Hurricane Protection: How to Prepare for Hurricane Season in Florida

Each year, Floridians prepare themselves and their homes for hurricane season. From June 1 to November 30 the Atlantic hurricane season is in full swing, with August – October historically producing the most storm activity in Florida within this time frame. 

Planning ahead and preparing your home with hurricane protection is critical and should ideally be done in the months prior to hurricane season. So how can you ensure your home is hurricane-proofed when the weather forecaster announces that a category 5 hurricane is making its way over to your city? Start by assessing your home’s windows, doors, roof and waterproofing ability, as well as considering a backup power source. 

Secure Your Home’s Windows & Doors

Heavy winds produced by hurricanes can severely damage your home’s windows and doors — especially if they’re already in poor condition. Secure your home by evaluating all of your windows and doors before hurricane season begins. Over time, seals tend to weaken, especially in Florida’s hot weather, so check both windows and doors for leaky seals and re-seal them in the winter or springtime to prevent water from seeping in during a hurricane. 

For further protection, consider installing high-impact, hurricane-rated windows and doors or window storm shutters to withstand hurricane-strength winds, high levels of pressure and environmental projectiles, like yard debris. Heavy-duty bolts can also reinforce doors, keeping the wind out and making them much more secure during a major Florida storm.

Think you may need to install hurricane protection products for safer windows and doors? Take our quiz to find out. 

Reinforce Your Home’s Roof

Depending on a hurricane’s category, winds can range from 74 mph (category 1) up to 155 mph (category 5). Remember: your roof is another vulnerable part of your home that is important to evaluate before hurricane season begins.

While assessing your roof, look for areas of wear and tear — missing shingles, granule loss and water leaks. You’ll also want to check that your gutters and downspouts aren’t clogged, damaged and/or broken. If you suspect your roof or gutters will need to be repaired, replaced or reinforced, compare any visible wear and tear to these 6 common roof damages to learn more about how you can repair your roof for better hurricane protection.

Concerned about your roof or gutters but unsure where to start? Take our quiz to get started with Florida PACE.

Invest in a Generator

More often than not, hurricanes cause power outages that can last anywhere from a few days to a week or more. When you invest in a standby generator, you’ll be equipped with a backup power source to continue using your essential appliances during a county-wide blackout until the power is restored in your area. Having a generator as part of your hurricane protection plan can help you prepare for lengthy power outages at any time. 

Need help financing a standby generator? Take our quiz to get started with your home improvement project. 

Waterproof Your Home’s Crawl Spaces

While most Florida homes don’t have basements, many do have crawl spaces — or the unfinished space between the lowest structural component of the floor and the earth. Waterproofing crawl spaces significantly improves your home’s ability to withstand rising water levels during a hurricane. Waterproofing usually consists of fixing cracks in the foundation, adding drainage systems and installing crawl space encapsulation. Additionally, installing a sump pump will quickly pump water out of areas it shouldn’t be, reducing and even preventing water damage to your home.

Do you have questions about your home’s crawl space? Take our quiz to get started with hurricane protection and waterproofing.

Protect Your Home With Florida PACE

You can never be too prepared for a hurricane, but you can be unprepared. If you need help evaluating, repairing or replacing your home’s windows, doors or roof, we can help get your home hurricane-ready and set you up for future financial success so you can get the hurricane protection you need to keep your loved ones safe. Need a generator or something different? We can help with that too.

Start by applying for Florida PACE (it’s quick and easy!). Once you’ve been approved for a Florida PACE-certified funding plan, we’ll help you get your hurricane protection project scheduled with one of our PACE-approved contractors — or a contractor of your choice — so you can get going on your project.

When you work with Florida PACE, you enter into a partnership with us — not a scary, one-sided contractual agreement you feel pressured into. You’ll never have to prove a minimum credit score to qualify or put money down to begin your project. Plus, you only begin your payment plan once your project is completed and you’re 100% satisfied with the results.

For additional financing options, consider exploring other methods to pay for your home improvements. For more information, check out this detailed guide on the best ways to finance your home improvement projects.

Get started on your hurricane protection project today by contacting us and we’ll help you determine if Florida PACE is the right option for you. Or, take our quiz to evaluate if your home improvement will require a full replacement, a professional repair or a quick DIY fix.