How to Prep Your Patio for Hurricane Season
Hurricane season is a stressful and problematic occurrence that all Floridians must deal with when it rolls around each year. With harsh winds and heavy rain, tropical storms and hurricanes are dangerous, and we should always be prepared. Patio furniture and screen enclosures will often be overlooked when it comes to these preparations; however, these items can easily be protected and secured from the damaging hurricane weather.
From being a big part of your outdoor living space, patios and screen enclosures are susceptible to sharp gusts of winds and heavy rain. Large items found in your outdoor living space such as patio furniture, plant pots, trash cans, umbrellas, and wall décor need to be properly stowed away in a safe place such as a garage or storage unit. Often, lightweight furnishings, like PVC chairs and tables become dangerous projectiles that are flown into windows and pool enclosures, causing tremendous damage to your property and even nearby homes.
Tips for Prepping Your Patio for Hurricane Season
When news of a hurricane or tropical storms is on the way, it’s a good idea to begin getting prepared immediately and start storing away all your larger outdoor furnishings and items such as:
- Bulky items and furniture such as patio tables may be turned on their side or even upside down to prevent it from being caught in a gust of wind and thrown around.
- Potted plants and vases are susceptible to becoming unsafe during hurricane strength winds; therefore, we recommend that they are removed and placed inside.
- Patio umbrellas should be retracted and removed from their stand or table to avoid being blown over from heavy gusts of wind. Doing so will prevent umbrellas from damaging your screen enclosure.
- Trees that overhanging limbs should be trimmed and cut, decaying or weak branches should also be removed as well. Be mindful of trees/shrubbery near your home and patio enclosure. Ensure all loose limbs are away to avoid potential collisions or breakage near or around those areas.
- Decorative items should be safely placed indoors, to prevent possible water damage from the tropical storm or hurricane weather.
- Enclosed swimming pools (as recommended by pool constructors) should still contain some water inside them during any tropical storm or hurricane. It’s also recommended to add additional chlorine to reduce contamination from the water of the rain. Although your pool may overflow, it will be less likely to take damage by or from the storm and falling debris. It’s essential to cover any outdoor electrical equipment/devices with proper water-resistant material to reduce any chances or risk of damage.
Wrapping Things Up
Always be prepared during any violent storm. By taking the right precautions and necessary preventative measures during the hurricane season, you can ensure the safety of your home, pets, and family. We hope you have found this guide to be useful and easy to follow. Most importantly, we hope that if you ever experience a hurricane event, you and your home will be safe.
If you’d like to learn more about how you can transform your backyard into your personal oasis, download our Free Buyer’s Guide Handbook here, or call us at 1-407-237-3128
Prep Your Patio for Hurricane Season