When is hurricane season?

The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs from June 1 to November 30. NOAA notes that activity peaks between August and October, with September 10 as the statistical peak.

Can I buy flood insurance right before a storm?

Usually it won’t help for that storm: NFIP flood insurance normally has a 30-day waiting period before coverage begins, with a few exceptions such as policies bought in connection with a mortgage. Review coverage at the start of the season.

Is it safe to run a generator in my basement during an outage?

No. Never run a portable generator in a basement, garage or shed. Keep it outdoors, at least 20 feet from windows, doors and vents, to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.

How do I test my sump pump?

Slowly pour a bucket of water into the pit. The float should rise, the pump should turn on, empty the pit and shut off, and water should come out of the discharge line outside.

Hurricane Season Basement Checklist for Homeowners

Why hurricane season matters inland

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, and NOAA notes that activity peaks between August and October, with September 10 as the statistical peak. You don’t have to live on the coast to be affected. By the time tropical systems reach Pennsylvania, New Jersey or Ohio they are often “just” remnants – but remnants that can drop several inches of rain in hours.

Recent history in our service area shows it:

Hurricane Floyd (September 1999) sent the Assunpink Creek in Trenton to a major flood crest of 14.01 feet.
Hurricane Irene (August 2011) pushed the Assunpink to its highest recorded crest, 15.12 feet.
Tropical Storm Isaias (August 2020) caused the worst flooding in years along Darby Creek in Delaware County, Pennsylvania.
The remnants of Ida (September 2021) pushed the Schuylkill in Philadelphia to its second-highest level on record, sent the Raritan River at Manville to a new record and brought about 8 inches of rain to Downingtown in Chester County.

For basements, the danger is twofold: groundwater rising around the foundation after so much rain, and power outages that stop the sump pump exactly when it is needed.

Before the season (May or June)

Clean the gutters and downspouts. Make sure the downspouts discharge well away from the house, toward a spot where water can flow away.
Check the grading. The ground should slope away from the foundation – building codes call for at least 6 inches of fall within the first 10 feet (IRC R401.3). Fill low spots next to the wall.
Clear window wells of leaves and debris, and add covers if they fill with water.
Test the sump pump. Slowly pour a bucket of water into the pit and watch the pump turn on, empty the pit and shut off. Clean debris from the pit and make sure the float moves freely.
Check the discharge line outside. It should be clear, unbroken and end far enough from the house that the water does not flow back.
Add a backup. A battery backup pump or a water-powered backup keeps working when the power fails. Emergency management agencies recommend exactly this, along with a water alarm that warns you when water accumulates.
Consider a backwater valve if water has ever come up through a floor drain. In Philadelphia, the Water Department’s Basement Backup Protection Program installs them for eligible customers.
Review your insurance now, not in September. Standard homeowners policies generally do not cover flood damage, and NFIP flood insurance normally has a 30-day waiting period before it takes effect. Ask your agent about flood coverage and about sewer or drain backup coverage, which is often an add-on.
Move valuables up. Get documents, photos, electronics and anything irreplaceable off the basement floor and onto shelves or upstairs. Plastic bins beat cardboard boxes.
Take an inventory. Photos or a video of your basement and its contents make insurance claims much easier.

When a storm is forecast

Check the gutters again; leaves blocking a downspout can undo everything else.
Run the sump pump test one more time and fully charge the backup battery.
Move anything still on the basement floor up.
If you have a portable generator, plan where it will run. Never run it in a basement, garage or shed, even with the door open. Keep it outdoors and at least 20 feet from windows, doors and vents, as the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends, because of the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Know where your main electrical shutoff is, and how to reach it without walking through water.

During the storm

Check the basement periodically while it is safe to do so. Listen for the pump cycling.
If water reaches outlets, cords, the furnace or the water heater, stay out of the basement and call the electric utility if you cannot shut off power safely.
Do not try to drive or walk through flooded roads; flash floods are the most dangerous part of these storms.

After the storm

Safety first. Do not enter standing water near electricity. Wear boots and gloves if the water came from a floor drain or could contain sewage.
Document everything before you clean up: photos and video of the water, the damage and where it came in.
Remove the water with a wet/dry vacuum or a pump, and get wet items out.
Dry within 24 to 48 hours. The U.S. EPA advises drying wet building materials and furnishings within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold. Use fans and a dehumidifier; cut out soaked drywall and insulation.
Find out where the water came from. Seepage along the walls, water from a floor drain and surface water at one spot all need different fixes. Our guide water in the basement after heavy rain explains how to tell them apart.
Fix the cause before the next storm. The season runs until the end of November, and the next system can arrive within weeks.

Extra steps for some homes

Finished basements: carpet, drywall and furniture soak up water and are expensive to replace. A water alarm near the sump and at the lowest corner gives you early warning; consider moving electronics and valuables upstairs for the whole season.
Older homes with floor drains: in cities with combined or overloaded sewers, a downpour can push water back up through floor drains and basement fixtures. A backwater valve is the real fix; until then, keep the area around the drain clear and never store valuables next to it.
Stone and brick foundations: old masonry walls let water through along their whole length during long rains. Expect more seepage than usual during a tropical storm and make sure the sump and its backup are ready.
Crawl spaces: check that the crawl space vents or access doors are not below grade where water can pour in, and that any crawl space sump pump has power. After a storm, inspect the crawl space for standing water and wet insulation.
Homes in mapped flood zones: move the furnace, water heater and electrical panel up if you can, keep flood insurance active, and plan an evacuation route. No waterproofing system holds back a rising creek or river.

Printable short version

Gutters clean, downspouts extended
Ground slopes away from the house
Window wells clear or covered
Sump pump tested, float free, discharge line clear
Battery or water-powered backup and a water alarm
Backwater valve if floor drains have backed up before
Flood and backup insurance checked (30-day waiting period)
Valuables off the basement floor, inventory photos taken
Generator plan: outdoors, 20 feet from openings

Local help

Storm risk looks different in every region: river and creek flooding in Montgomery County, Bucks County, Chester County and Delaware County, combined sewers in Philadelphia, high groundwater in South Jersey and the Raritan basin in Central Jersey.

Hurricane season basement checklist