Preparing your home for hurricane season

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jun. 1 is the first day of the Atlantic Hurricane Season and Action News Jax wants to make sure you are prepared.

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Action News Jax Alexus Cleavenger spoke with a structural engineer on how you can get your home hurricane ready.

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“Always to have a plan and have your family all on the same page with this plan,” Chandler Cole said.

That’s the first thing Cole said you should do ahead of any hurricane.

“Take the necessary precautions to prevent any flooding, water intrusions, regular maintenance,” Cole said.

He said you can prevent water intrusions, by ensuring that any cracks are sealed and waterproofed.

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“Water is going to be the biggest enemy here,” Cole said.

Cole said cleaning out your gutters is crucial to get stormwater away from your home.

He said you should also make sure that everything is tied down and look at your hurricane ties. If you have any missing, he said to get new ones reinstalled.

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But doing a walk around your entire house is the first step to make sure everything looks good and is ready in the event of a storm.

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“It’s your whole yard, because you’re not only protecting your home, you’re also protecting your neighbors, so you don’t want to have you know any wind board debris , trash cans or toys or any kind of outdoor furniture flying around,” Cole said.