Disasters don't send calendar invites. A pipe bursts at 3 a.m. A storm takes your roof on a Saturday. A kitchen fire starts while you're at work. The families who recover fastest are the ones who prepared before disaster struck.
This checklist covers everything you need to do now — before an emergency happens — to protect your family, your home, and your financial recovery.
Know Your Home
Every member of your household should know the location of these critical shutoffs:
- Main water shutoff valve: Usually near the water meter or where the main line enters your home. Practice turning it off so you can do it quickly in an emergency.
- Electrical panel: Know how to turn off individual circuits and the main breaker. Label your breaker panel so you know which breaker controls which area.
- Gas shutoff: Located at the gas meter outside your home. You'll need a wrench to turn it — keep one nearby. Note: once you shut off gas, only the utility company should turn it back on.
- HVAC system: Know how to shut down your furnace and air conditioner.
- Individual fixture shutoffs: Toilets, sinks, washing machine, dishwasher, and water heater all have individual shutoff valves.
Document Your Property
Thorough documentation before a disaster makes the insurance claims process dramatically easier:
- Home inventory video: Walk through every room with your phone, narrating valuable items and opening closets, drawers, and cabinets. Update annually.
- Photographs: Take photos of high-value items including serial numbers and model numbers.
- Receipts and appraisals: Keep copies of purchase receipts for expensive items. Get appraisals for jewelry, art, and collectibles.
- Store documentation off-site: Keep copies in cloud storage, a safe deposit box, or with a trusted family member. Your documentation is useless if it's destroyed in the same disaster as your property.
Review Your Insurance
- Annual policy review: Meet with your agent yearly to ensure your coverage keeps pace with your home's value and your belongings.
- Understand your deductible: Know what you'll pay out of pocket before insurance kicks in.
- Check for gaps: Standard homeowner's policies typically exclude flood damage and earthquake damage. Consider separate policies if you're in a risk area.
- Replacement cost vs. actual cash value: Replacement cost coverage pays what it costs to replace items at today's prices. Actual cash value deducts for depreciation. The difference can be tens of thousands of dollars.
- Know your ALE coverage: Additional Living Expenses coverage pays for temporary housing if your home is uninhabitable. Know your limits and duration.
Build an Emergency Kit
Keep a grab-and-go bag for each family member with:
- Three days of essential medications
- Copies of important documents (IDs, insurance cards, prescriptions)
- Phone charger and portable battery pack
- Cash (ATMs may be down during widespread emergencies)
- Change of clothes and basic toiletries
- Flashlight and batteries
- First aid kit
Create an Emergency Contact List
Keep this list in your phone and as a printed copy in your emergency kit:
- Insurance company: Policy number and claims phone number.
- Restoration company: Having a relationship with a restoration company before you need one saves critical time. Save their 24/7 emergency number.
- Plumber: For water emergencies after shutting off the main valve.
- Electrician: For electrical emergencies.
- Utility companies: Gas, electric, and water emergency numbers.
- Out-of-area contact: A friend or family member outside your immediate area who can be a communication hub if local systems are disrupted.
Seasonal Maintenance
Spring
- Inspect your roof for winter damage
- Clean gutters and downspouts
- Check sump pump operation
- Inspect foundation for cracks
- Service your air conditioning system
Fall
- Clean gutters again after leaves fall
- Inspect and service your furnace
- Disconnect outdoor hoses and winterize exterior faucets
- Check weather stripping on doors and windows
- Trim trees near your home and roof
Have a Family Plan
- Meeting points: Establish two meeting locations — one near your home and one outside your neighborhood.
- Communication plan: How will family members reach each other if cell service is disrupted?
- Evacuation routes: Know multiple routes out of your neighborhood.
- Pet plan: Know which hotels accept pets and keep carriers accessible.
- Special needs: Plan for elderly family members, infants, or anyone with medical equipment needs.
Preparation doesn't prevent disasters — but it dramatically reduces their impact on your family and your recovery timeline. Take an hour this weekend to work through this checklist. Your future self will thank you.
And save our number: (615) 914-0754. Independent Restoration Services is available 24/7, 365 days a year, across 30+ locations nationwide. Contact us anytime.