Hurricane season in South Florida runs from June through November, and if you own a home in Palm Beach County, you know the drill: a storm doesn’t have to hit us head-on to cause trouble. High winds, driving rain, and flying debris will find every weak spot on your home. The good news is that a little prep work goes a long way.

Here’s our home prep checklist — the same one we run through for our own homes and for customers from Palm Beach Gardens to Wellington.

Gutters and Downspouts

Clogged gutters overflow in heavy rain, sending water over the edge instead of away from your home. That water can back up under the roof edge, pour down behind the fascia, and pool around the foundation. Clean out leaves and debris, make sure downspouts are attached firmly, and check that water drains away from the house — not toward it. If your gutters haven’t been cleaned in a while, our gutter cleaning service will get them flowing freely again.

Caulking and Sealing

Florida sun is brutal on exterior caulk. After a few summers, the sealant around windows, doors, and siding dries out and cracks — and driving wind-driven rain will find every one of those gaps. Walk around your home and look for cracked or missing caulk at trim joints, window frames, and where siding meets the house. Fresh, precise caulking keeps water out and keeps your conditioned air in. It’s one of the cheapest forms of storm protection there is.

Doors and Weatherstripping

Every exterior door is a potential entry point for wind and water. Check that doors close tightly and latch properly — a door that doesn’t seal is a door that lets rain blow in. Inspect the weatherstripping for tears, gaps, or flattened spots, and replace what’s worn. Don’t forget the garage door: it’s the largest opening in most homes, so make sure it closes fully and the seals sit flat. If a door sticks, rattles, or won’t latch, our door repair service can get it sealing right.

Fences and Gates

A wobbly fence doesn’t stand much chance against tropical-storm winds — and broken fence sections become projectiles. Walk your fence line and look for loose pickets, leaning posts, and gates that sag or won’t latch. Tightening, re-securing, or replacing weak spots now is a lot cheaper than picking up the pieces after a storm. Our fence repair service handles exactly this kind of work.

Secure the Exterior

Take stock of everything outside your home that isn’t nailed down: patio furniture, grills, planters, toys, and anything stored along the side of the house. In high winds, these items become missiles aimed at your windows and siding. Have a plan for where they’ll go — into the garage, a shed, or stacked and tied down. While you’re at it, give your driveway, walkways, and pool deck a good pressure washing before the season ramps up; clean surfaces shed water better and let you spot cracks or damage you’d otherwise miss.

What H3 Can Help With

Most of this checklist falls right in our wheelhouse: gutter cleaning, caulking and sealing, door repair and weatherstripping, fence repair, pressure washing, and general home maintenance. For work that requires specialized licensing — structural repairs, major electrical, full plumbing, HVAC, or roofing — we’ll point you to trusted licensed pros. That’s how we run our business: honest about what we do, and honest about what we don’t.

Take a look at our full list of handyman services and our Palm Beach County service areas. Then get in touch for a free estimate — and get your home ready before the next storm is on the radar.