Hampton Roads Storm Prep: Plumbing, HVAC & Power Tips

At A-1 American, we have watched a lot of storms roll up this coast. The ones that worry us most aren’t always the hurricanes with names and cone maps. They’re the slow, grinding nor’easters that park offshore and push water into our neighborhoods one high tide at a time.

We’re in the middle of one now, and we’re only a few weeks past the last one. So let’s talk about what’s happening, what’s coming, and what you can do this week to keep your home, plumbing, and heating and cooling system out of trouble.

What’s happening with the storm moving up the coast right now? A slow-moving nor’easter formed off the Carolinas over the weekend and has been working north along the Mid-Atlantic coast. This one is mostly a wind and wave storm. The heaviest rain is staying offshore, but the wind is doing the damage.

Here’s what that means for us in Hampton Roads:

Big surf. Forecasters called for 8 to 13 foot waves along Virginia Beach, with life-threatening rip currents. Tidal flooding at high tide. Water levels are running 1 to 3 feet above normal during high tide cycles. Low spots near Lynnhaven, Ocean View, and our tidal rivers flood first. Gusty northeast winds. Gusts of 40 to 50 mph have reached into southern Virginia, enough to bring down limbs and power lines. Staying power. This storm is in no hurry. Some coastal advisories run through Thursday, and the National Hurricane Center has been watching it for possible tropical development. One more thing. Late October brings some of the highest astronomical tides of the year, the so-called king tides. When a nor’easter lines up with king tides, our streets flood faster and stay wet longer.

What did September’s nor’easter teach us?

The season’s first nor’easter hit us in late September, and it was a rough one. It never made landfall. It just sat offshore for days and pushed the Atlantic into the Chesapeake Bay.

Parts of Norfolk sat under 1 to 2 feet of water. Dozens of streets flooded across Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and Suffolk.

Some Virginia Beach families went more than 20 hours without power.

The lesson? You don’t need a hurricane to get hurt. A long nor’easter can flood a crawlspace, knock out power, and back up a sewer line just as easily.

How do I weatherproof my house before a storm?

Start with the stuff that takes 20 minutes and saves you thousands.

• Clean your gutters and downspouts. Clogged gutters dump water right next to your foundation. Point downspouts at least 4 to 6 feet away from the house.
• Secure anything that can fly. Patio furniture, trash cans, grills, and kids’ toys become missiles in 50 mph gusts.
• Trim dead or overhanging limbs. If a branch can reach your roof or a power line, it will eventually.
• Check your roof and seal gaps. Look for loose shingles and re-caulk around windows and doors. Wind-driven rain finds every crack.
• Get valuables off the floor. If you have a garage, basement, or ground-level storage in a flood-prone area, raise boxes onto shelves or pallets.
• Look into flood insurance now. Standard homeowner’s policies don’t cover flooding, and federal flood policies usually have a 30-day waiting period. Don’t wait for the next storm to call your agent.

What should I have on hand if the power goes out?

Plan to be on your own for at least three days. Here’s our go-bag and pantry list:

• Water: One gallon per person per day, plus extra for pets
• Food: Canned and shelf-stable food, plus a manual can opener
• Light: Flashlights and extra batteries (skip the candles if you can)
• Information: A battery or hand-crank NOAA weather radio
• Power: Charged phone power banks and car chargers
• Health: First aid kit and at least a week of prescription medications
• Paperwork: Copies of IDs and insurance policies in a waterproof bag
• Cash: Card readers don’t work when the grid is down
• Safety: A working battery-powered carbon monoxide detector

About your fridge: Keep the doors closed. A closed refrigerator stays cold about 4 hours. A full freezer holds for about 48 hours.

About generators: Never, ever run one inside your home, garage, or under an open window. Keep it at least 20 feet from the house with the exhaust pointed away. Carbon monoxide kills people every storm season, and it doesn’t have to.

How do I protect my plumbing during a storm? Your plumbing is the part of the house most people forget until water shows up where it shouldn’t.

• Know where your main water shutoff is. Find it today, make sure it turns, and show everyone in the house.
• Test your sump pump. Pour a bucket of water into the pit and make sure it kicks on. If you don’t have a battery backup, a power outage means your sump pump stops exactly when you need it most.
• Consider a backwater valve. When streets flood, the sewer system can push water backward into your home through floor drains and low toilets. A backwater valve stops that.
• Go easy on water use if the streets are flooded. If the city sewer system is overwhelmed, every flush and load of laundry adds to the problem, and it can come back up into your house.
• Check your water heater after flooding. If floodwater reached a gas water heater, don’t relight it. Have a licensed plumber inspect it first. Water damages gas controls and burners in ways you can’t see.

How do I protect my HVAC system during a storm?

Your heat pump or air conditioner sits outside taking the brunt of the storm. A little prep goes a long way.

• Clear the outdoor unit. Pull leaves, branches, and debris away from your condenser or heat pump before and after the storm.
• Turn the system off if the power is flickering. Repeated brownouts and power surges are hard on compressors. Shut it down at the thermostat, and if the outage drags on, flip the breaker until power is stable again.
• Install a surge protector. A whole-home or HVAC-specific surge protector is cheap insurance for an expensive system.
• Never run a unit that’s been underwater. If floodwater reached your outdoor unit, air handler, or ductwork, keep it off and call a technician. Running a flooded system can cause electrical damage and spread mold.
• Check your crawlspace. Many Hampton Roads homes have ductwork in the crawlspace. Standing water down there can soak insulation and ducts without you ever seeing it.

What should I do after the storm passes?

• Walk the outside of your home and photograph any damage for insurance.
• Stay out of floodwater. It can hide downed power lines, sharp debris, and sewage.
• Report outages to Dominion Energy rather than assuming your neighbors already did.
• Watch for musty smells, damp floors, or warm spots near outlets. Those are signs to call a pro.

Have your HVAC and water heater checked if either one got wet!!!!

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is a nor’easter? A nor’easter is a coastal storm named for its strong northeast winds. In Hampton Roads, those winds push ocean water into the Chesapeake Bay and our rivers, which is why nor’easters cause so much tidal flooding even without heavy rain.
• Should I turn off my AC or heat pump during a power outage? Yes. Turn it off at the thermostat, and if the power keeps cutting in and out, switch off the breaker. Turn it back on once power has been stable for a while to protect the compressor from surges.
• Can floodwater back up into my house through the drains? Yes. When street-level sewers overflow, water can come back up through floor drains, tubs, and low toilets. A backwater valve installed by a licensed plumber is the best protection.
• Is it safe to use my water heater after a flood? Not until it’s been inspected. Floodwater can damage gas controls, burners, and electrical parts, creating a fire or carbon monoxide risk.
• How long will food last in the fridge without power? About 4 hours in a closed refrigerator and about 48 hours in a full freezer. When in doubt, throw it out.

Our Neighborhood Technicians Are Standing By!

We proudly serve families and businesses across Hampton Roads, including Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Hampton, Newport News, Williamsburg, Yorktown, Poquoson, and Smithfield, from our offices in Virginia Beach and Newport News.

Storms don’t keep business hours, and neither do we. Whether it’s a sump pump that quit, a heat pump that won’t kick back on, a water heater that got wet, or a sewer line backing up, A-1 American’s neighborhood technicians are standing by ready to help.

Stay safe, look out for your neighbors, and keep an eye on the tides this week.

God Bless America!