Los Angeles can go months without rain, then be hit with fast-moving storms that overwhelm gutters, streets, and hillside drainage systems.
With four focused weeks of prep, you can keep water away from your roof and foundation, drive more safely, and avoid last-minute scrambles.
Use this checklist to get rain-ready before the first drops hit your block.
1) Week 1: Fortify the Home
Roofline and exterior in 60 minutes
- Scan shingles, tiles, and flashing around chimneys, vents, and skylights. Look for cracks, lifted edges, or exposed nail heads.
- Clear the roof surface of leaves and branches. Trim limbs touching the roof or gutter.
- Clean gutters and downspouts end-to-end. Confirm each downspout discharges to soil or piping that carries water away from the house, not onto walkways.
Move water away from the structure.
- Test the slope with a hose or a 2-foot level at patios and walkways adjacent to exterior walls. If water pools against the wall, consider adding a threshold ramp, grinding high spots, or installing a downspout extension to redirect water 2–4 feet away.
- If your lot is below street grade or a garage is located at the bottom of a driveway, keep 10–20 sandbags on hand to form a small diversion berm at the opening.
- Locate and clear yard drains and driveway trench drains. Pull leaves and soil from grates and flush with a bucket or hose to verify flow.
Seal common leak paths.
- Re-caulk window perimeters that show cracking or daylight. Replace worn door sweeps and garage door bottom seals.
- Inspect stucco or siding for open cracks or gaps; seal hairline cracks and schedule repairs for larger ones.
- In crawlspaces or basements, check for past water lines and musty smells. If present, test the sump pump by pouring water into the basin and confirm that it discharges to a safe location.
Pools and exterior items
- Lower the pool waterline by about an inch before a multi-day storm. Verify overflow routes water away from the house.
- Stack and tie lightweight outdoor furniture or bring it indoors if wind gusts above 25 mph are forecast.
- Relocate bagged soil, mulch, and yard clippings away from gutters and curb lines so they cannot wash into drains.
Photo log for faster service
- Take quick photos of the roof edges, gutters, downspouts, patio slopes, and each drain grate. Save them in a “Home Inventory” folder for use during service calls or insurance claims.
2) Week 2: Make the Car Storm-Smart
Tires and stopping distance
- Use the quarter test to check tread. Replace tires with shallow tread so the grooves can disperse water and resist hydroplaning.
- Set tire pressures to the specifications listed on the driver’s door placard. Under-inflation reduces wet grip.
Visibility and lighting
- Replace wiper blades that chatter, streak, or skip, and top up washer fluid. Clean the inside of the glass to cut fogging.
- Turn on your headlights while the wipers are in use and whenever visibility is reduced.
Driving in the first 24 hours of rain
- Double your following distance, avoid cruise control on wet pavement, and reduce speed by at least 5–10 mph when visibility is limited.
- Steer around standing water when safe and never drive through moving water.
- Check real-time highway conditions before you go and be ready to reroute if flooding or downed trees are reported.
Compact car kit
- Pack a flashlight with spare batteries, a 10-foot charging cable, a 10,000 mAh power bank, a poncho, a microfiber towel, nitrile gloves, a small first-aid kit, and a folding traction mat.
- Keep at least half a tank of fuel during stormy weeks in case of detours or delays.
3) Week 3: Stock Supplies and Safeguard Documents
Home emergency kit
- Water, non-perishable foods, a manual can opener, daily medications, pet food, and a paper copy of key phone numbers.
- Flashlights with spare batteries, a battery or crank radio, and backup power for phones and medical devices.
- Plastic sheeting, heavy-duty trash bags, duct tape, towels, and absorbent pads for quick leak control.
- Work gloves, a basic tool kit, zip ties, and a multi-tool.
Power and safety
- Test smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms. Use flashlights instead of candles during outages.
- If you use a generator, run it outdoors with the exhaust pointed away from windows.
- Freeze a few bottles of water to keep the fridge cold during short outages and to use as drinking water later.
Insurance and documentation in one place
- Create a “Home Inventory” folder with photos of each room, including close-ups of high-value items and their serial numbers, appliance manuals, warranty PDFs, and emergency contact information.
- Review your homeowners’ declarations page to check for water backup or flood exclusions. If excluded, request a rider or a separate flood policy well in advance of the rainy season.
Neighborhood readiness
- Enroll in local emergency alerts and street-sweeping notifications to keep your gutters clear on your block.
- Save non-emergency numbers for public works, power, and water utilities. Report clogged curb inlets or fallen limbs promptly.
4) Week 4: Plans, People, and Rain-Day Routines
Indoor plans for active forecasts
- Keep a short list of indoor options ready, such as museums, libraries, aquariums, climbing gyms, or a home movie night.
- If you head outdoors between showers, wear treaded shoes, avoid steep muddy trails or recently burned areas, and follow posted park closures.
- Stay clear of flood control channels, riverbeds, and culverts. Water can rise quickly even if rain slows elsewhere.
Two-hour rainy-day home plan
- 30 minutes sealing any window and door gaps you noted in Week 1.
- 20 minutes testing the sump pump and checking discharge.
- 30 minutes clearing yard drains and curb inlets.
- 40 minutes updating your inventory folder with new photos and receipts.
Plan improvements that add resilience
- Consider adding a trench drain at the low garage entry, installing a small swale to redirect runoff, or upgrading the aging roof flashing.
- Discover how our team crafts custom ADUs in Burbank, tailored to maximize space and property value.
Communication and check-ins
- Designate two meeting spots: one just outside the home and one in the neighborhood on higher ground.
- Build a simple contact tree and assign one person outside the area as a check-in point if local networks are busy. Practice sending a group text.
- Customize for your household: list medical needs, mobility considerations, pet care steps, and where carriers or medications are stored.
Know the alerts and act accordingly.
- Advisory: nuisance flooding possible, monitor updates.
- Watch: conditions favorable within 24–48 hours, prep sandbags, and confirm drains are clear.
- Warning: Flooding is imminent or occurring. Avoid low-lying roads and move to higher ground.
Day-before-the-storm micro-checklist
- Recheck the gutters, yard drains, and curb inlets you cleared in Week 1.
- Stage sandbags at vulnerable doors or garage thresholds.
- Charge phones, power banks, and critical devices.
- Move cars off flood-prone streets or to the uphill side of the driveway.
- Set out rain gear and a towel rack near the entry to keep floors safe.
Takeaway
A few focused hours each week make the first storm of the season routine instead of stressful. Clear paths for water, drive with a margin of safety, keep essential items on hand, and ensure everyone knows the plan. Revisit this list each fall, and you will be rain-ready long before the clouds roll in.