While hurricanes are only a threat from June to November, it can take years to recover from a bad storm. These weather events bring destructive winds and torrential rains that can cause significant damage to your home. While the forecasts show hurricanes on the radar, there’s no way of telling exactly where and when they’ll strike and how severe the impact will be. This is why it’s crucial to prepare your home for hurricane season so you can keep your family safe and minimize damage to your property.
Why You Need to Prepare Your Home for Hurricane Season
For most people, a house is the biggest investment they’ll make in their lifetime. Protecting that investment should be a top priority, especially in hurricane-prone areas. Here are some of the ways you can prepare your home to withstand a hurricane.
Check Your Roof
Before every hurricane season, inspect your roof to see if the tiles, flashings, and soffits are in good condition. Install hurricane straps to secure the roof if you don’t already have them. It’s not much of an investment considering how much damage it can prevent.
Make sure to thoroughly clean your gutters. This is one of the easiest and cheapest things you can do to prepare your home for hurricane season, and also one of the most effective. The gutters collect a lot of debris over time and if they’re not regularly cleaned, rain is more likely to damage your home.
Inspect Doors and Windows to Prepare Your Home for Hurricane Season
Check the seals of doors and windows and re-caulk them as needed to prevent water from coming into the house. The best thing you can do is install impact-resistant doors, windows, and storm shutters. These are designed to withstand heavy impact, which may occur during a hurricane.
Pay particular attention to your garage door, as it’s usually the most vulnerable point of your house. You can additionally secure garage doors with braces bolted to the door frame.
Prepare the Outdoor Area
If you have any trees in your backyard, trim the branches to reduce the threat to power lines and your property. Clear out leftover trimmings and debris and dispose of them. If possible, remove all garden furniture and other outdoor items and store them safely inside. If something is too large to bring inside, anchor it securely to the ground and add sandbags to help weigh it down.
Order a Wind Mitigation Inspection
To prepare your home for hurricane season, have a professional perform a wind mitigation inspection. The certified inspector will check your house for wind resistance features and identify any potential weak points. A proper wind mitigation inspection can save you money on your insurance and limit potential damages.
Make an Inventory of Your Belongings
As you prepare your home for hurricane season, it’s a good idea to take inventory of valuable and important items in your home. It will help you determine what’s missing or damaged and assist with insurance claims. Take photos of your belongings at least once each year and store the information safely online.
Get the Emergency Kit Ready to Prepare Your Home for Hurricane Season
You never know how long the storm is going to last or how many days you might be without power and running water. Prepare an emergency kit to get you through several days. The emergency kit should include at least these items:
- First aid kit
- Non-perishable foods
- Bottled drinking water
- Flashlights and batteries
- A battery-powered radio
- Extra clothes and blankets
If you live in a hurricane-prone area, it is important to protect your property and family by preparing for storms. Hurricane season lasts from June through November, so get started on these tasks now.
Smart Start Building Inspections provides inspection services, including wind mitigation inspections, to Southeast Florida. Contact us to schedule an appointment.