Safety comes first. If emergency officials tell you to evacuate or shelter, do it right away. Never put off safety steps to take photos, check on the property, or contact a roofing company. For immediate danger, call 911. Free Roof Score is not an emergency service.
This is a general guide. It does not describe any current storm. For the latest information, check the National Hurricane Center, your local National Weather Service forecast, and Alabama EMA or GEMA/HS.
1. Make the household plan first
The National Weather Service suggests planning ahead: find out whether you live in an evacuation zone, agree on how the family will stay in touch, and decide where you would go. Hurricane hazards are not limited to the coast. GEMA/HS notes that wind, heavy rain, and flooding can reach far inland, so inland Georgia and Alabama households need a plan too.
2. Get emergency supplies ready
The CDC recommends supplies that last several days: water, food that won't spoil, prescription medicines, flashlights and batteries, and copies of important documents. Plan how pets and every family member will travel if you need to leave.
3. Bring in loose outdoor items, only if it is safe
While the weather is still calm, put away or tie down patio furniture, planters, and toys at ground level. Stop when the wind picks up or officials say to take shelter.
What not to do before a storm
Leave roof and structural work to professionals. Do not:
- climb onto the roof or use a ladder, including for gutter cleaning
- go into the attic to look for problems
- put up tarps, drill, or brace the structure yourself
- work on electrical or gas systems
- try to cut down or remove large trees
A professional decides whether any work is safe to do and when. Free Roof Score cannot promise that a roofing company will be available before a storm or guarantee protection from storm damage.
4. Gather what you already know about the roof
You do not need to inspect anything. Write down what you already know so a later conversation with a roofing company goes quickly. If you don't know an item, that is fine.
- Where water has come in before, and roughly when.
- Records of past repairs or replacement, if you have them.
- The property type and who can approve work on it.
- Access issues: gates, pets, parking, or times when no one is home.
Ground-level photos are optional. Take them only in calm, dry, safe conditions without approaching hazards or delaying safety preparations. Photos are not a substitute for a roofing-company assessment.
5. Renters and multifamily residents
If you rent, contact your landlord or property team about building concerns rather than making repairs yourself. Property managers and commercial owners should use the commercial or multifamily request pages. This checklist is for homeowners.
6. Insurance questions
Review your policy papers ahead of time, as the NWS plan guidance suggests. Ask your insurer or agent how coverage and deductibles work for your situation. Free Roof Score does not assess coverage or claims.
If you later need a roofing company
When it is safe, A&E reviews each Georgia or Alabama request first and may share it with at most one suitable available independent company. Matching depends on location, project type, and capacity, and is not guaranteed. Requests are free for homeowners with no obligation to hire, and A&E is compensated by the partner network only when a job moves forward. This is not an emergency dispatch service.
Related: roof repair guide, roof replacement planning, Isaias forecast snapshot, October 7, 2026, after a hurricane.