Florida is known for a good handful of things, such as tropical weather, lively nightlife, and hurricanes. Soon, temperatures will rise and thunderstorms will bring in the well-known hurricane season. While the Lake Apopka area is somewhat protected by our mid-state situation, that doesn’t mean we’re guaranteed an easy season. A good, high-durable house painting could make the difference when your home comes to stand up against a hurricane. According to the National Flood Insurance Program, the average hurricane-related home flood claim was over $39,000! 

Most of this damage comes from wind and water. With wind and rain wreaking havoc on your structure, commercial or residential, paint can help keep the moisture out. To mitigate some of these problems, there are steps you can take now to save yourself money later! In this article, our house painting professionals discuss what painting steps you can do to prepare your home for hurricane season.

Check Your Windows

We are swift to install hurricane windows, but are the windows on your home sealed properly? Even under the shutters and plywood, improperly sealed windows are prone to cracking, damage and water intrusion. Over time, especially in humidity and heat, caulk can get old, brittle and fall away. The once tight seal can be left allowing wind and water to blow during a regular afternoon thunderstorm, so you can imagine the outcome during a hurricane.

Ensuring proper sealing around windows can be a small but important step before hurricane season arrives. Repairing the stripping around windows can help keep daily rain out, in addition to saving your walls in a hurricane, re-caulking the windows can prevent thunderstorm rain from getting inside your house too.

Check Your Stucco

Each summer it’s a good idea to inspect your stucco and substrate for new cracks or peeling paint that could be signaling early deterioration. Even if the paint is structurally sound, with no cracks or peeling, it could be early in failure. Look for chalking or other signs the older paint is struggling to protect your home. Since house painting is your first layer of defense against the outside, you’ll want to allow it to best do its job. This includes protecting your family and belongings from driving rain and wind that hurricanes can bring.

Gutters and Roof Sealants

Since you probably have the ladder out, go ahead and climb onto the roof and up to the gutters and make sure they are intact and well secured. A flying gutter can cause an exorbitant amount of damage through 12 hours of rain bands. Clogged gutters can make backflow run into your home or stress your roof. Stacks, skylights, chimneys and any other roof elements need to be sealed and secured pre-storm.

House Painting Preparation with CertaPro Painters®

To prepare your home’s exterior for the hurricane season, don’t put off smaller chores. These imperfections can quickly escalate, especially with the wind and rain associated with a hurricane. Learn more about what hurricane season means for your home and what house painting preparations you can take now. Then, meet with our team of estimators to discuss any concerns about your home’s exterior prior to hurricane season. Call our professionals at 407-476-1211 or fill out our free, no-obligation form for a free estimate.