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Hurricane season opens June 1 and runs through November 30 — six months where one named storm can turn a $200 roof issue into a $25,000 insurance claim. The difference between Crescent City homes that ride out hurricane season cleanly and those that get hammered isn’t luck. It’s the work done in May.
This guide walks through the seven-step hurricane water damage prep checklist every New Orleans homeowner should run before June 1, plus what to do if you’re reading this in the middle of an active storm watch.
Key Takeaways
- ›May is prep month — by June 1, your roof, drains, sump pump, and insurance documentation should be ready.
- Sub-grade flooding (slab seepage, slow rises) causes more total NOLA loss than roof breaches do — drains and sump pumps matter more than people assume.
- Photo + video documentation of the home before storm season is what makes insurance claims move fast when you need them.
The 7-Step New Orleans Hurricane Prep Checklist
1. Inspect and Reinforce the Roof
A roof that loses three shingles in a thunderstorm loses thirty in a Category 2 hurricane. Walk your roof (or hire a roofer for a $150-$250 inspection) in May. Look for: lifted shingles, exposed nails, flashing separating from chimneys, damaged ridge cap, sagging gutters. Repairs in May cost a fraction of mid-storm tarp emergencies.
2. Clean Gutters and Test Downspout Flow
Clogged gutters during a tropical downpour overflow against fascia and siding, driving water into wall cavities. Run a hose through your gutters in May — water should exit downspouts in a continuous stream, not trickle. Extend downspouts a minimum of 6 feet from the foundation; longer is better in flood-prone NOLA neighborhoods (Gentilly, Lakeview, parts of Mid-City).
3. Test the Sump Pump
If you have a basement or below-grade space, the sump pump is your single most important hurricane defense. Pour a five-gallon bucket of water into the sump pit — pump should activate within 5-10 seconds and clear the water in under 30 seconds. If it doesn’t, replace before June 1 (typical sump pump runs $300-$600 installed; emergency replacement during a storm runs 3-5x). Consider a battery backup pump for power outages.
4. Clear Yard Drains and Storm Drains Near Your Property
NOLA’s pump system can only do so much when neighborhood drains are clogged with leaves, trash, or sediment. Walk the storm drains adjacent to your property — call 311 to report blockages so the city can clear them. Clear French drains, area drains around patios, and any catch basins on your own property.
5. Document Everything With Photos and Video
Walk through your home with your phone camera. Video every room from multiple angles. Open closets, cabinets, garages. Capture serial numbers of major appliances and electronics. Document landscaping, fencing, outdoor structures. This pre-storm documentation is what wins insurance claims when you need to prove what existed and its condition before the loss. Store the video in cloud storage (Google Drive, iCloud) so it survives the storm itself.
6. Review and Update Your Insurance Coverage
Most NOLA homeowners need three separate policies for full hurricane coverage: standard homeowners (wind, accidental water from internal sources), flood insurance (rising water from outside — required if you’re in a FEMA flood zone, recommended for most of Orleans Parish regardless), and sometimes named-storm wind coverage as a separate endorsement. Verify all three are current; flood policies have a 30-day waiting period after binding, so May is the deadline if you’re starting fresh.
7. Identify Your First-Call Restoration Company NOW
After a major storm, the best restoration companies are booked for weeks. Build your relationship in May — get a quote-on-file from a local IICRC-certified crew. Save their number in your phone with a star. When you call them at 4 a.m. during landfall, they’ll already have your address, contact info, and a sense of your home in their system.
If You’re Reading This During an Active Storm Watch
Some prep steps still help even when a named storm is 72 hours out. Skip the slow projects and focus on: pull patio furniture and outdoor items inside, fill bathtubs with water (for non-potable use if water service goes down), test sump pump if you have one, photo-document your home now, and pre-call a restoration company to be on their priority list for post-storm response.
New Orleans Neighborhoods Most at Risk
NOLA flooding history shows certain areas need extra attention. Lakeview and Gentilly sit below sea level — sump pumps and elevation matter most here. Mid-City and the 9th Ward see street flooding from rain events even without a named storm; drainage maintenance is critical year-round. Uptown sits higher but old slate roofs and live oak limbs make wind damage the bigger threat. Bywater and Marigny are well-elevated but proximity to the river means storm surge is a low-probability, high-consequence risk. Match your prep priorities to your neighborhood’s actual hazards.
When does hurricane season start and end in New Orleans?
Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30. Peak activity for Louisiana landfalls historically falls in August and September, but tropical storms have hit NOLA as early as June and as late as November. Plan all prep to be complete by Memorial Day weekend.
Does homeowners insurance cover hurricane water damage?
Wind-driven rain entering through wind-damaged openings (roof breaches, broken windows) is typically covered under standard homeowners or named-storm wind coverage. Rising water from outside (storm surge, river flooding) requires separate flood insurance — homeowners policies explicitly exclude this. Many NOLA losses involve both; documentation determines which damage gets attributed to which policy.
Should I evacuate or shelter in place?
Follow Orleans Parish and Louisiana state evacuation orders — they’re issued based on storm intensity, projected track, and surge models. Mandatory evacuation means leave. Voluntary evacuation for Category 3+ storms is strongly recommended even when not mandatory, especially in below-sea-level neighborhoods. If sheltering in place, have at least 72 hours of water, food, batteries, and medications on hand.
How fast should I call a restoration company after a hurricane?
Within the first 24 hours if your home took any water. Reputable NOLA crews see capacity fill quickly after major storms — waiting a week often means waiting 3-4 weeks for active mitigation. Mold establishes within 24-48 hours in Louisiana humidity, so delays compound into larger remediation scope.
Hurricane Damage Already Happened?
Prep is for the storms that haven’t hit yet. If water already came into your home — whether from roof breach, slab seepage, or storm surge — speed determines how much you’ll spend before the season is over.
Our Water Damage Restoration New Orleans crew responds across Orleans Parish and St. Tammany within 90 minutes during hurricane season, with the equipment and IICRC training NOLA losses require. Direct insurance billing, documentation that holds up to adjuster review, and crew availability during peak storm weeks because we build the calendar around hurricane season.
