Storm season guide
Hurricane Prep Checklist for Palm Beach Second Homes
By Nick Martinsen, Owner · Updated August 2026
A second home in Palm Beach County buys you an extraordinary winter. Summer asks for something in return. From June through November, the distance between you and the house is the whole problem — a storm forms, the forecast tightens, and you are two thousand miles from the shutters.
Whether the property sits on Palm Beach Island, in Jupiter, or off the equestrian trails in Wellington, a written plan is what keeps a storm from becoming a claim. Here is the checklist we work from.
01
Outdoor space and perimeter security
High winds turn patio furniture, potted plants, and landscape decor into projectiles.
- Clear patio areas
- Move every loose outdoor item — loungers, dining sets, umbrellas, fire pit covers — into the garage or a secure interior storage room.
- Inspect trees and landscaping
- Schedule pre-season palm frond trimming and tree thinning. Overhanging branches near a roofline are the first thing to fail in a storm.
- Secure watercraft and lift cables
- Raise boat lifts above expected storm surge height and tie down vessel lines properly.
02
Opening and barrier inspection
The envelope of the house is its first line of defense against high-velocity wind and wind-borne debris.
- Impact glass and shutters
- Confirm impact-rated doors and windows latch correctly. Test motorized and manual shutters at the start of the season so tracks are lubricated and clear of debris.
- Door security
- Double doors need heavy-duty throw bolts top and bottom. Garage doors should be braced or impact-rated — garage door failure is a leading cause of structural roof loss.
03
Power, HVAC, and auxiliary generators
Outages in South Florida run from hours to weeks, and indoor humidity climbs fast once the air stops moving.
- Whole-home generators
- Book annual pre-season service for standby units. Verify fuel levels or natural gas supply and confirm the automatic transfer switch actually transfers.
- A/C surge protection
- Install surge protection on main compressors so a lightning strike or grid surge does not take out the system.
- Set humidity controls
- Thermostats at 74–76°F with humidistats at 50% relative humidity, so the house dries itself out the moment power returns.
04
Plumbing and water systems
Water intrusion and interior leaks damage more vacant Florida estates than wind does.
- Main water shutoff
- If the home is vacant through the season, close the main valve while leaving irrigation and fire suppression lines active.
- Water heater precautions
- Switch off breakers to electric water heaters whenever the main supply is shut off, or you will burn out the element.
05
Pre-storm documentation and photo reports
Before a storm enters the forecast cone, a clear digital record of the property's condition is what settles a claim.
- Comprehensive photo audit
- Document roofs, exterior walls, windows, pool decks, landscaping, and interior rooms as they stand today.
- Digital records storage
- Keep insurance policies, elevation certificates, and vendor contacts in a secure cloud portal you can reach from anywhere.
On the ground
The value of local on-site estate oversight
Executing a pre-storm plan on 48 hours' notice is close to impossible from another time zone. Somebody has to be at the house.
We handle storm preparation and post-storm inspection for owners across Palm Beach and Martin Counties as part of home watch and full estate management. We secure the property before landfall and return with timestamped photo inspections as soon as officials reopen the roads — filed in your EstateEase portal the same day.
The year-round version of this list, phase by phase, is our storm preparation and seasonal readiness program, and owners who travel through the season usually run it alongside executive home management.
By location
Hurricane preparation by city
Exposure, access, and vendor availability differ block to block. These pages cover how we prepare and inspect homes in each city.
Related reading
Before you hire
- A definition of home watch
The systems most likely to fail in a closed house, and the record a visit should leave behind.
- Vetting a home watch company
Licensing, general liability, and the difference between a checklist and a real record.
- What to look for in an estate manager
Single point of contact, vendor accountability, and a written record of every decision.
- What home watch costs
Published rates from $750 a month and the six factors that move the price.
- Common questions
What happens between visits, who to call, and how quickly an owner responds.
Begin
Protect your South Florida residence this storm season.
Tell us where the house is and how long it sits empty. We will walk it with you and build the storm plan around it.
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