How to Prepare Your Jupiter Home for Hurricane Season

When you live in Florida, hurricane season is always around the corner. While you can hope for the best, you should prepare for the worst and give yourself peace of mind knowing that you and your family are ready for any outcome. While having a full tank of gas and plenty of provisions should be at the top of your list, you should also be proactive when it comes to preparing your home. From your roof down to your lawn, you will need to equip your Florida real estate investment for any situation.

Whether you are safe waiting out the storm from your house or battening down the hatches before evacuating the area, there are ways to mitigate any potential damage to your home. Hurricane season lasts six months of the year, and while you get to live in a tropical paradise, the actions you take before and during this season will help protect your family and your investment. Jupiter real estate has a picturesque natural landscape and an array of luxurious properties, making hurricane insurance a small price to pay for the privilege of living in this town.

It is best to begin by relocating any movable outdoor objects, like lawn furniture, lawnmowers, or grills, to your garage or even a reinforced shed. These objects will be the first to get blown away by the wind, and with any amount of bad luck, that chair you forgot outside will come crashing through your window. If you have outdoor garbage or recycling bins, move these inside so they don’t go flying away or, at the very least, open and close with every gust. Save yourself the hassle, and bring inside anything that's not glued, nailed, or cemented to the ground or house.

While boarded-up windows are not aesthetically pleasing, you will be glad you installed some additional protection when the time comes. Whether you use storm shutters or plywood, you can avoid paying for damage to the home and property kept inside when you reinforce these areas. You will also want to ensure your external doors are sturdy, to begin with, and make sure they have three hinges and a deadbolt lock to be safe. Even the sliding glass doors should be boarded up since a large entry point to your house would lead to damage. Windows and doors are the weak points in your home’s armor, and every external entrance should be strengthened.

In preparation for hurricane season, you should spring for a professional roof inspection to ensure it’s still in good shape and see if there are any ways to reinforce the existing materials. Taking the time to replace any missing shingles or seal any cracks will help fortify the roof when the winds are at their strongest. These weak points could lead to water damage to the interior and cause your roof to deteriorate quickly. Maintaining your roof consistently throughout the year will make the transition into the hurricane season smoother. You should have confidence in your roof going into every summer and never underestimate the toll a year can take on this feature of your home.

From your carport to your shed, if you can reinforce it, you should make sure each structure is firmly anchored to the ground. Leaving items untethered to the ground can lead to unimaginable damage to your home. Take stock of anything in your yard that needs additional bolstering and work quickly to secure these items before hurricane season has officially started. Anything that comes to mind should be strapped down, cemented in, or dragged inside because the one area you skimped on will lead to the biggest headache.

As you assess the outside of your property, take account of any overgrown trees, especially ones that stand over or next to your home. Those dead branches you have been meaning to get trimmed may wreak havoc when the wind picks up. While smaller branches tapping your house don’t typically lead to structural damage, the constant abrasions could ruin your shingles or paint. Hiring someone to trim some trees is worth the cost when you consider the thousands you could be avoiding in damage.

Let’s talk insurance. Maybe you know what is covered under your homeowner's insurance, but perhaps you don't. In preparation for hurricane season, call your insurance provider and find out what would be covered in the event of a hurricane. Depending on where you live in Florida, you may be required to obtain flood and hurricane insurance. Jupiter is on the state’s Southeast coast, putting the Atlantic Ocean and miles of beaches in your backyard, but this also means you have additional responsibilities from June through November. Calling your insurance company will help you understand what is covered and give you the opportunity to add or increase coverage in any areas you deem fit.

If you have been considering a move to the sunshine state or even just relocating closer to the coast, make sure you are working with reliable and knowledgeable representation. The Jupiter homes for sale range in style yet allow residents to blend into the landscape while enjoying the natural beauty around them. The hurricane season does bring challenges, but nothing the people of Jupiter haven’t faced before. Your real estate agent should not just guide you through your transaction but also offer advice and expertise that will help you with home ownership, especially regarding your geographical location.

When you are ready to buy or sell property on the southeast coast of Florida, work with an agent who will protect your interests and keep you informed during the process. Stacie Ahee has over 20 years of experience in the industry and works to get you to the closing table efficiently. Contact The Ahee Group to begin your real estate journey today!