Quick answer: To prepare your home for hurricane season, start months ahead: secure your power plan, protect windows and doors, inspect the roof and gutters, trim trees, stock supplies, and document your belongings and policies. The Atlantic season runs June 1 to November 30, and the best time to act is before a storm is in the forecast, when contractors, shutters and generators are still available.
Key takeaways
- Do the big projects (shutters, roof repairs, generator install) in spring, not when a storm is named.
- Backup power should be sized to your real loads, not guessed at.
- Photograph and inventory your home now; claims go faster with records.
- Check your insurance deductible and flood coverage before June, since new policies often have waiting periods.
- A one-page plan and a packed kit beat last-minute scrambling every time.
Hurricane damage rarely comes from one failure. Wind breaks a window, rain gets in, the power goes out, and a small problem becomes an expensive one. This guide walks through the home-protection basics in the order that matters: power, water and structure.
If you want help with the power piece, you can request free backup power quotes using the form on this page.
Start With a Hurricane Season Timeline
Spreading tasks across the calendar keeps costs down and avoids the pre-storm rush. Here is a simple schedule many homeowners in coastal states like Florida, Texas, Louisiana and the Carolinas follow.
- March to April: Roof inspection, gutter cleaning, tree trimming, review insurance policies.
- May: Order or install shutters, service the generator, restock supplies, photograph your home.
- June 1: Season begins. Confirm your evacuation route and family plan.
- When a storm is 3 to 5 days out: Fuel up, fill prescriptions, charge batteries, put up shutters, move outdoor items inside.
Pro tip: Put the plan on one printed page: evacuation route, shelter location, contact numbers, insurance policy numbers and where your documents are stored. Phones die; paper does not.
Backup Power: Keep the Lights, Fridge and Medical Devices Running
After a hurricane, outages can last days or even weeks. A backup power plan decides whether you shelter in comfort or throw out a freezer of food and sit in the heat.
Your main options
- Portable generator: Lowest upfront cost, but you run cords, refuel by hand and must operate it outdoors, well away from windows and doors.
- Standby (whole-house) generator: Runs on natural gas or propane and switches on automatically. Costs more but handles long outages. See our breakdown of whole-house generator cost and the standby generator installation cost line by line.
- Home battery backup: Quiet, no fuel, and pairs well with solar. Compare options in our guide to home battery backup system cost.
Size it before you buy
Guessing leads to a generator that trips under load or a battery that drains overnight. Our generator sizing guide and load worksheet helps you add up the refrigerator, sump pump, HVAC and medical equipment you actually need to run.
If you are leaning toward permanent equipment, read how whole-house generator installation works, including permits and timeline. Installs can take weeks, which is another reason to start early.
- Safety rule: Never run a generator in a garage, basement or near an open window. Carbon monoxide kills people every year after storms.
- Fuel: Store gasoline only in approved containers and rotate it; old fuel clogs carburetors.
- Test it: Run your generator under load for 30 minutes before the season starts.
The best time to buy a generator or shutters is when no storm is on the map.
Protect Windows and Doors With Shutters and Impact Glass
Wind-driven debris breaks windows, and once the building envelope is breached, pressure builds inside and roofs can fail. Protecting openings is one of the highest-value steps in how to prepare your home for hurricane season.
- Accordion and roll-down shutters: Fast to deploy, permanent, higher cost.
- Storm panels (aluminum or steel): Cheaper, but they need storage space and time to install.
- Impact-rated windows and doors: Always on, no setup, and often earn insurance discounts.
- Plywood: A last resort. It works only if cut, labeled and anchored properly in advance.
Prices vary widely by window count and product. Our hurricane shutters cost guide compares types and typical price ranges so you can match protection to budget.
Do not forget the weak points beyond windows:
- Reinforce or replace garage doors; a failed garage door is a common starting point for roof loss.
- Check entry door hinges, deadbolts and thresholds.
- Seal gaps around windows and doors with fresh exterior caulk.
Roof, Gutters and Drainage
Your roof is your first line of defense, and small existing damage becomes big damage in 100 mph gusts.
- Inspect shingles and flashing: Look for curling, missing or lifted shingles, and cracked sealant around vents and chimneys.
- Check roof age: Roofs near the end of their service life are the most vulnerable and may affect insurance terms.
