Reviewed October 1, 2026. Arizona storms can bring lightning, strong winds, flash flooding and interruptions to electric, gas or water service. A useful preparedness task is to identify and document your home’s critical shutoffs, equipment and emergency contacts during a calm, safe period.
Knowing a location does not mean it is safe to operate that control during an emergency. Protect people first, follow evacuation instructions, and leave hazardous equipment to emergency responders, your utility or a qualified professional.
Start before the storm, not during it
The National Weather Service’s Arizona monsoon safety guidance recommends planning ahead for severe weather and service interruptions. Keep flashlights, charged phones and your emergency information accessible. Check current forecasts and warnings through NWS Phoenix or your local NWS office; this checklist is not a live weather alert.
Walk through the home when conditions are safe. Record clear locations and accessible photos without opening equipment, removing covers or touching wiring. Ask a licensed professional or utility to identify anything uncertain. Mark missing information “Unknown / Needs Verification” instead of guessing.
Your Arizona home shutoff and equipment checklist
Water: main shutoff and common leak locations
Document the homeowner-accessible main water shutoff and the fixtures or appliances you want a plumber to help identify. Note the difference between your home’s valve and utility-owned meter equipment. Keep your water provider and plumber’s contact information with the record. Have a professional confirm unfamiliar valves; do not force a stuck valve.
Electrical: panel and main disconnect
Record the electrical panel and main disconnect locations, labels and electrician’s contact. Do not remove the panel cover. Do not approach electrical equipment through standing water or touch wet or storm-damaged equipment. Stay away from downed lines. APS safety guidance directs people to keep at least 100 feet away from downed lines and call 911, then APS. Follow your own utility’s instructions.
Natural gas: document the location, prioritize leaving
If the home uses natural gas, document the meter location and the gas utility’s emergency number before an incident. If you suspect a leak, leave the area immediately and call from a safe place. Do not remain to photograph equipment, operate electrical switches or attempt repairs. Southwest Gas directs people who suspect a natural gas leak to call 911 and Southwest Gas at 877-860-6020. Use the emergency contact for the provider serving your home. Leave restoration and safety checks to the utility or a qualified professional.
Solar: equipment labels and system-specific instructions
Record the inverter location, labeled solar disconnects and any rapid-shutdown control identified by your installer, plus manufacturer and service contacts. Solar modules generate electricity when exposed to sunlight; the Department of Energy discusses this hazard and emergency power-down equipment. Do not assume a grid outage or main-breaker shutdown makes every solar component safe. Do not climb onto the roof or open electrical enclosures. Ask your installer for instructions specific to your system.
Battery storage: identify it and keep emergency guidance nearby
Record the battery model, location, associated equipment and manufacturer’s emergency instructions. Do not open the battery, touch damaged wiring or approach submerged equipment. For example, Tesla’s Powerwall 3 emergency guidance says to stay out of water if the battery, Gateway or wiring is submerged. Follow the instructions for your exact product, and tell emergency responders that solar and storage are installed.
Pool and spa equipment
Document the equipment area, controller, labeled disconnect locations and pool-service contact. Keep model-specific manuals available. Do not approach wet electrical controls or enter a pool during lightning. Ask the service company how to verify timers and automation after a safe restart.
Irrigation
Record the controller location, normal schedule and the irrigation isolation valve if a professional has identified it. Keep the landscaper or irrigation-service contact. Include a photo of the normal settings so you can compare them later without relying on memory.
HVAC and thermostats
Record thermostat and equipment locations, model information and HVAC-service contact. Keep homeowner instructions for outages and restart. Do not open the unit, bypass a safety control or repeatedly reset a fault. Ask the service company to verify equipment if it was exposed to water or damage.
Garage door and access
Keep the opener’s manufacturer instructions and garage-door service contact accessible. Review the manual release procedure with a qualified professional before you need it. Follow the instructions for your exact door and opener; do not release a damaged or unsupported door. Keep passwords, alarm codes and entry codes out of the readiness record.
Keep emergency contacts available offline
Keep 911, the correct electric, water and gas utilities, and relevant plumber, electrician, HVAC, solar/battery and other service contacts in a known place. Review who in the household can find the information. A paper reference is useful when internet service or a phone is unavailable. Store only the information needed for home readiness; keep identity and financial documents elsewhere.
After power returns: verify settings and safe operation
Once officials and relevant professionals say it is safe to return and use equipment, follow each manufacturer’s restart instructions. Check clocks, schedules, connectivity and alerts on irrigation controllers, pool/spa automation, thermostats, security/alarm equipment, garage-door/openers and smart access. Review solar monitoring and battery status rather than assuming backup readiness. Compare settings with your saved record and seek support for faults or unexpected behavior.
Do not re-energize flood-damaged equipment yourself. The National Weather Service’s after-flood guidance highlights electrical hazards during recovery. A restored utility supply does not establish that damaged equipment inside the home is safe.
A practical handoff for new homeowners and realtors
Move-in is a useful time to gather builder or inspector handoff information, confirm shutoff locations with qualified help and organize service contacts. Realtors can encourage buyers to complete their own home-readiness record and review it after changes to the home. Explore ShutSafe for professionals for business customization and closing-gift information.
Keep the information in one known place
Explore ShutSafe Home Kit for an indoor physical reference and supported digital home-emergency information. Identify it. Document it. Keep it accessible. The physical guide is for indoor use only.
ShutSafe organizes previously identified information. It does not locate or verify shutoffs, inspect or certify a home, replace emergency services or guarantee prevention of damage or injury. Read our FAQ, Safety Guides and product and safety disclaimer. Use Contact for product questions, not emergency assistance.
