The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, according to the National Hurricane Center. If you go north in spring and come back in the fall, your Florida home sits through most of it without you. You cannot stop a storm from another state. What you can do is make sure the house is ready before you go, and know who you will call after. Here is how to think about it.
What this post covers:
- •What to do before you head north
- •Who needs to be lined up, and who should have your number
- •What to do when a storm is coming and you are not there
- •What to do after it passes
Do the Work Before You Leave
A lot of storm trouble in a yard starts as loose stuff. Limbs that hang over the roof, dead palm fronds, patio furniture and anything else that can move in the wind. Get the trees trimmed, get the furniture into the garage or the house, and clear the gutters and downspouts so water has somewhere to go.
The University of Florida guide to closing a seasonal home also says to review your homeowners insurance and update it if needed, and to update your home inventory and keep copies somewhere safe. Take photos of the house and the yard while you are at it, so you have a clear record of how it looked before you left.
Unplug appliances and electronics too. The guide recommends this to protect them from surges during storms. Our full summer close-up checklist goes through everything else in order.
Decide Who Does What, in Writing
The guide tells owners to arrange ahead of time for someone to close shutters and prepare the home if a hurricane threatens. That is the part people skip. If you have shutters, decide now who closes them, and make sure that person can get to them.
Next, leave your contact information with your neighbors and your homeowners association. Ask a neighbor if they would send you a photo after a storm. It is the fastest way to find out if you have a problem.
Make a short list with your insurance agent, the neighbor, your community office and whoever handles your yard. Keep it in your phone. If you want Jeff on that list, call him before you go so that he has seen your place.
Need help with getting your Florida home ready for hurricane season? We will call you.
Drop your info and Jeff will reach out with a free estimate.
When a Storm Is on the Way
You will see it on the news, and it is tempting to drive down. Before you make any plans, check the official forecast from the National Hurricane Center and listen to your local county emergency managers. They know what is happening where your home is, and their instructions come first.
Then work your list. Text the person handling your shutters. Check that your neighbor has your number. Make sure you have your insurance information with you and not just in a drawer in Florida.
After It Passes
Start with the neighbor or your community office, and ask for photos if you can. If there is damage, call your insurance agent before you pay for big repairs, and ask what they need from you. Take photos of everything before anything gets moved, if someone can do that safely.
Then sort the problems by who should fix them. Roof and structural damage go to a company licensed for that work. Limbs, fronds and debris in the yard are the part Jeff can clear and haul away. After a big storm everyone in the area is busy, so we will not promise a time, but he will tell you straight when he can get there.
If you live in a community with upkeep rules, ask whether debris on your lot is yours to clear. In the Lady Lake portion of The Villages, for example, the published standards say lawns must be kept free of fallen palm fronds and tree limbs. You can read more on our Lady Lake page.
The Short Version
Trim before you go. Move anything loose. Know your insurance. Leave your number with people close to the house, and have their numbers too. When you are ready to set that up, here is how Jeff works with snowbirds.
Where this information comes from