The first hour back in your home after a mandatory hurricane evacuation is the most consequential hour of the recovery. You're exhausted, anxious, possibly sleep-deprived, and emotionally focused on finding out what survived. You're also walking into a building that may have been without power for days, may have hidden structural damage, may have water intrusion, and may have wildlife that took shelter while you were gone.
This guide is for Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, and Palm Beach homeowners returning after evacuation. It walks through the six safety checks to run before — and immediately after — stepping inside.
Before you arrive: what to know
If you evacuated, you probably have some information already: did your area lose power (check FPL or LCEC outage maps); is your area still under any safety advisories; have local officials announced reentry permission; is your specific street accessible (no road closures or downed trees); did neighbors who stayed report on your home?
If reentry has been officially restricted, follow that guidance. Officials restrict reentry when there are real hazards — downed lines, structural threats, contamination.
The 6-point reentry check
Check 1: Approach the home from outside
Before getting out of your car, drive slowly past the house. Look for: downed power lines (stay 25+ feet away; don't try to clear them); trees on or against the house (even partial contact can mean structural damage); standing water around the foundation (more than a few inches can mean electrical or sewage hazards); visible roof damage from the street; broken windows or damaged exterior. If any of these are severe, don't go in. Call your insurance carrier first. Call a structural professional if you suspect the home is unsafe.
Check 2: Gas, electric, and water shutoffs
Before entering, locate the exterior shutoffs: gas meter with its shutoff valve, main electrical panel and disconnect (if exterior), water shutoff (typically at the meter near the street). You may not need them, but knowing where they are matters. Check the area around the gas meter for any obvious damage or unusual smell. If you smell gas at all — even faintly — do NOT enter the house. Leave the area, call the gas company from a safe distance, and let professionals investigate.
If you have a generator running, it should be at least 20 feet from the home, exhaust pointed away. (See our dedicated generator safety post.)
Check 3: Open the front door (slowly)
When you open the door: don't immediately flip light switches — a switch in a damaged wall can spark; don't immediately use your phone flashlight if you smell gas (small spark risk) — use natural light or step back out; smell the air — sewer gas, gas leak, mold, or smoke smells should all give you pause; listen for water flow — a hissing or trickling sound means a plumbing issue; look for water on floors in the visible areas. If anything is off, address it before stepping further in.
Check 4: Walk through with a flashlight
Power should still be off in most post-storm scenarios. Use a flashlight to walk through.
In each room, check: ceiling for sagging, water stains, or active drips; walls for water staining at the base or around windows; floors for wet spots, warping, or staining; windows for breakage, separation, or water intrusion; doors for water staining at thresholds.
Check the attic if accessible safely. A flashlight from the access panel can reveal wet insulation, daylight (roof breach), or water on rafters. Don't enter the attic if electrical is uncertain or you suspect structural damage.
Check 5: Pull the refrigerator forward (carefully)
The refrigerator is one of the most likely items to have failed during an extended power outage. The contents are likely spoiled. Don't open the refrigerator first — let it stay closed until you can deal with the contents. Spoiled food, especially raw meat or dairy, produces gases and smells that contaminate the kitchen if released. Better plan: assume refrigerated contents are spoiled. Don't open it without a plan to dispose of contents immediately, ideally in a sealed bag straight to outdoor trash.
Check 6: Look for wildlife
Animals shelter in evacuated homes. Common visitors after a storm: snakes (look in low areas, dark corners, behind furniture; dangerous especially in flooded zones); rodents (droppings, evidence of nesting); reptiles (lizards and iguanas in pools, garages); insects (fire ants in any wet area, mosquitoes anywhere). If you find a snake, leave it alone, get out of that space, and call a wildlife removal professional. If you find significant rodent or insect infestation, also call a professional. Don't try to clean droppings without N95 protection.
After the 6-point check
Assuming nothing critical is wrong, your next priorities: document everything with photos before any cleanup; mitigate visible damage — move furniture from wet areas, tarp roof breaches if visible, cover broken windows; call your insurance carrier and open a claim immediately even if damage seems minor; start drying — open windows if outside conditions allow, run fans on wet areas, don't run AC if HVAC equipment was wet; plan for food and water — drinking water should be from sealed bottles until municipal water is confirmed safe.
Common mistakes returning homeowners make
Going in too fast. The "I need to see what survived" instinct overrides safety. Slow down. Flipping breakers without inspection. Wet electrical equipment is a fire hazard. Have a professional verify the system before restoring power. Running AC before confirming HVAC is dry. Water in an air handler is a mold breeding ground. Skipping mold inspection. What looks like just water damage often has hidden mold within 48 hours in our humidity. Trusting "it's only a little damage." Small visible damage often has larger hidden damage. Not documenting before cleanup. Photos before mitigation are the most valuable insurance documents.
Insurance considerations
Florida homeowners insurance on hurricane reentry damage: storm damage and resulting damage from the covered storm is typically covered; damage from spoiled food in fridge typically falls under contents coverage, may be modest; damage from generator-related fires or contamination if generator was used per manufacturer rules, typically covered; damage from refusing reentry restrictions and entering anyway may be denied if injuries result. The carrier will want a detailed claim. Photos, the walkthrough notes, and timestamps all help.
When to call RestoFlo
If your South Florida home has hurricane damage that needs immediate restoration — water intrusion, structural damage, mold concern, contents loss — call us. We respond 24/7, document everything for your insurance carrier, work directly with them without AOBs, and stay with the project through reconstruction. 24/7 emergency line: (754) 289-4815.