- Clear gutters and downspouts: Clogs push water under roof edges and toward your foundation.
- Extend downspouts: Direct water several feet from the foundation.
- Test your sump pump: Pour in water and confirm it activates; consider a battery backup for it.
Get a licensed roofer to document the condition with photos. That record is useful if you later file a claim.
Trees, Yard and Outdoor Items
Falling limbs cause a large share of storm damage to roofs and cars, and loose yard items become projectiles.
- Trim overhanging branches: Hire a certified arborist for large trees, and never trim near power lines yourself.
- Remove dead or leaning trees: Weak trees fail first.
- Secure or store: Patio furniture, grills, trash cans, potted plants and decorations go inside or get tied down.
- Boats and vehicles: Follow your local guidance for storage and evacuation.
Pro tip: Take “before” photos of your trees and yard in spring. It helps show the condition of your property if a claim arises later.
Water, Food and Emergency Supplies
Plan for at least three days of self-sufficiency, and many emergency agencies suggest up to a week or more in hurricane zones. A solid kit includes:
- Water: A common guideline is one gallon per person per day, plus pets.
- Food: Non-perishables, a manual can opener, and a cooler plus ice.
- Light and communication: Flashlights, extra batteries, a battery or hand-crank radio, power banks.
- Health: First aid kit, prescription medicines, and any medical supplies.
- Documents: IDs, insurance papers and bank info in a waterproof bag or secured digitally.
- Cash: Card readers and ATMs fail when power is out.
Our upcoming guide to a complete emergency kit for your home will go deeper on quantities and storage. For official checklists, the Ready.gov hurricane guidance is a reliable reference.
Insurance claims move faster when you can show what you owned and what condition it was in.
Insurance and Documentation Before the Storm
Paperwork is part of how to prepare your home for hurricane season, and it is the step most people skip. Do it while the weather is calm.
- Review your policy: Learn what your dwelling, belongings and living-expense coverage includes. Our guide to what homeowners insurance covers explains the basics.
- Find your hurricane or wind deductible: Many coastal policies use a percentage of your home’s insured value rather than a flat dollar amount, which can be a large out-of-pocket number. We plan to cover this in our hurricane deductible explainer.
- Ask about flood coverage: Standard homeowners policies generally do not cover flood damage. Flood insurance, such as through the National Flood Insurance Program, typically has a waiting period before it takes effect, so do not wait for a storm to form.
- Create a home inventory: Walk through every room with your phone, narrating and photographing belongings, serial numbers and receipts for big items.
- Back it up: Store photos and policy documents in cloud storage and on a drive you can take with you.
Costs vary by location and home, so see how much homeowners insurance costs and what drives premiums. Also note that a home warranty does not replace storm coverage; our comparison of home warranty vs homeowners insurance explains the difference.
Final Pre-Storm Checklist (3 to 5 Days Out)
- Install shutters or panels and lock down the garage door.
- Fill vehicle tanks and generator fuel containers.
- Charge phones, power banks and rechargeable lights.
- Move valuables and documents to higher floors.
- Set the refrigerator and freezer to colder settings and freeze water bottles.
- Shut off utilities only if instructed by local officials.
- Follow evacuation orders from local authorities without delay.
If you are still without a reliable power plan, now is the time to request your free backup power quote through the form on this page and talk with a vetted provider about options that fit your home.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I start preparing for hurricane season?
Ideally in early spring. Big projects like roof repairs, shutter installation and generator installs can take weeks, and demand spikes once a storm is forecast. The season begins June 1.
Does homeowners insurance cover hurricane damage?
Wind damage is usually covered, sometimes with a separate hurricane or wind deductible. Flood damage generally is not and requires a separate flood policy. Confirm the details with your insurer or agent.
What is the most important upgrade for hurricane protection?
Protecting openings (windows, doors and the garage door) and maintaining a sound roof are usually top priorities, followed by a reliable backup power plan. A qualified contractor can assess your specific home.
How big a generator do I need for a hurricane outage?
It depends on what you want to run. Add up the wattage of essentials like the refrigerator, sump pump, lights and cooling, then include starting surges. Use a sizing worksheet or ask an installer to perform a load calculation.
Get free backup power quotes before hurricane season
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