Alabama homeowner guide

Main water shutoff

Located at the meter near the street or where the main enters the house. In Alabama's older housing stock (many homes built before 1980), this may be an older gate valve. Test it now rather than during an emergency.

Gas shutoff

Alabama Gas Corporation (Alagasco) or Spire serve most of the state. Your gas meter has a shutoff valve with a tab. Turn it 90 degrees with a wrench to close. Locate it before you need it. Post the utility emergency number: Alagasco 1-800-292-4008, Spire 1-800-292-4008.

HVAC location and filters

Alabama's cooling season runs 8-9 months. Replace HVAC filters every 1-2 months during peak cooling season. A dirty filter strains the system and reduces air quality in a state with high humidity and pollen counts.

Safe room or shelter location

Alabama sits in Dixie Alley, one of the highest tornado frequency corridors in the US. Identify your safest interior room (lowest floor, interior wall, no windows) and know how to get there in the dark.

Gutter cleaning

Alabama's tree canopy is dense; gutters fill fast. Clean them twice yearly minimum (spring and fall). Clogged gutters cause foundation water intrusion in clay-heavy Alabama soils, which expand when wet and shrink when dry, cracking foundations.

Pest inspection perimeter

Walk the exterior monthly. Termites (subterranean), carpenter ants, and fire ants are year-round threats. Keep mulch 12 inches from the foundation. Inspect for mud tubes at the foundation line.

NOAA weather radio and alert system check

Test your NOAA weather radio. Download your county's emergency alert app. Alabama's severe weather season begins in March; tornadoes here often occur at night, when phone alerts and weather radios are the only warning that wakes you.

Roof inspection after winter

Inspect for lifted shingles or damaged flashing after any ice events. Schedule a professional inspection if the roof is more than 10 years old. Alabama's hot-humid summers accelerate shingle deterioration.

Hurricane preparedness (coastal counties)

Baldwin and Mobile counties face direct Gulf exposure. Know your evacuation zone, have a 7-day supply kit, and fill the gas tank when a tropical system enters the Gulf. Inland Alabama receives hurricane remnants as severe rain and tornadoes.

AC service

Service your HVAC system before the peak summer season, not in August when technicians are backlogged. Clean or replace filters monthly. Alabama's heat index regularly reaches 100-110°F.

Second tornado season preparation

Alabama's second severe weather season peaks in November. Keep your shelter location cleared, weather radio charged, and shoes accessible near the bedroom.

Pipe insulation check

Alabama's mild winters still produce hard freezes every year. Insulate exposed pipes in crawl spaces, garages, and against exterior walls before December. Alabama homes frequently lack the insulation on pipes that colder-climate homes have.

Alabama clay soil movement

Much of Alabama (especially the Black Belt region) sits on expansive clay soils. These soils shrink during drought and swell during wet periods, causing foundation movement. Keep soil moisture consistent. Don't let the soil pull away from the foundation during droughts. Water the perimeter during extended dry spells.

Crawl space moisture control

Most Alabama homes (outside of modern slab construction) have crawl spaces. Keep crawl space vents open in summer, inspect for standing water after rain events, and maintain a vapor barrier on the ground. Crawl space moisture is the primary mold source in Alabama homes.

Annual termite inspection

Alabama has significant subterranean termite pressure statewide. Maintain an annual inspection by a licensed pest control company. A termite bond that includes retreatment and repair coverage is worth maintaining; termite damage is not covered by standard homeowners insurance.

Eliminate conducive conditions

Wood debris in crawl spaces, form boards left after construction, and wood-to-soil contact at the foundation are all termite attractants. Remove them. Replace wood landscape timbers near the foundation with concrete or composite alternatives.

Understand Dixie Alley tornado characteristics

Alabama tornadoes differ from Great Plains tornadoes; they're faster-moving, more likely at night, and often rain-wrapped (invisible until very close). The April 27, 2011 outbreak killed 252 Alabamians. Night tornadoes are the state's most deadly weather event.

Shelter location

Lowest floor, interior room, away from windows. If your home has a crawl space, it is NOT a shelter. Go to a neighbor's basement or a community shelter. If your municipality has a tornado shelter registry, register.

Helmet and mattress

In your shelter room: have bicycle or motorcycle helmets (head injuries are the leading cause of tornado death indoors) and a heavy mattress to pull over yourself if the roof fails.

Coastal: storm surge is the primary killer

Baldwin and Mobile counties can experience 10-20 foot storm surges from a major hurricane. Know your evacuation zone. Leave Zone A at the first mandatory evacuation order; storm surge moves faster than most people expect.

Inland: remnant flooding and tornadoes

Inland Alabama receives 3-8 inches of rain from passing hurricanes and often spawns tornadoes in the outer bands. Hurricane Ida (2021) killed people in Alabama over 200 miles from the coast.

Warning vs watch

Watch = conditions favorable, stay alert. Warning = tornado confirmed by radar or spotter, take shelter NOW. Do not wait to see the tornado. In rain-wrapped events, you will not see it in time.

Take shelter immediately

Lowest floor, most interior room, away from all windows. Closets, bathrooms, and interior hallways are best. Lie flat and cover your head with your arms or a mattress.

After the storm

Do not re-enter a damaged structure until emergency personnel confirm it is safe. Do not use generators indoors. Run outside only, 20+ feet from any window or door. Check for gas leaks before entering a damaged home.

Alabama freeze events

Alabama pipes burst in hard freezes; the state lacks the pipe insulation of northern states. Shut off the main water valve immediately. Open all faucets to drain pressure. Call a plumber; after a statewide freeze, wait times are 48+ hours.

Basement and crawl space flooding

Alabama's clay soils and heavy rain events cause water intrusion in basements and crawl spaces. Do not enter a flooded space with submerged electrical equipment. Call Alabama Power (1-800-245-2244) or your utility to disconnect power. Pump water with a submersible pump, then dry immediately with fans and dehumidifiers.

Alabama summer outages are heat emergencies

Summer power outages in Alabama are dangerous within 4-6 hours due to heat. Know your nearest cooling shelter. Run generators outside 20+ feet from any opening. Alabama Power outage line: 1-800-888-2726.

No switches, no phone inside

Smell of rotten eggs: evacuate immediately. Do not operate any switch. Call 911 from outside. Alagasco/Spire: 1-800-292-4008. Do not re-enter until cleared.

Two exits and a meeting place

Walk every room. Know two ways out. Designate a meeting place outside (mailbox, street corner). Crawl low under smoke. Call 911 from outside. Never re-enter.

Practice twice a year

Alabama's tornado and hurricane season means households with children should also practice fire escape. Walk the plan in the dark once a year.