Hurricane Season Generator Checklist for Houston Homes and Businesses

A good hurricane season generator checklist turns a stressful week of storm prep into a few calm tasks spread across the spring. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, and in the Houston area the generator problems that show up during a storm – dead batteries, stale fuel, a transfer switch that sticks – are usually things that could have been caught weeks earlier. Use the checklist below in stages: before the season, when a storm is forecast, during the outage, and after the water goes down.

Why generator prep should start before June

Hurricane Beryl in July 2024 was a clear reminder that the Houston area can lose power widely and for days at a time, even from a storm that is not a major hurricane at landfall. When a storm appears in the forecast, every generator owner in the region tries to fix problems at the same moment, parts and fuel get harder to find, and there is little time left to correct anything a test uncovers.

Starting in spring changes the math. A technician can find a weak battery in April and replace it in April. You can confirm your fuel plan with no lines at the pump. And you get several weeks of normal exercise cycles to prove the repairs held.

Spring: book your service visit

Schedule professional maintenance for March through May. A pre-season visit should follow your generator manufacturer’s maintenance schedule and typically covers:

• Oil and filter change if due
• Air filter and spark plug check
• Battery load test and terminal cleaning
• Battery charger operation
• Fuel line and regulator inspection
• Coolant and hoses on liquid-cooled units
• Controller fault history review
• Transfer switch operation test

Ask the technician to note anything that is close to worn out but not failed yet. The middle of hurricane season is a poor time to stretch a battery or belt for one more month. If you would rather not remember this every year, a generator maintenance plan can put the visit on the calendar for you.

Plan your fuel supply

Your generator is only as good as the fuel behind it. Check the plan for your fuel type:

• Natural gas: usually the most continuous supply, but confirm the meter and gas line were sized for the generator when it was installed, and keep the area around the meter clear.
• Propane: check the tank gauge and schedule a fill early in the season. Know roughly how long your tank lasts at typical load – your installer or the generator manual can help estimate it.
• Diesel: top off the tank, ask about fuel quality testing for older fuel, and drain any water from the fuel/water separator. Diesel stored for long periods can grow microbes and collect water.
• Gasoline (portables): use fresh fuel with stabilizer, store it only in approved containers away from the home, and rotate it into your vehicle every few months so it does not go stale.

Test under real load

A weekly exercise often runs the engine with no load connected. That proves the engine starts, but not that it can carry your home or building. Once a season, run a test that actually transfers your circuits to the generator:

1. Pick a calm dayChoose a time when a short interruption is fine, and let household members or staff know.
2. Simulate an outageHave a technician perform the test, or follow your manufacturer's procedure for a transfer test. Do not pull meters or open service equipment yourself.
3. Run your real loadsTurn on the air conditioning, refrigerator and other circuits you expect to use during a storm.
4. Watch and listenLights should be steady, the engine should hold speed, and no alarms should appear.
5. Confirm the returnWhen utility power is restored, the system should switch back and cool down normally.

If lights flicker or the generator trips when the AC kicks on, it may be overloaded. Our guide to sizing a generator for your loads explains why, and load management or soft-start equipment can sometimes help.

Check the transfer switch or interlock

The transfer switch is what safely connects the generator to your wiring. For automatic transfer switches, the load test above is the best check. For manual transfer switches and panel interlocks used with portable generators:

• make sure the interlock plate or switch moves freely and you remember the sequence;
• confirm the inlet box and power cord are in good condition, with no cracked insulation or bent pins;
• label which circuits are on the switch so no one hunts in the dark.

Never connect a portable generator to house wiring by plugging it into an outlet with a “double male” cord. It can backfeed the utility lines and endanger line workers and neighbors.

When a storm is in the forecast

Once a named storm is headed toward the upper Texas coast, work through this short list:

• Confirm the standby generator is in auto mode and showing no alarms
• Top off propane, diesel or stored gasoline
• Clear leaves, branches, mulch and stored items from around the enclosure
• Charge phones and know where your owner's manual and service number are
• Test battery-powered carbon monoxide alarms inside the home
• For portables: stage the generator, cord and fuel where you can reach them safely
• Secure loose outdoor items that could blow into the generator

Homes in tree-heavy areas such as The Woodlands should pay extra attention to limbs over the generator, and properties in low areas from Pearland to Pasadena should note how close the unit sits to the ground if water rises.

Portable generator safety and placement

Portable generators help many Houston families get through outages, but they are also behind serious carbon monoxide poisonings after storms. CO is colorless and odorless.

Also keep the generator dry – use a cover designed for running generators rather than improvising under a porch – let it cool before refueling, and use heavy-duty outdoor cords rated for the load.

After the storm: checks after flooding

Flooding is the step owners most often skip. If water reached your generator, do not start it, even if the unit looks dry. Water can enter the engine, alternator, controller and wiring, and starting it can cause major damage or a shock hazard. Have it inspected first.

Even without flooding, after the storm:

• look for debris, fallen limbs or shifted pads around the unit;
• check for fuel odors or new leaks;
• note the engine hours run during the outage so oil can be changed on schedule;
• schedule a post-event service if the generator ran for an extended period.

Long outage runs are hard on a generator in ways that do not show right away. Oil breaks down faster when an engine runs for days in summer heat, air filters load up with dust and debris blown around by the storm, and batteries that were already marginal may not recover fully. Portable owners should also drain or stabilize any fuel left in the tank before storing the unit, check the cord for cuts or crushed sections, and let the generator dry completely before covering it. Restock fuel and fuel stabilizer soon after the storm, too – the season is long, and a second system can follow the first within weeks.

When to call a professional

If any step on this checklist turns up a problem – an alarm, a failed load test, a flooded unit or a fuel smell – call before the next storm rather than after. JaWilly Services supports homes and businesses in Houston and nearby communities with routine maintenance, diagnostics and repairs on most major makes and models. When a generator fails during an outage, our 24/7 emergency generator support line is available around the clock, and business owners can arrange storm-season upkeep through our commercial generator services.

Call or text 832-418-7218, or reach us online to book a pre-season visit.

• Generator Maintenance & Support