In Central Florida, summer isn't just heat and afternoon storms — it's hurricane season, extreme humidity, high electricity bills, and the year's highest flood and water damage risk. By the time June 1 arrives, the window for smart preparation has largely closed. May is your month to get ahead. This checklist covers everything a Central Florida homeowner should do before summer arrives.
Why May Is the Critical Month
Contractors are still available. Hardware stores aren't sold out of generators and shutters. Your insurer can still add riders before losses occur. After the first named storm, all of that changes fast. In active hurricane years, storms form in June — sometimes earlier. Preparing in May means you're ready for the whole season, not scrambling the week before a storm.
Exterior Home Inspection
Roof — Your Most Important Line of Defense
Your roof is your home's primary protection against storm and water damage. Before hurricane season:
- Visual inspection from the ground: Look for missing or lifted shingles, damaged flashing around chimneys and vents, and sagging areas. Binoculars help.
- Attic inspection from inside: Check for daylight coming through the roof deck, water stains on sheathing, or soft spots. These are signs of current or past leaks.
- Age matters: Florida's heat and UV exposure deteriorate roofs faster than other climates. A roof over 15 years old should be professionally inspected before storm season.
- If in doubt, call a roofer: Roof inspections are often free or low-cost. The cost of discovering a problem now vs. after a storm is dramatically different.
Gutters and Downspouts
Clogged gutters overflow and channel water against your foundation and behind your siding — the exact conditions that cause mold and water intrusion. Before summer:
- Clean gutters of all debris — Florida trees drop leaves, seed pods, and organic debris year-round
- Check that downspouts extend at least 4 feet away from the foundation
- Verify gutters are firmly attached and pitched toward downspouts — sagging gutters pool water
Tree Trimming
In hurricane winds, overhanging trees and dead branches become projectiles. Tree damage accounts for a significant share of Florida storm damage claims. Before storm season:
- Remove dead branches overhanging the home, driveway, and power lines
- Trim back branches within 10 feet of the roof line
- Consider removing any trees leaning toward the home that are larger than 6 inches in diameter — arborists can assess risk
- Don't wait until a storm warning — tree services book out weeks in advance during storm season
Windows and Doors
- Check all caulking and weatherstripping around windows and exterior doors — replace if cracked, shrinking, or no longer sealing
- Test window locks to ensure they close and latch properly
- For older homes without impact glass: locate or purchase your shutters or plywood cut-to-fit panels now, not when a storm is 48 hours away
- Garage doors: standard garage doors are a major hurricane vulnerability — confirm yours is hurricane-rated if it was installed post-2002, or check for bracing options if it isn't
Plumbing and Water Systems
Check for Slow Leaks Now
Summer humidity makes existing leaks dramatically worse. Find them in May before they become disasters in July:
- Check under all sink cabinets for moisture, staining, or musty smell
- Inspect washing machine hoses — rubber hoses should be replaced every 5 years; braided steel hoses are more durable
- Look for stains on ceilings under bathrooms above ground floor
- Check around the base of toilets for soft flooring or discoloration
- Monitor your water meter — if it spins with all water off, you have a hidden leak somewhere
Know Your Main Water Shut-Off
Every adult in the household should know where the main water shut-off is and how to close it. In an emergency (burst pipe, major leak), this knowledge limits damage to minutes instead of hours. Walk to it now and make sure it operates freely — neglected shut-offs can seize from non-use.
AC Condensate Line
Florida's #1 source of "mysterious" water damage is an overflowing AC condensate drain. Algae builds up in the drain line and causes backups that overflow the drain pan — often directly above ceilings. Before summer:
- Pour 1/4 cup of white vinegar or bleach into the condensate drain line opening (usually a PVC pipe near the air handler) monthly throughout summer
- Confirm your drain pan float switch is functional — this is a safety switch that shuts off the AC if the pan fills up
- Schedule your HVAC service for April or May, before the demand surge
Emergency Preparedness
Build or Refresh Your Emergency Kit
FEMA and Florida Division of Emergency Management recommend 72 hours of supplies minimum; Central Florida's experience with major storms suggests 2 weeks is more realistic for a significant event. Your kit should include:
- Water: 1 gallon per person per day for at least 7 days (fill new containers in May — water in stored containers should be refreshed annually)
- Non-perishable food for 7 days minimum, including a manual can opener
- Flashlights and extra batteries (or hand-crank/solar powered)
- First aid kit with any prescription medications (request 90-day supplies now)
- Battery-powered or hand-crank weather radio
- Charging bank for phones (fully charged)
- Cash in small bills — ATMs and card systems may be down after a storm
- Important documents in a waterproof container or digitally backed up: insurance policies, IDs, passports, property documents
Generator Readiness
After major hurricanes, Central Florida power outages have lasted 1–3 weeks in some areas. If you have a generator:
- Test it now — run it under load for 30 minutes to confirm it starts and runs reliably
- Change the oil if it wasn't run recently
- Store fuel with fuel stabilizer if it won't be used within 30 days
- Confirm you have a transfer switch or understand safe generator operation (never inside a garage, never near windows)
If you don't have a generator and are considering buying one: buy in May. After storm warnings, generators sell out within hours at every store in the region.
Evacuation Planning
- Know your evacuation zone — Zones A, B, C, D, E in Orange/Osceola/Seminole counties. Look it up now at your county's emergency management website.
- Have a destination: family, friends, or a hotel 100+ miles from the coast that will accept pets if applicable
- Plan your route and have a backup — primary evacuation routes can gridlock quickly
- Have fuel in your vehicles before hurricane warnings — gas stations often run dry within 24 hours of a major storm warning
Insurance Review
Understand What You Have — Before You Need It
Most homeowners don't read their insurance policy until they're filing a claim. May is the time to understand what you have:
- What's your hurricane deductible? (Often 2–5% of dwelling coverage in Florida)
- Do you have sewer backup coverage? (Standard policies exclude it)
- Are you in a flood zone? Do you have flood insurance? Standard homeowner's policies never cover flooding.
- What's your replacement cost value vs. actual cash value? RCV is strongly preferred.
- Call your agent and ask: "Is there anything in my current policy I should know about before hurricane season?"
Create a Home Inventory
If a storm damages or destroys your belongings, your ability to file a complete contents claim depends on knowing what you had. Take a video walk-through of every room in your home: open closets, show appliances and electronics, read model numbers out loud. Upload the video to cloud storage. If disaster strikes, this video is worth thousands in additional claim recovery.
Mold Prevention Setup for Summer
Central Florida's summer humidity (outdoor humidity regularly above 80%) makes every home a potential mold risk. Set yourself up for success before summer arrives:
- Buy an inexpensive hygrometer (humidity sensor) for $15–$25 — put it in the most humid area of your home. Your target indoor humidity is 45–55%.
- Replace AC filters now — dirty filters reduce dehumidification efficiency
- Check bathroom exhaust fans — run each one and confirm air is actually moving. Non-functional exhaust fans are a major source of bathroom mold in Florida homes.
- Inspect around window frames for any failed caulking that lets humid air in
- Clear items from against exterior walls in closets — air needs to circulate to prevent condensation mold in enclosed spaces
The One Number to Have Ready
After a major storm, emergency restoration companies book up within hours. Having our number ready before the storm means you're at the front of the line when it matters most. Save 321-420-7274 in your phone right now — Central Florida Disaster Recovery is available 24/7 for water damage, storm damage, mold, and emergency restoration throughout the Orlando region.
Have questions about your home's specific vulnerabilities? We offer pre-storm season consultations at no charge. A 30-minute walkthrough now could save you tens of thousands in preventable damage later.