdem.texas.gov); flood insurance via floodsmart.gov (NFIP) and the Texas Department of Insurance.

Joseph Ray Diosana
The Property Joes Group — Keller Williams Memorial
1220 Augusta Dr Ste 300, Houston, TX 77057
HAR: JDIOSANA | [email protected]