Winter Storm Prep for Inland Empire Homes: A Pre-Storm Checklist

Rain season has started. Most of Southern California's rain falls between November and April, and the wettest months are usually January through March. After a long dry summer, hard ground and clogged gutters can send storm water against the foundation, under doors, and through the roof.

Much of that damage starts with small problems you can fix now. Here is a calm, step-by-step checklist, from the roof down to the sewer line.

Start at the top: roof, gutters, and downspouts

Your roof and gutters are the first line of defense. A slipped tile or a gutter packed with leaves may not show up until the first heavy storm, and by then the water may already be in the attic or ceiling.

• Check the roof from the ground. Use binoculars to look for cracked, slipped, or missing tiles or shingles. Don't climb a roof that is wet or steep - call a roofer.
• Look at the flashing around vents, chimneys, and skylights for gaps or rust.
• Clean the gutters. Leaves, pine needles, and dirt make gutters overflow, which dumps water right at the foundation.
• Fix loose or crushed downspouts and add extensions so water lands several feet from the house on ground that slopes away.
• Check the attic with a flashlight after the first rain. Damp insulation or fresh stains on the wood mean a leak.

Already have a stain overhead? See our guide to ceiling water damage for what it usually means and what to do.

Grading and drainage: keep water moving away

Water that pools next to the house can seep under doors and soak the base of walls. The California Residential Code says the ground around a new home should drop at least 6 inches within the first 10 feet from the foundation. Over the years, planters, new landscaping, and settling soil often undo that slope.

• Walk around the house during or right after a rain and look for puddles against the walls.
• Pull back soil, bark, or mulch that is piled up against stucco.
• Run a hose into yard drains to make sure they flow and aren't clogged with dirt or roots.
• If water keeps heading toward the house, a drainage contractor can add a swale or drain to carry it away.

Sandbags: where to get them and how to use them

Sandbags won't make a door watertight, but placed well they can steer water and mud away from doorways, garage doors, and low spots.

Many local fire stations offer free sandbags during storm season. San Bernardino County Fire lists locations at sbcfire.org, and many Riverside County and city fire stations have offered them too. Supplies are limited and first come, first served. Some sites have bags but no sand, and some set a per-household limit. Call ahead and bring a shovel and gloves. Hardware stores also sell bags and sand.

• Fill bags about half full, as FEMA and local fire agencies recommend.
• Lay them like bricks. Overlap each row and press each bag down to close gaps.
• Put them in place before the rain starts. Wet sandbags are heavy and hard to move.
• Use them to redirect water, not to hold back deep or fast-moving water.

Foothill homes: know your burn-scar risk

If you live below hills that burned in recent years, your storm risk is different. Fire leaves the ground charred and bare, so it can't soak up rain the way it used to. FEMA says flood risk stays significantly higher until plants grow back, which can take up to five years. The USGS says burned areas are most likely to have debris flows in the first year after a fire, and most happen within two years.

A debris flow is a fast-moving mix of water, mud, rocks, and burned trees. The USGS says they typically move about 10 mph but can top 35 mph, and FEMA notes that flash floods after a wildfire can start within minutes of heavy rain.

• Sign up for alerts. Riverside County uses Alert RivCo. San Bernardino County uses its Telephone Emergency Notification System (TENS) and posts burn-area updates at burnareainfo.sbcounty.gov.
• Know your evacuation route and leave when officials tell you to. If you need extra time to get out, leave early.
• Never walk or drive through moving water or mud. The National Weather Service says 6 inches of fast-moving water can knock an adult off their feet, and 12 inches can carry away a small car.
• Sandbags are a backup, not a reason to stay during an evacuation order.

Sewer backups and sump pumps

Rain can also get into the sewer system through cracked pipes, loose joints, and open cleanouts. When sewer lines get overloaded, wastewater can back up into homes through the lowest drain, often a shower, tub, or floor drain.

• Check your sewer cleanout, usually a capped pipe near the house or in the front yard. If the cap is missing or cracked, replace it so rainwater can't pour in.
• Keep downspouts and yard drains out of the sewer. They should never drain into a cleanout.
• Had a backup before? A camera inspection can find roots, cracks, or sags in the line.
• Ask about a backwater valve. It lets sewage flow out but not back in, and the California Plumbing Code requires one in some low-lying setups.
• Test your sump pump if you have one. Many slab homes here don't. If yours does, pour water into the pit, make sure the pump starts and shuts off, and check that the discharge points away from the house.

If sewage does come up, stop using water and see our guide to a sewage backup in your house.

Check the water heater while you're in the garage

California law requires residential water heaters to be braced, anchored, or strapped so they can't fall or shift in an earthquake. That isn't a storm rule, but storm prep is a good time to check. You should see at least two straps: one in the upper third of the tank and one in the lower third.

If floodwater ever reaches a gas water heater or furnace, don't relight or use it until a qualified pro checks it. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warns that gas control valves that have been under water should be replaced, even if they seem to work.

Flood insurance: the 30-day rule

Standard homeowners policies usually don't cover flooding - water that flows in from outside across the ground. Flood coverage is a separate policy through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or a private insurer. NFIP policies usually have a 30-day waiting period, so buying one when a storm is in the forecast is too late.

Two details matter for foothill homes. NFIP policies treat mudflow - a river of liquid, flowing mud - as flooding, but they don't cover landslides or other earth movement. And there is a narrow exception to the 30-day wait when flooding comes from burned federal land, such as a national forest, and the policy was bought before the fire was contained or within 60 days after. Ask a licensed agent how these rules apply to you. For more, see does homeowners insurance cover water damage in California.

Storm prep at a glance

If water gets in anyway

1. Stay safe. If water is near outlets or appliances, turn off power at the breaker only if you can do it without standing in water.
2. Stay out of floodwater. Water that flows in from outside is treated as Category 3 under the IICRC S500 standard, meaning it may carry sewage, bacteria, and chemicals.
3. Document first. Take photos and video before you clean up, and keep a small sample of damaged carpet or flooring for your adjuster.
4. Call your insurer and a restoration company. The EPA advises drying water-damaged materials within 24 to 48 hours to help prevent mold.
5. Expect some removal. Carpet, pad, and drywall soaked by floodwater usually can't be cleaned well enough and have to come out.

For the full first-day plan, see what to do after water damage: the first 24 hours.

We're on call all storm season

First Call Plumbing & Restoration handles storm and flood cleanup, sewage backups, and the plumbing behind them, with IICRC-certified restoration techs based in San Bernardino. We extract water, dry the structure, and document the damage with photos and moisture readings. We can work with your adjuster, though coverage decisions are up to your insurer.

We answer 24/7, and emergency arrival is typically 1-2 hours depending on your location and call volume. Call (909) 751-2323 or contact us and we'll help you get dry fast.