Storm Prep / Homeowner Basics Tools

16-mil heavy-duty poly tarp + 2x4s

Covers a damaged roof section or broken window temporarily — buy it before you need it, not during the rain.

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Digital moisture meter

Checks wood framing and drywall for elevated moisture, catching a slow leak before it becomes a visible stain.

Rechargeable LED headlamp

Storm damage doesn't wait for daylight, and inspecting an attic or crawlspace is easier hands-free.

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Roof rake

Pulls snow off the lower few feet of roof from the ground, reducing ice-dam meltwater at the eaves.

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Wet/dry shop vac

The fastest way to pull standing water off a floor before it soaks further into flooring or drywall.

Battery backup sump pump

Keeps working through a power outage — exactly when a primary pump most often fails.

Portable generator

Keeps a sump pump, fridge, and a few lights running through a multi-day outage — size it to actual need, not the biggest one on the shelf.

Safety: Carbon monoxide risk: run a portable generator outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house with the exhaust pointed away from windows and doors, never in a garage even with the door open, and install carbon monoxide alarms in the house.