What should I do before a storm?
Say how your openings are protected and what the home has, and get a stage-by-stage list to print and tick off. The window and door items are marked so you know which ones an installer handles.
Your checklist
Hurricane prep checklist
South Florida · onecallimpactwindows.com
Before June 1
Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30- Open and lock every impact window and door once: a window that does not lock fully is not performing as its approval assumes.Installer job
- Look for cracked panes and fog between the panes; both are glass-unit replacements that take time to order.Installer job
- Clear the weep holes at the bottom of each frame so driving rain drains out, not in.Installer job
- Photograph every room and the outside of the house for your records, including the windows and doors and their labels.
- Check the roof edge, gutters and soffits for anything loose; roof work is a roofer's job.
- Trim trees and palms away from the roof and windows (keep clear of power lines).
When a storm is named
Days out- Fill the car, charge phones and power banks, get cash, and fill prescriptions.
- Water: one gallon per person per day for several days. Food that needs no cooking.
- Bring in or tie down patio furniture, grills, potted plants and anything that can fly.
- Do not drain the pool; lower it a little, switch off the pump and remove loose items from the enclosure.
The day before
Watches and warnings- Close and lock every window and door. Impact glass is rated with the window locked; that is all it needs.
- Freeze bottles of water, set the fridge and freezer to their coldest, and fill tubs with water for flushing.
- Park cars away from trees and out of low spots; a garage with the door braced is best.
- Know your evacuation zone and route. If you are told to go, go.
After it passes
Once officials say it is safe- Stay inside until officials say it is clear; downed lines and flooded roads come first.
- Walk the house: photograph any cracked glass, water at sills or under doors, and frames that moved, before cleaning up.Installer job
- A laminated pane that cracked but stayed in place did its job; leave it until an installer sees it.Installer job
- Open shutters only when the weather has fully passed; dry and lubricate the tracks afterwards.
- Water at a sill or under a door after wind-driven rain is a seal or flashing problem to look at before the next one.Installer job
General preparation only; follow your county's emergency management office and the National Hurricane Center for the storm itself. Items marked “installer job” are the ones an impact window installer handles.
A window that leaks, will not lock or has a cracked pane? An installer measures and quotes it. Free quote.
How this works
The list is split by time: what to do before the season starts (the slow items, such as ordering a glass unit or fixing a lock), what to do once a storm is named, what to do the day before, and what to check afterwards.
Your choice of protection changes the window items. Impact windows and doors only need closing and locking; shutters need test-closing before the season and closing on the day; unprotected openings get the safety items until they are protected.
It runs in your browser and nothing you enter is sent anywhere. It is a guide, not a quote or a professional assessment — products, openings and associations differ, so follow the maker's instructions where they disagree, and the installer confirms what the job needs when they measure it.
Questions people ask
- When is hurricane season?
- June 1 to November 30, with the busiest weeks from mid-August to October. The before-June-1 items are the ones that take time: ordering glass, replacing locks, fixing leaks.
- Do impact windows need anything done before a storm?
- Close and lock them. The window is rated with the sash locked, so a lock that does not engage fully is worth fixing before the season.
- Should I tape the windows?
- No. Tape does nothing to strengthen glass and makes a mess to remove. Protection comes from impact glass or an approved shutter over the opening.
- What do I check after the storm?
- Every window and door: cracked glass, water at sills or under doors, frames that moved. Photograph before cleaning up. A laminated pane that cracked but stayed in place did its job; leave it for the installer.
- Is this official guidance?
- It is a general household list. Follow your county's emergency management office and the National Hurricane Center for evacuation orders and the storm itself.
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