Protect Your Home This Hurricane Season

Living on the Space Coast is one of the reasons so many of us love calling Brevard County home. We enjoy beautiful beaches, rocket launches, year-round sunshine, and an incredible coastal lifestyle. But living in Florida also means preparing for hurricane season.

The good news is that a little preparation today can go a long way toward protecting your home and giving you peace of mind if a storm heads our way.

Walk Around Your Home

Take a few minutes to walk around your property and look at it through the eyes of a homeowner preparing for severe weather. Check your roof for missing or damaged shingles, clean out your gutters, trim tree branches hanging over your home, and secure anything outdoors that could become airborne in strong winds.

Sometimes the small maintenance projects we put off become the ones we wish we'd taken care of before a storm.

Think About Long-Term Improvements

If you've been considering home improvements, now may be a good time to prioritize projects that can help protect your home while adding value.

Projects worth considering include:

• Installing impact-resistant windows or doors
• Replacing an older roof
• Adding or updating hurricane shutters
• Upgrading to a wind-rated garage door
• Installing a whole-home surge protector
• Scheduling a wind mitigation inspection, which may help reduce your homeowners insurance premium

Not every project has to be done at once, but having a plan can make future decisions much easier.

Don't Wait Until Everyone Else Needs Help

One thing I've learned is that contractors become incredibly busy once a storm is in the forecast. If your home has repairs you've been putting off, this is a great time to schedule a trusted handyman, roofer, tree service, or window company before their calendars fill up.

Review Your Insurance

It's also worth taking a few minutes to review your homeowners and flood insurance policies so you understand your coverage before you ever need it. Keep copies of important documents, take photos of your home and valuables, and update your hurricane supply kit if it's been a while.

My Advice

One of the things I enjoy most about being a REALTOR® is connecting people with trusted local professionals. Over the past year and a half, I've built relationships with some wonderful contractors, inspectors, roofers, electricians, plumbers, insurance professionals, and handymen throughout Brevard County.

If you're looking for someone reliable to help prepare your home this season, I'd be happy to share a few recommendations. Even if you're not buying or selling a home, I'm always happy to be a resource.

After all, real estate isn't just about buying and selling houses. It's about helping people take care of one of their biggest investments and being there when they need someone they can trust.