Hurricane Season Checklist for Louisiana Homes and Businesses

Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30 every year, and in Louisiana we don’t get to ignore it. One named storm in the Gulf can mean days without power, heavy flooding, and a long cleanup. The best time to get ready is now — before a storm is on the map.

A hurricane season checklist is a simple list of steps that protect your family, your property, and your home or business before, during, and after a storm. This guide walks you through the general prep every Louisiana property owner should do — and then goes a step further into something most checklists skip: how to protect your floors and concrete coatings from storm damage.

We’ve coated floors across Harvey, Metairie, New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Houma. After big storms, we get the same calls every year. So we’ve seen first-hand what holds up to water and what doesn’t.

Before the Storm: Your Basic Prep Checklist

Start with the basics. These steps come straight from emergency-management experts, and they matter most in the days before a storm makes landfall.

• Build an emergency kit. Keep one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, plus non-perishable food, a flashlight, batteries, a first-aid kit, and any medications.
• Make an evacuation plan. Know your route and where you’ll go. Louisiana’s official Get A Game Plan site lists evacuation info for every parish.
• Protect important papers. Put IDs, insurance policies, and deeds in a waterproof bag or container.
• Charge and fuel up. Charge phones and power banks, fill your gas tank, and get cash. ATMs and pumps go down when the power does.
• Secure the outside. Bring in patio furniture, trash cans, and anything that can fly. Trim loose branches early.
• Track the storm. Follow the National Hurricane Center for official updates, not social-media rumors.

For a full federal checklist, Ready.gov’s hurricane guide is the gold standard and worth a read each June.

Key Takeaway: The core of storm prep is water, food, power, papers, and a plan. Do it before a storm is named — supplies vanish fast once one is.

Protect Your Property from Flooding

In South Louisiana, flooding does more damage than wind for most homes and businesses. A few steps can keep water out — or at least slow it down.

• Clear your drains and gutters. Clogged drains push water toward your foundation and into your garage, patio, and ground floor.
• Use sandbags at low doors and garage openings. Many parishes hand out free sandbags before a storm.
• Move valuables up. Lift electronics, tools, and stored items off the floor and onto shelves or higher floors.
• Know your flood risk. Check your flood zone and coverage through FloodSmart.gov. Standard homeowner policies do not cover flood damage.

Key Takeaway: Water is the real threat here. Clear drains, bag your low entries, and lift anything you can off the ground floor.

How Hurricanes Affect Your Floors

This is the part most checklists leave out. When water gets inside, your flooring is one of the first things to take the hit — and one of the most expensive to replace.

In our experience, the difference between floor types is huge. Carpet, laminate, and engineered wood usually can’t be saved after they sit in floodwater. They soak up water, swell, warp, and trap mold underneath. Most of the time they get torn out and hauled to the curb.

Sealed concrete coatings hold up far better. A quality residential or commercial coating is seamless and water-resistant. Water sits on top instead of soaking in, so once the storm passes you can usually squeegee, clean, and dry the surface instead of replacing it. We cover this in more depth in our guide to hurricane-resistant flooring.

Key Takeaway: Soft and wood floors rarely survive a flood. Seamless concrete coatings shed water and clean up — which is why they’re a smart choice in a flood-prone region.

If You Already Have Concrete Coatings: Pre-Storm Steps

A coated floor is a strong start, but a little prep makes it even stronger. Before a storm:

• Walk the floor and look for damage. Small chips or cracks let water reach the concrete underneath. Note any spots that need attention after the season.
• Clear the floor. Move boxes, tools, and furniture up off the slab so they don’t sit in water or stain the surface.
• Clean any floor drains in your garage, shop, or warehouse so water has somewhere to go.
• Take photos. Document the floor’s condition before the storm. If you do file an insurance claim, before-and-after photos help.

Key Takeaway: A coating only protects the concrete if it’s intact. Inspect for chips, clear the floor, open your drains, and snap photos before the storm.

If You Just Installed New Coatings — or Plan To

Timing matters during hurricane season. A fresh coating needs time to cure before it’s fully water-ready.

In our work, polyaspartic systems cure fast — often ready for normal use in about a day — while some epoxy systems need longer. Fresh-cured coatings should not be flooded mid-cure. If a named storm is heading for the Gulf, that’s not the week to start a new garage floor or pool deck install. We’ll always tell you straight when it’s smarter to wait a few days.

The flip side: the off-season and clear stretches are the best time to coat. Going into next season with a fully cured, sealed floor is exactly the position you want to be in.

Key Takeaway: Don’t start a new coating right before a storm — fresh coatings need time to cure. Plan installs for clear weather so your floor is storm-ready before the next system forms.

After the Storm: Floor Cleanup and Inspection

Once it’s safe to return, take floors step by step.

• Safety first. Don’t enter standing water near outlets or panels. Watch for slick surfaces.
• Document everything. Photograph any damage before you clean, for insurance.
• Dry it out. Remove standing water, then run fans and a dehumidifier. The faster a space dries, the less mold grows.
• Watch for mold. Mold can start within 24–48 hours of flooding. The EPA’s mold guide explains safe cleanup and when to call a pro.
• Check the coating. Look for bubbling, soft spots, or lifting edges. Those can signal water trapped under the surface. If you see them, reach out to us for an inspection.

Key Takeaway: Dry fast, document for insurance, and watch for mold and lifting edges. Quick action keeps a wet floor from becoming a replaced one.

Why Concrete Coatings Hold Up in Louisiana Storms

After years of coating floors in this climate, we keep coming back to the same point: in a place that floods, your flooring should be built for water.

A professional concrete coating is seamless, non-porous, and easy to clean. There’s no carpet pad to soak, no seams for water to creep into, and no planks to warp. When the water leaves, the floor is still there. You can see real examples in our project gallery, and you can learn more about our team on our about page. For a year-round care routine, our Louisiana maintenance checklist is a good companion to this guide.

Key Takeaway: In flood country, water-resistant flooring isn’t a luxury — it’s protection. That’s the whole case for sealed concrete coatings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Don’t Wait for the Cone of Uncertainty

The best time to storm-proof your floors is on a clear day — not when a system is spinning in the Gulf. If your coatings need a touch-up before the next storm, or you want a water-resistant floor that’s ready for whatever the season brings, contact Extraordinary Flooring for a free quote. We’ll help you head into hurricane season on solid ground.