Local know-how
What to Book Before Hurricane Season Starts
The season opens June 1. The good roofers, tree crews and generator installers are booked well before that. A spring list for Lowcountry homeowners.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. (National Hurricane Center) Every year I watch the same thing happen. A storm shows up on the map in August, and suddenly everybody in Beaufort County wants a tree taken down, a generator hooked up and somebody to look at the roof. The crews worth hiring were booked a month ago.
Here’s what I’d get done in the spring, while people still return calls.
The Roof
Have somebody walk it. You’re looking for lifted or missing shingles, loose flashing around vents and chimneys, and soft spots in the deck. Salt air is hard on fasteners and metal flashing, and on the islands it’s harder. A small repair in April is a lot cheaper than a tarp and a ceiling in September.
If the roof is near the end of its life anyway, read up on SC Safe Home before you replace it. The order of operations matters if you want the grant.
The Trees
Most of the storm damage I see on houses here isn’t wind on the roof. It’s a limb, or a whole pine, coming down on it. Have an arborist look at anything big enough to reach the house: dead limbs, trees leaning toward the roof, and live oaks with heavy limbs over the driveway. Some towns and HOAs want approval before a tree comes down, so ask the tree crew and your HOA before anyone starts a saw.
Gutters and Drainage
A tropical storm can drop a lot of rain in a few hours. Clean gutters and downspouts that carry water away from the foundation keep it out of the crawl space and the walls. If water stands around the house after an ordinary thunderstorm, it’ll be worse in a big one.
Power
If you want a standby generator, start early. It’s a job with a permit, a gas or propane line, a pad and an electrician, and it takes time to schedule. If you already have one, have it serviced and run under load before June. Portable generators need a proper transfer switch or interlock, installed by an electrician. Never backfeed through a dryer outlet.
Openings
Garage doors are a weak spot on a lot of houses. If yours isn’t rated for wind, ask a garage door company about a wind-rated door or a bracing kit. Shutters and impact windows take weeks to order, so that’s a spring decision, not an August one. If you have shutters, take them out and make sure you have all the hardware.
If the House Sits Empty
A lot of homes here are second homes. If you won’t be around in storm season, line up a home watch company or a neighbor who will check the house before and after a storm: shutters up, outdoor furniture in, and somebody to look for water once it passes.
None of this is exciting. All of it is easier in March.