Hurricane Preparation

Preparing your Boca Raton home may be the most important thing you do.

Let’s discuss some the way you can help keep your home safe in Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Highland Beach and other surrounding Palm Beach County cities.

1. Secure your garage

According to the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes, about 80% of residential hurricane damage starts with wind entry through garage doors. Many garage doors are made of lightweight materials to conserve expenses. Unfortunately this makes your Palm Beach County home more vulnerable.

On the inside of your garage door, you should be able to find a sticker that gives you a pressure rating. If you don't see a sticker, chances are you'll need to reinforce your doors. If you decide to purchase some of the products that are on the market to reinforce your garage – make sure the item is up to code. Many reinforcement items are very expensive and to make matters worse, are not up to code either. The cost for such reinforcements can be around $15 per square inch.

Most often, it is more cost effective to replace your out of date garage system with impact resistant garage doors which will cost around $1200. If this is not an option, temporarily reinforcing your garage door with plywood or steel will help you get past the bad hurricanes that come through Boca Raton. You can also hire a contractor to reinforce your garage, but you should expect to pay around $600.

2. Reinforce your windows

Forget about taping your windows. It's a waste of time. If you live in Palm Beach County, you may want to think about installing impact resistant windows. These windows are designed to withstand flying debris. Impact resistant windows may cost twice as much as regular windows.

Another option is storm shutters. Always make sure your shutters are approved for use in the Miami-Dade area, as this is highest rating hurricane shutters can carry. Storm shutters can cost $50 to $60 per square foot of window. If you prefer, a more cost effective method would be to install ¾ inch thick plywood over your windows.

3. Check your trees

Millions of dollars of damage occur every year in the Boca Raton, Highland Beach and Delray Beach areas due to falling trees and tree limbs as well as personal injuries and deaths.

Make sure you check regularly for signs of instability in the trunk or limbs, insect infestations, or mushrooms growing from the bark – which is usually a sign of decay. Often times hanging branches cause a lot of power outages in Palm Beach County. At the beginning of every hurricane season, it’s wise to have a landscaper trim your trees.

4. Secure your stuff

With all the nice weather we have year round in Boca Raton, the majority of home owners tend to have furniture and other outdoor equipment on their patio or deck. Make sure when hurricane warnings are given, you remember to bring these items inside. Don't forget trash cans, grills, toys, and potted plants, otherwise, you might see them flying around causing additional injury or damage during storms with high winds.

About Wendy and Elliot Koolik: Wendy and Elliot Koolik are a recognized leader in the Boca Raton luxury and country club real estate communities. While they are active in all of Palm Beach County, they focus on Boca Raton, Delray Beach and Highland Beach.

Wendy and Elliot Koolik are part of Koolik Group Realty, a family-owned and operated real estate company serving buyers and sellers since 1990. The real estate firm is known for its responsiveness to clients, knowledge of the neighborhoods they specialize in and, above all, for its boundless passion for the real estate business.

For more information, contact Wendy and Elliot Koolik by phone at 561.393.9997 x113, online at www.ElliotKoolik.com or by e-mail at EKoolik@Koolik.com.