10 Tips To Prepare Your Home For Hurricane Season

Running from June 1st to November 30th, hurricane season is quickly approaching the Tampa Bay area once again. To help you prepare in advance, we’re sharing our 10 tips for preparing your home before the storm season kicks off! Remember, when preparing for a hurricane, you need to consider high winds and heavy rainfall/flooding.

Here Are Our 10 Favorite Tips To Prepare:

Buy Plywood for Windows Now- Measure each window or door in your home that would require protection during a storm now and cut pieces of plywood to the correct size to create your own storm shutters. Then store them in your garage or attic space for when a storm threat arrives. If you wait until a storm is in the Gulf of Mexico, there will likely be a rush on hurricane supplies and items like plywood disappear quickly.

Seal Windows and Doors- Speaking of windows, when was the last time you checked the seals on them? Some window sealants can last 10-20 years, but others just 5 years. Windows that need to have seals replaced are a big cause of water intrusion and damage during storms. Driving rain can push water into poorly sealed windowsills, creating a number of moisture problems in your home.

Have Your Trees Trimmed- Trees with branches that make contact with your roof and home can become a highway for rodents and pests. However, untrimmed trees can also cause major damage to your home during a big storm. If it’s been a while since an arborist had a look at the large trees on your property, now is the time to schedule that appointment. A licensed arborist can tell you if your trees are healthy and which branches need to come off to protect your home during a storm.

Install Surge Protection- Power surges are common during big storms and can destroy home appliances and electronics. If you don’t already have it, look into have power surge protection installed on your electrical panel. We also recommend buying power strips with surge protection for your electronics as well. Don’t forget to check and replace older power strips too, as they can wear out and overheat over time, causing fire hazards in your home.

Clear Gutters and Drains- Be sure to keep gutters and drains free of debris year-round, but especially during the hurricane season. Clear gutters can prevent flooding and water intrusion in your attic and home. Check French drains and other drainage systems around the perimeter of your home and swimming pool as well to be sure they are also free of anything that might block them from draining. In the event of heavy rains, these drains can prevent water intrusion.

Review Your Insurance Policies- Once there is a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico or once our area is in the “cone of uncertainty” it will be too late to change or add insurance coverage to your home. Review policies now. If a category 3 or 4 storm was heading our way, would you feel confident you have enough coverage? If not, it’s time to speak with an insurance agent. If you’ve been on the fence about getting flood insurance, now is the time to consider it. Underwriting insurance can days/weeks, so take care of any changes now. It’s smart to keep a photo of your declaration page on your phone as well, for quick access to coverage levels and contact info should you need to make a claim.

Test Your Generator- If you have a generator, fire it up now! Make sure it’s working properly and starts when you think it will. Having trouble? Have it serviced or replaced before hurricane season begins. Like plywood, generators disappear off shelves quickly when a hurricane is approaching, so don’t wait until the last minute to find out if yours is working or to decide you’d like one.

Have Your Roof Checked- If your roof is over 7 years old, you may want to have a roofer check it out for soft spots, missing shingles, or other defects to make sure it’s sound and secure during storm season. Planning on getting a new roof this year? Do that BEFORE a hurricane hits. If a storm comes through our area, roofers can get backed up for months. If you’ve been thinking about adding hurricane straps to your roof, this is also a good time to do that. Not only will it save you money on your homeowner’s insurance premium in many cases, it’s a GREAT way to secure your home.

Strengthen Your Garage Door- According to Floridadisaster.org, 90% of damage to homes during a hurricane comes from the garage door failing. Garage doors are the weakest and largest openings in a home. If you have an older garage door, we recommend replacing it with an impact-rated door (this is stronger than just a “wind-rated” door). Not ready to replace your garage door? Look into adding mounting brackets and connectors, replace any rusted pins or worn-out rollers, and check out bracing kits if your door is weak.

Take a Home Inventory- Now is a good time to take photos and videos of the contents of your home. Survey your home and tally up possessions each year so you know what needs to be replaced and what it’s worth. Take photos of the exterior features of your home as well, including swimming pools, landscaping, shutters, HVAC units and more. In the event of an evacuation, decide what you’d want to take and what can be left behind. Create a checklist for those items.

We’ll say it again and again, never wait until the last minute to prep your home for storm season! For more information and ideas on how to prepare, see these links below as well:

Disaster Supply Kit Checklist
What Should You Do Before a Hurricane?
Make a Plan by Pinellas County Government

Need to reach the Sandy Hartmann Group? Call us at (727) 400-3315 or message us HERE