Hurricane Season Prep Checklist for Miami-Dade Homeowners

Hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, and in Miami-Dade that’s not an abstraction — it’s a calendar entry. The households that come through storms well aren’t the lucky ones; they’re the ones that did the boring work in June instead of fighting the crowds at the hardware store when a storm already has a name.

Here’s the checklist we give our own customers, split into what to do now, what to do when a storm is named, and what to do after it passes.

Start of Season: Do This on a Sunny Weekend

Your storm protection

• Test-close every accordion shutter. Run each one fully closed and locked, then open. If one drags or sticks, clean the tracks and lubricate them with a silicone spray (not oil — it collects grit). A shutter that sticks in June fails in October.
• Cycle your roll-downs. Run each roll-down shutter fully down and up — motorized ones too, including the manual override crank. Motors that sit unused all year are the ones that surprise you.
• Count your storm panels. Lay them out, match every panel to its opening, and confirm you have all the wingnuts, bolts, and tracks. Missing hardware is a ten-minute fix today and an emergency the day before landfall.
• No shutters yet? This is the moment. Installers book solid once the first storm forms — and a typical install takes only a day or two, so getting protected before the next named storm is realistic. Get a quote now, not in the cone of uncertainty.

Around the property

• Trim trees and palms away from the house — branches are the debris that tests your windows first.
• Check the roof for loose tiles or shingles, and clear gutters and drains so rain has somewhere to go.
• Walk the yard and note everything that can fly: furniture, potted plants, grills, umbrellas. Know where each item goes when a storm comes.
• Photograph your home inside and out. Insurance claims go far smoother with "before" pictures on your phone.
• Review your insurance policy — and ask your agent about wind-mitigation credits for rated opening protection. Your shutters may be earning you a discount you’re not collecting.

When a Storm Is Named: The 72-Hour Window

• Close early, not last. When a hurricane watch is issued for South Florida, close your accordions and roll-downs and mount your panels. It costs nothing to be protected two days early — and closing shutters in 40 mph gusts on a ladder is how people get hurt before the storm even arrives.
• Don’t tape your windows. The old masking-tape X does nothing structural — it just creates bigger, sharper glass pieces. Rated protection or nothing.
• Plywood is a last resort, not a plan. Cut-to-fit plywood is better than bare glass, but it isn’t code-rated protection, the lumber runs out fast, and it earns no insurance credit. If you’re boarding up every year, the math favors doing shutters once.
• Bring in or anchor everything that can fly. The patio set you love becomes the missile your neighbor remembers.
• Water (one gallon per person per day), non-perishables, medications, flashlights, batteries, power banks, and a full tank of gas — before the lines form.
• Put documents (insurance, IDs, deeds) in a waterproof bag, and know your evacuation zone at miamidade.gov. If officials say go, go.

After the Storm

• Wait for the all-clear before opening up — the calm may be the eye, not the end.
• Watch for downed lines and standing water before walking the property.
• Open shutters and inspect each one as you go. Note anything bent, sprung, or dragging — small damage now is what fails in the next storm. If something took a hit, call us and we’ll get it serviced.
• Photograph any damage before you clean up, for the claim.

Mid-Season and Not Ready?

It’s not too late. We manufacture hurricane shutters, storm panels, accordion, and roll-down shutters in-house in Hialeah, and most installations take a day or two. Call or send the form below — get protected before the next storm has a name, not after.