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Another hurricane — or two or three or more — again. We find ourselves in yet another hurricane season, which creeps up faster on us than we anticipated. Even though the season officially begins on June 1, the storms with the biggest impact to the United States seem to come calling in August through October.
I admit I was largely indifferent to storm season until 2016 and 2017, when Hurricanes Matthew and Irma came calling on Northeast Florida. Sure, many storms had crisscrossed their way across Florida all those years prior to that, but the mantra when I first got into real estate was “Jacksonville is safe; the last direct hit was Hurricane Dora in 1965. We don’t really worry about these things.”
All of that quickly changed, of course, and I haven’t heard Dora’s name mentioned since Hurricane Matthew came knocking on the door. When those storms hit, Florida had not been in an insurance crisis yet, properties were still largely affordable, and people continued to flock to Florida in search of an affordable home in a warm weather climate where they could enjoy the beach lifestyle with no state income tax.
I remember being in the middle of several transactions when these hurricanes hit. The lenders wanted the properties inspected, as did the buyers, and, understandably, wanted them reinspected to ensure all was intact. I remember having several conversations during the storm with worried buyers of mine who were moving to the area and were very concerned about what to expect — and potential damage.
Every storm, no matter how devastating, is an opportunity for lessons learned and for preparation and possibly prevention the next time to whatever extent possible. Here are nine ways to prepare:
1. Prepare early
Stock up early on supplies you will need, and if you swore “next time” you were going to get a generator, a portable air conditioner, tarps, plywood, etc., shop for this early or maybe put it on your holiday gift list this year for you or a loved one.
This way, you avoid the last-minute rush when all is out at the nearest improvement store, the delivery time from Amazon is about two days past your need and time is ticking. Time will allow you to do your research, compare brands, etc.
These storms never come on our time, and we never know what we may be dealing with when one is coming. Life gets busy, and it can be easy to put this off; no one really feels like preparing in June, but we need to think differently.
2. Fortify your home
If you want to do any fixes or fortifying to your home, the time to do that is well before you are in the thick of the season. Trying to find a tree guy right before the next big storm? Lots of luck. Remove trees and trim back limbs and any vegetation that could become dangerous.
Check and clean gutters and fencing to ensure all is secure. You might want to consider gutter guards to protect gutters from building up with debris. Have a trusted roofer or your home inspector do an assessment on your house with regards to your roof, chimney, plumbing boot vents (if you have those) as well as areas for potential water intrusion around windows, areas that need caulking, etc.
Speaking of windows and exterior doors, if yours are old, consider upgrading to withstand higher winds. It won’t be cheap, but if you are in an area prone to high winds, it is worth the investment.
Ensure your garage door can withstand high winds, and ensure you have a hurricane brace. If you’ve been putting off buying hurricane shutters, but know you really need them, now is the time to start looking into options and deciding on a product that works best.
Check with your insurance agent as to whether your home qualifies for certain discounts on your policy if you undertake storm-preparedness improvements on your home.
3. Research logistics
Depending on the direction of the storm, know your options ahead of time as far as evacuation routes, alternate routes to the extent possible to avoid gridlock on the highways and hotels (including those that are pet-friendly) that could serve as potential evacuation sites, depending on the direction you need to go. Plans are fluid and certainly subject to change with these storms, but it helps to have a general idea.
4. Tarps, towels and plastic
My hurricane protocol consisted of plastic tarps over all televisions, wall hangings and furniture that we cared about. Plastic bins are also immensely helpful, and I admittedly overdosed on putting things in plastic within plastic bins in places away from windows and doors where they might be protected to the greatest extent possible.
Any family photos, objects or heirlooms were placed in plastic for protection. I rolled up old beach towels and placed them by exterior doors and in window wells to help mitigate any wind-driven rain that might come through.
Moisture intrusion may not always be obvious after a storm, as wind-driven rain can be sneaky. Areas near windows and doors may feel slightly damp or wet, and no, they aren’t cold because of the air conditioning.
5. Bleach, bleach and more bleach
It’s not a bad idea to stock up on a healthy supply of this either. Should things get damaged, you’ll want to tackle them with bleach as the cleaning and disinfecting agent wherever possible.
6. Document your possessions ahead of time
When you are in hurricane prep mode, the last thing you need is to worry about documenting all your possessions. Take the time to do this well before hurricane season starts — create an inventory list of everything in the house and any details that are helpful in reconstructing value.
If you have any receipts, scan those into cloud-based document storage for easy electronic retrieval. In addition, take photos and videos of your home and all rooms as well as the exterior for reference.
7. Review your insurance coverage
Life gets busy. We pay our insurance premiums but don’t always pay close attention to every detail of what they include or exclude. We may generally know but we don’t really know until there is a problem. We should never assume.
A detailed review of your homeowners, flood and life insurance policies (if you have them) should be part of your storm preparations every year. Make sure you go over these with your insurance agent to determine if there are any deficiencies or shortcomings and if there is additional coverage you should purchase or whether you should shop for new policies, depending on the situation.
This is certainly becoming more complicated and costly, and changing policies may not be possible, but it is worth checking into and understanding exactly what they cover and do not. If you have whole life insurance, ask your agent if you have a policy that would allow you to tap into it for cash — this can be a great way to be your own bank and borrow from yourself.
7. Create an emergency fund
Hurricanes are just part of life in certain climates. As such, it is important to set aside funds should they be needed for repair, remediation, replacement and temporary accommodations, etc.
Insurance may or may not be there when we need it to be in the way we expect. Given that there are always loopholes and having done an insurance review, you will know where you may need to supplement what insurance will not cover.
8. Share your preparedness
Share your tips, best practices and other information with your prospects and clients. Putting together information and a hurricane preparation kit for your buyers along with past clients will be greatly appreciated.
You can look to Amazon or any number of websites to get ideas; order a premade one or put together your own with batteries, weather radio, portable radio, flashlights, reading lights, chargers for phones, laptops and tablets, along with a supply of protein bar or other snacks that can keep for long periods of time.
A fireproof and waterproof safe box will also be an appreciated gift and something you should make sure you have yourself.
9. As the storm approaches and during the storm
This is where preparation meets reality. Hopefully, you have determined a safe place to be, and if you were planning on evacuating, you should plan on leaving off-hours or in advance of the rush. As we have seen, gas stations can run out of gas quickly, which causes people who were going to leave to end up staying put for fear they will run out of gas.
If you have an electric vehicle, you want to ensure you’ve mapped out routes where charging stations are available. As the storm approaches, consider the following:
- About a week prior, make sure to stock up on gas and propane tanks – you’ll want to avoid long lines for these things right before the storm hits.
- Stock up on bags of ice if needed as well. Those can be extremely hard to find once the panic buying sets in, not to mention after the storm.
- Turn down your air conditioning to keep your property cool.
- Fill up bathtubs and extra buckets, and buy some trashcans to fill up with extra water supply as well.
- If you are planning on leaving, unplug all your appliances.
- Cover all electronics and other valuable items in plastic.
- Create a text chain or group on social media to let those closest to you know your whereabouts and status for ease of communication and to avoid an onslaught of communications that could drain the battery on your cell phone during the storm. Also, check in during the storm to let everyone know what’s going on and after, if you are able.
- Make sure you have plenty of car chargers so you can keep your phone charged if your power goes out.
Getting through a storm involves preparation and planning. While we cannot control the storm’s trajectory or outcome, there are some things we can do to lessen the stress.
While this list is not exhaustive, it touches on many of the things we know we should do but may not always get around to. By sharing with others, hopefully, it helps empower them, especially those who are new to hurricane-prone areas.
