Prep and Protect Your Property

It takes time to get your home hurricane-ready, and the process of protecting your property from a major storm should begin long before a tropical weather watch is issued. Start now with this list and prepare your home inside and out. Whether you shelter in place or evacuate, your home and property will need some simple preparations to help protect it from hurricanes and their aftermath. Not only will you be ready, but you’ll have peace of mind, no matter the forecast.

Home

Outdoors: 

• Ensure you have hurricane shutters, or 3/4-inch-thick outdoor plywood boards for each window of your home. Pre-drill holes in the plywood (experts recommend the holes be 18 inches apart) and keep the plywood off the ground in a shed, crawl space, or attic until needed. Store screws and screwdriver nearby for convenience.
• Secure loose rain gutters and downspouts and clear any clogged areas or debris to prevent water damage to your property.
• If a hurricane is imminent, secure or bring indoors any outdoor furniture, garbage cans, or other items that could be blown by high winds.
• Purchase a portable generator for use during power outages. 
• Cover your air conditioner. Consider a manufacturer-approved protective cover rather than a do-it-yourself solution such as a tarp or garbage bag, which could void your warranty and trap moisture inside.
• Check for foundation cracks and patch if necessary.
• Fix broken or damaged shingles and tiles.
• Clean out your gutters.
• Ensure storm drains are clear.
• Turn off irrigation systems.

Indoors: 

• Prepare an interior room preferably, or a room with no windows, as an emergency shelter.
• Install surge protection to safeguard appliances and electronics.
• Seal windows and doors. Close and lock all windows.
• Consider bracing for your garage door, which often blows in during a storm.
• Protect your documents. Passports, birth certificates, tax forms, photographs, family heirlooms, artwork, and anything else that it’s important to you should be relocated or locked away in a waterproof storage pre-storm.
• Elevate sofas, chairs, tables, beds and other furniture to protect from minor flooding.
• Fill bathtubs with water to have water for flushing toilets and washing. Fill several large clean containers with water for drinking.

Trees and Landscaping:

• Remove weak or dead limbs from trees and shrubs to prevent these items from becoming projectiles in high winds.
• Trim trees and shrubs away from your house to help make them more wind resistant and lessen the likelihood of them damaging your house. 

Pool:

• Do not empty the pool water.
• Turn off pool power and circuit breakers to protect pool electrical system.
• Wrap the pool pump, time clock, light transformers, and electric heaters with waterproof plastic. Tie securely in place to prevent sand and water from entering. If flooding is expected, disconnect these devices and store them in a dry place.
• To prevent contamination from debris and excessive storm water, add a granular pool shock and a large dose of pool algaecide to quickly eliminate organic contaminants that enter the water.
• Do not cover pool. Storms can cause falling branches and other debris that may damage pool covers. It’s easier to remove debris from the pool than to replace a cover.