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on Thursday, November 6, 2025
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Dealer News
Mother Nature shouldn’t be taken lightly, especially in Texas, where hurricanes and flooding from strong storm systems are increasingly prevalent. For Texas farmers and ranchers with costly John Deere equipment to protect, it's essential to ensure your equipment is safe from the elements so it can continue serving your interests for years to come.
If you’re curious about equipment protection from Texas hurricanes and flooding, we have some preventative steps you can take, as well as post-storm assessments that will help you protect your machines from the power of wind, rain, and debris.
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Relocate Equipment
The first and best way to protect your equipment from storm damage is to move it to a secure location, preferably one that is covered and away from potential damage from rain and wind. Move your tractors, combines, and implements to higher ground in case of flooding. A covered shed or barn that sits at a higher elevation will keep rainwater and flooding from reaching critical engine components.
Before a storm arrives, you should identify potential “safe zones” on your property that are protected from flooding. You can monitor a heavy storm and see where the water pools up to identify potentially dangerous areas that are prone to flooding.
If there’s no possibility of relocating your equipment to a safe zone on your property, consider reaching out to a neighbor with a higher elevation who will allow you to temporarily store your equipment on their property.
Protect Electrical Systems
Your electrical systems on your machines are the most vulnerable to flooding and other storm damage, so you must take preventive measures to protect them. Disconnect your batteries from the engine to prevent electrical system damage. If possible, and for added protection, remove the battery completely from its holder and move it to a safe location.
If you have waterproof electrical tape or other waterproofing material, wrap your electrical components in this tape to keep water from seeping into your sensitive electrical connections.
As a final precaution, you can also document serial numbers and take photos of your equipment in the unfortunate event that your equipment is damaged in a storm, from falling debris or flooding.
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Shutdown Procedures
When a storm is at your doorstep, there are certain precautions and procedures that you need to follow to protect not only your equipment but yourself as well.
Never operate equipment in standing water or high winds. If you operate your equipment in standing water, you risk flooding your engine and potentially electrocuting yourself when the components come in contact with water. High winds are dangerous due to flying debris or falling limbs. In very extreme cases, a very high wind could tip over your equipment and cause damage to your tractor or injure you.
Make sure you shut down engines and secure all attachments before a storm rolls in. Wait until after a storm has passed to start clearing debris with your equipment.
Post-storm Inspection
After the storm has passed and the weather returns to calm, it’s time to check your equipment to ensure nothing was damaged during the storm. Even taking all the precautions we’ve already mentioned, your equipment can still be damaged, so it’s best to double-check to make sure everything is still intact.
First thing to do is check for water intrusion in engine compartments, the transmission, and hydraulic systems. Sitting water can cause certain engine components to wear down or rot quickly, so it’s always a good idea to make sure everything is dry.
Inspect your air filtration systems for any water damage. A wet air filter can quickly attract mold and break down critical air filtration components.
Finally, check your fuel system for water contamination. Water inside your fuel injectors or fuel pumps can cause serious damage and prevent your machine from starting up properly.
Professional Assessment at Tellus Equipment
If you think your machine may have sustained damage during a storm, and you aren’t sure how to inspect it, just bring it in to one of our 25+ locations across Texas. From Central to Southern Texas, we’re here to help. Our technicians are trained to identify hidden flood damage and make recommendations for repair. Hidden damage often appears weeks after initial flooding, so it’s best to bring your machines in as soon as you can. If you need to make an insurance claim on a damaged piece of equipment, they often require a professional inspection as well before the claim can be processed.
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Visit Tellus today for expert advice and repair work for your machine. Our team is ready to help!
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