Hurricane prep for appliances comes down to three jobs: keep cold food cold for as long as possible, protect electronics from the surge when power comes back, and limit water damage if you have to leave. Most of it takes under an hour and can be done a day or two before landfall.
Quick diagnosis
| Symptom | Likely cause | First thing to try |
|---|---|---|
| Food spoils within hours of an outage | Fridge and freezer started at normal settings and half empty | A day ahead, turn both to coldest and fill gaps with frozen water jugs |
| Control panel dead after power returns | Surge or flicker when grid power was restored | Once the power goes out, unplug appliances you won't need right away |
| Water on the floor when you get home | An ice maker or washer supply line let go while the house was empty | Close those supply valves before you evacuate |
| Gas range or dryer won't light after the storm | Gas was shut off at the meter | Leave it off and let the gas utility or a qualified pro restore it |
| Garage freezer full of food in a low spot | Second freezer you can't protect or check during the storm | Move what fits into the kitchen fridge and unplug the garage unit |
A closer look
Cold storage
USDA guidance says a closed refrigerator keeps food safe for about 4 hours without power, and a full freezer holds for about 48 hours (about 24 if it's half full). Starting colder and fuller buys you time. Put an appliance thermometer in each compartment so you know where you stand afterward: USDA advises throwing out perishable food that sat above 40°F for more than two hours.
Surges when the power comes back
Power often flickers on and off during restoration, and modern control boards don't like it. Leave the refrigerator and freezer plugged in so they restart on their own, and unplug the microwave, dishwasher, washer and anything with a touch panel you won't use during the outage.
Water and gas
If you're leaving, close the valve behind the fridge that feeds the ice maker and the hot and cold valves behind the washer. If officials tell you to shut off gas, do it, but don't turn it back on yourself. If you ever smell gas, leave the house and call the gas utility or 911 from outside.
Garage and laundry room units
These rooms sit lowest and are hardest to check mid-storm. Consolidate food into the kitchen fridge and unplug garage units you won't need. If water gets in, don't plug anything back in until it's checked.
Why Houston homes see this more
Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, and Houston sits close enough to the Gulf to feel both the wind and the rain. Harvey showed how fast garages and first floors can flood, and Beryl showed how long outages can last.
Prevention checklist
- •Photograph each appliance's model and serial label
- •Keep appliance thermometers in the fridge and freezer year-round
- •Know where the ice maker and washer shutoff valves are before June
- •Keep a few jugs of water frozen during the season
- •Switch the ice maker off when you close its supply valve
Time to call a pro
- •An appliance stays dead or shows new error codes once power is steady
- •Any appliance was touched by floodwater
- •A gas appliance needs to be relit after the gas was turned back on
Travis's rule of thumb: Cold in, plugs out, valves closed. Do those three before you board up and most appliances come through fine.
Planning to keep the fridge going through the outage? Read how to run a refrigerator on a generator safely. If something won't come back after the storm, our Houston service page has the details, or call (832) 552-1615.