Hurricane Roof Prep Checklist

• Schedule a roof inspection early in the year, before storm activity picks up, so existing weak points get addressed while there's time to plan the work.
• Trim tree limbs overhanging the roof — falling branches are one of the most common sources of roof damage during a wind event.
• Clear and inspect gutters and downspouts so heavy rain has somewhere to actually go.
• Photograph the roof and exterior of the home now, while everything is in normal condition, as a baseline for later comparison.
• Pull out your insurance policy and check your deductible, including whether you have a separate wind or hail deductible.

• Recheck gutters and downspouts one more time for debris that's built up since your last check.
• Secure or bring indoors anything on a patio, balcony or yard that could become airborne debris in high wind.
• Look at the roofline from the ground for anything already loose — a lifted shingle, a loose gutter section — and note it, even if there isn't time for a repair before the storm.
• Charge phones, cameras and any backup power sources so you can document conditions immediately once it's safe to do so.

At this point, personal safety and evacuation guidance take priority over anything roof-related. Follow official guidance for your specific area. If time allows, a final walk of the property to confirm loose items are secured is worthwhile, but don't delay safety preparations to chase roof details at the last minute.

• Check for safety hazards first — downed power lines, standing water, structural concerns — before thinking about roof condition.
• Photograph visible damage from the ground. Avoid climbing onto a wet or debris-covered roof yourself.
• Schedule a professional inspection promptly, even if the roof looks fine from the street.
• Be cautious of unfamiliar crews going door to door in the days after a storm; a contractor with a genuine local address is easier to hold accountable later.

Homes nearer the bay and coastline generally see higher wind exposure during hurricane season, and some designated Texas coastal counties fall under separate windstorm insurance rules through the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association rather than a standard homeowner's policy. If that applies to your property, it's worth confirming coverage details with your insurer well before a storm is in the forecast, not while one is approaching.

Print or save this list somewhere you'll actually find it in June, not buried in an email from months earlier. The value of a hurricane prep checklist isn't the list itself, it's using it early enough in the season that the inspection, gutter cleaning and tree trimming are already done by the time a storm actually enters the forecast, rather than being crossed off in a rush with 48 hours' notice.

A season without a direct hit doesn't mean the prep work was unnecessary, and it's easy to let the checklist slide the following year as a result. Houston has gone through both quiet stretches and years with multiple significant storms, and the roof doesn't know the difference between a season that turned out mild and one that didn't — the same basic prep applies every year regardless of how the previous one went. Treat it as an annual habit tied to the calendar rather than a reaction to whatever happened last year.