We are the #1 providers and installers of Hurricane impact windows in South Florida! With hurricane season here, running from June 1 to November 30, the need for South Floridians to be prepared is always high. Every year, we’re warned to be prepared, and every year, people ignore those warnings. Remember the devastation of Hurricane Wilma in 2005? Nobody expected it to be as bad as it was. Remember Hurricane Andrew in 1992? It destroyed South Florida!
Here are a few ways you can be prepared for the next big storm:
Make sure you have your supplies
This is probably the easiest of all the ways you can stay prepared. Go online or to the store and buy a big tub. Then, go to Publix another grocery store, and start stocking up on non-perishable foods. This means canned and boxed food. Make sure you get some protein (beans and soups), pasta, and forget vegetables. Have enough food for three to five for each person living in your household. Get more if you expect to have company during a storm. Those who do not have hurricane impact windows will need shutters and plyboards, which are an outdated method to prepare for a hurricane! Most importantly: Get bottled water. Home Depot and Lowe’s sell it in bulk at discounted prices. Again, you’ll need at least 3-5 days’ worth of water for each person. But remember, you’ll need to use this water to drink, brush your teeth, cook (if you’re not boiling it), and possibly bathe. After a hurricane, it’s often recommended to boil all your water first, so if you don’t feel like boiling water, make sure you account for this with your bottled water. Other things you’ll need:- Batteries
- Flashlights
- Radio that runs on batteries or solar power
- Gloves for outdoor work
- Dog food (if you have pets)
- Propane if you have a gas grill
Make neighborhood friends
Hurricanes are a time when people in a community can join together to make sure they’re prepared. You may need help putting up your shutters, or ran out of fasteners for your shutters. Or, your neighbors may need help with something. Whatever the problem you or a neighbor has, it’s important to be there for each other. Remember, the nicer you are to them, the nicer they’ll be to you. This comes in especially handy when you lose power and your neighbor happens to have a whole-home generator and their air conditioning is working. Do you want to be stuck in the humidity without power? No. Be friends with a neighbor who has a generator.Get some tools
Make sure you have the tools to get work done. Trees may fall, a window may break, or something doesn’t fit and you need to make a repair. Here are some tools we highly recommend:- Ladder
- Hammer and nails
- Battery-operated drill with bits and screws
- Tree trimming and pruning tools. Loppers come in handy for branches up to 2.5 inches thick
- Saw – battery-operated or hand-powered. You may need to cut plywood to board up a window (but not if you have impact windows)
- Heavy-duty gloves. If you have a partner, get a pair for them, too. They now make gloves that have fabric that allows you to touch a cell phone screen. Quite convenient!
- A rope always comes in handy
Your AC should be working well
Wait, what? Why would I need to have a properly working AC during a hurricane? Good question. You need an air conditioner to work well because you may experience heavy rains, high humidity, and power surges. If your AC needs to work overtime with the humidity (assuming you have power) then having it break down is the last thing you need to happen. Likewise, if there’s a power surge and your AC isn’t protected or the equipment is not in top shape, the electrical systems can get blown out. We recommend having a regular AC maintenance plan that includes semi-annual tune-ups and covers your if there is damage. Be prepared.Prepare your home and land
Next, when preparing your home to weather the storm, there are a few things you need to make sure you do.- Trim the trees and plants on your property and — and this is super important — make sure the trimmed branches and leaves are removed BEFORE the storm. They can become projectiles and smash through unprotected windows that don’t have storm windows or shutters.
- Put up your shutters. No brainer, right? If you don’t have shutters, we recommend getting hurricane-strength windows. If you have them you can skip this step.
- Bring your patio furniture and all outdoor decorations inside. This includes chairs, tables, planters, rugs, grill, etc. You don’t want these things ending up inside a neighbors house.
- Bring the pets in. Hurricanes are one of the biggest reasons pets are lost. People forget to bring them in or, unfortunately, some people just let their pets go. Be nice to your pets.
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