June starts Florida hurricane season. We have a post dedicated to hurricane season including a shopping and home readiness downloadable checklist here. In the meantime, we prepare in June mostly by tree-trimming, testing the generator, and checking that we have plenty of supplies in the case of an extended power outage.
Hurricane Season: June 1- November 1
Preparing for a Storm:
- Trim any trees that overhang the roof and any dead branches on all trees at the beginning of the season.
- Clean debris from roof. Bring in all outdoor furniture items to prevent flying debris.
- Secure all gutters, valleys, and loose downspouts.
- Be sure any storm drains on the street are cleaned and ensure water can flow.
- Reinforce garage doors, they are the most vulnerable to wind damage.
- Protect windows with storm shutters (many newer homes' windows can withstand 180 mph winds).
- Test your generator before the storm to be sure it can handle the load you plan to put on it (refrigerator, radio, power strips, fans, phones, etc.)
During a Storm:
- Choose a safe interior room with no windows, if you have small children, run through a drill and have their comfort items in advance.
- Fill your bathtubs with water. Use a bucket to flush the toilets.
- If evacuating, turn off power, water, & gas. Plan multiple evacuation routes. Keep small denominations of cash on hand.
Here are some other items we recommend monthly:
- Trash cans: bleach outside trash cans and recycle bins, disinfect inside trash cans (monthly)
- Garbage disposal: run baking soda and citrus fruit rinds through the disposal to freshen the lines and crushed ice to sharpen the blades (monthly)
Want some ideas for decorating your home this month? Our Pinterest board "Home Decorating for Every Occasion" has ideas for ways to decorate your home each month of the year.
Keeping up maintenance on your home is the best way to keep the value of your biggest investment. We put these lists together monthly based on what we see in the real estate market and home inspections. Taking the time to do these things each month can keep you from feeling overwhelmed when you think of selling, and give you peace of mind.
If you find that you need a tree-trimmer or other contractor for any of these tasks, give us a call for a reference! 904.826.3690