The South Florida hurricane prep checklist that's actually about your house

Every June the same lists circulate — water, batteries, cash, gas. All correct. But the expensive lessons in a storm are usually about the house, and house prep has a schedule the week-before rush can't fix.

Do in May–June (calm season)

• Roof inspection. A professional inspection (~$120–$300) finds the lifted shingle or cracked tile before it becomes an interior water event. Insurance adjusters notice documented maintenance.
• Tree trimming. Palm and hardwood trimming is cheap in calm season and impossible to book the week a cone appears. Prioritize anything overhanging the roof or near service lines.
• Gutter and drain clearing. South Florida flooding is often a clogged-scupper problem, not a rainfall problem.

Do in early season

• Test the shutters. Accordion tracks corrode; panel hardware walks away. One dry run beats discovering it at 11 p.m.
• Garage door check. The garage door is the most common structural failure point in wind events. If yours is pre-2001 or wobbly, get it inspected — wind-rated braces and doors exist for a reason.
• Generator service. If you have one, run it monthly under load. If you're buying, the transfer-switch install needs an electrician and a permit — book early.

When a watch is issued

• Photograph every room and the exterior (insurance gold).
• Bring in or anchor anything that can fly.
• Fill, charge, cash, gas — the usual lists have this covered.

After the storm

Beware the out-of-state pickup truck with a ladder. Post-storm is peak season for unlicensed "roofers" taking deposits. Check licenses (here's how), get everything written, and never pay large sums up front. Local, verifiable pros exist — find them here.