How to Prepare for a Home Emergency

Last updated on July 31st, 2024

Home emergencies can arise, and if they do, it is essential to be prepared to handle them swiftly and efficiently. Toll Brothers offers this list of recommendations to address potential emergencies to ensure you and your family know what to do should a situation present itself.

Know how to shut off the electricity, water, and gas in your residence

• Electrical — inform everyone as to the location of your electrical circuit box, and always shut off individual circuits before shutting off the primary circuit.
• Water — quickly identify where your home’s water shut off valve is located and create a label to guarantee that everyone in your household knows how to turn off the water line.
• Gas — there are a variety of procedures for shutting off gas meters within your home. Contact your gas provider for instructions on how to shut off your gas properly and safely.

Focus on the details for a house flood

• As a precaution, consider calling your insurance provider to gain an understanding of what is and what is not covered if your home were to experience water damage.
• Take photos of the damage to present as evidence to your insurance company and contact them as soon as possible after a flood event. Many insurance companies have mobile apps to make the process easier.
• Consult with water removal professionals to enter the home immediately, as water damage can lead to mold issues. If you decide to remove the water personally, consider using a sump pump, a wet vac, and fans or dehumidifiers to thoroughly dry things out.

Think safety first in a fire

• Never use water to put out a grease fire. Instead, smother the fire with the lid of a pan while wearing an oven mitt. For fires in the oven, microwave, or other electrical appliances, use a fire extinguisher that you have placed in your kitchen.
• For small, contained fires, use a fire extinguisher you have placed in your kitchen and/or garage.
• Exhibit caution before exiting doors. Use the back of your hand to check the temperature of the doors before touching the knob. Also, look for smoke under the door, and search for other exit opportunities.

Manage essential equipment

• Install smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors on the walls near the ceiling in every bedroom and on every level in your home.
• Place detectors in the kitchen at least 10 meters away from your cooking appliances, and in your living rooms. Monitor the batteries monthly to confirm they are operational.
• A fire extinguisher placed in the kitchen is a must — other key locations include your basement, garage, and upstairs areas.

Have an emergency checklist

Create a readily available and detailed checklist of items that you may need in an emergency situation, and be aware of their location. Here are a few included items that should be on the checklist:

• First-aid kit
• Medications
• Non-perishable food with a manual can opener and water supply for at least 72 hours
• Garbage bags
• Multiple flashlights, various types of batteries
• Detailed list of emergency contact numbers: maintenance, police, hospitals, emergency vet care, poison control
• Important documents — insurance policies, wills, property deeds, titles to vehicles, social security cards, birth and marriage certificates, passports, money
• Home inventory document — a house tour that features photos of everything you own

Final thoughts

In addition to getting your Toll Brothers home prepared in times of weather emergencies or national disasters such as a hurricane, check our website or follow us on social media sites to receive the latest updates regarding our sales centers hours. Stop by our Facebook page for a live broadcast featuring home maintenance tips for your luxury home.

We hope that you will never have to deal with an emergency situation, but if you do, the local team is your best point of contact for your warranty related inquiries. For warranty-related questions, visit MyTollHome.com.