Preparing your home for extreme weather: people first, hazard by hazard
Know your official warning source, practise a household plan and include medication, pets, communication and more than one route. Leave early when emergency authorities advise it. For the home itself, storm preparation centres on the roof, openings, drainage and loose objects. Flood work must reflect local water behaviour, while bushfire work should follow the property’s BAL and local authority guidance. Ask the insurer before spending money for a promised insurance benefit.
- 01PeopleA household plan: people, pets, medication, and when to leave
- 02WarningsOne source of truth: your local emergency authority
- 03PropertyThen the property, with hazard-specific advice and competent hands
When they say leave, leave. The house is the replaceable part.
The order is people, warnings, property
- People: decide who does what, where you will go, when you will leave and how children, older people, disability, medication and pets are supported.
- Warnings: use the official emergency service and hazard authority for your location; understand warning levels before the event.
- Property: assess the specific storm, flood or bushfire mechanism and complete competent work in calm conditions.
- Records and insurance: keep photographs and invoices, update the rebuild basis, and ask the insurer about cover, excesses and recognised mitigation.
The NSW Rural Fire Service survival plan says leaving early is the safest option and calls for a prepared plan. Follow the current authority for your state or territory during an event.
Storm and wind
Before storm season, use safe ground-level observation and competent inspection to identify loose roof material, deteriorated flashings, blocked or failing rainwater goods, vulnerable openings, hazardous trees and unsecured outdoor objects. VICSES advises maintaining the home and yard, clearing gutters and securing loose items. Use trained, equipped people for roof access. Stay clear of fallen powerlines and floodwater.
| Signal | Action in calm weather | Who may be needed |
|---|---|---|
| Roof movement, leaks or damaged flashings | Arrange condition assessment and repair scope | Roof plumber, builder or engineer as appropriate |
| Overflowing gutters or failed downpipes | Clear safely; repair falls, joints and lawful discharge | Roof plumber or drainage professional |
| Tree defect or contact risk | Obtain risk-based pruning or removal advice | Qualified arborist; council/utility where relevant |
| Vulnerable garage door, shutters or openings | Assess against local wind region and product suitability | Engineer, builder or product specialist |
Flood
Flood depth, velocity, duration, contamination, access and warning time vary street by street. Start with the council, catchment or state flood authority and property-specific flood information. Loss shrinks with simple moves: valuables and electricals up high, the shut-off procedures known before you need them, the critical records protected, and recoverable materials chosen whenever you are renovating anyway. Use professional and authority advice for barriers, pumps, drainage changes and structural measures.
Stay out of floodwater and follow official power-safety advice. After inundation, treat water and affected materials as potentially contaminated and follow emergency, electrical and public-health instructions before re-entry.
Bushfire and ember attack
Begin with a survival plan and the local fire authority. Determine whether the property is in bushfire-prone land and whether a Bushfire Attack Level or planning control applies. Building measures depend on the assessed exposure, construction and local rules.
Preparation can include lawful fuel and vegetation management, clear gutters, maintained decks and subfloors, sealed gaps and compliant non-combustible mesh at openings. Keep required ventilation paths, cavity drainage and weep holes clear. On catastrophic or extreme conditions, follow official advice and leave early.
Confirm insurance outcomes in writing
Before major resilience work, ask the insurer or broker what evidence it requires, whether the measure changes cover or excess, and whether construction must be notified. Review flood, storm, bushfire, actions-of-the-sea and temporary-accommodation definitions using Moneysmart's hazard insurance guide.
The property record to keep
- Official hazard maps, BAL or flood information and the date accessed.
- Emergency plan, contacts, routes, medication and pet arrangements.
- Dated photographs of roof, elevations, drainage, openings, yard and critical equipment.
- Inspection reports, design advice, approvals, invoices, product specifications and warranties for resilience work.
- Insurance schedule, PDS version, endorsements and written insurer responses about mitigation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the first step in extreme-weather preparation?
Prepare the household plan and official warning sources before the building. Include routes, communication, medication, disability needs and pets, and leave early when authorities advise it.
What should I do before storm season?
From safe locations, check for roof, drainage, tree, opening and loose-object risks; arrange competent inspection and repair where needed. Never work on a roof during a storm or approach fallen powerlines.
Should I install flood barriers?
Only after property-specific flood and professional advice. Depth, velocity, duration, contamination and drainage interactions matter, and a barrier can redirect water or fail if misapplied.
How do I protect vents and weep holes from embers?
Use bushfire-compliant, non-combustible mesh and details suited to the assessed exposure without blocking required drainage or ventilation. Confirm the applicable BAL, standard and local requirements.
Will resilience work lower my insurance premium?
Ask the insurer what it recognises, what evidence it needs and whether cover or excess changes before spending for an insurance outcome.
How this guide was researched
The order is deliberate: people first, official warnings second, and only then the property, the works, the records and the insurance conversation.
Limits: This is a national resilience guide. During an event, follow your emergency service. BAL ratings, flood levels and engineering require site-specific assessment.
Sources
- Bush Fire Survival PlanNSW Rural Fire Service · accessed 2026-07-19
- Plan and stay safe in a stormVictoria State Emergency Service · accessed 2026-07-19
- Storm, flood and fire insuranceMoneysmart, Australian Securities and Investments Commission · accessed 2026-07-19
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