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H. Jackson Brown, Jr. put it best when he said, “The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today!” That saying couldn’t be truer when it comes to hurricane season here in SWFL.

The official hurricane season is from June 1st to November 30th, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start prepping now. This can be especially true for snowbirds who are either visiting for the summer or leaving.

Prepping for Hurricane Season as a Snowbird

Although most of the advice and lists about hurricane prepping can be applied to both snowbirds and full-time residents, there are certain items that a snowbird should especially buy for hurricane season that Floridians may not need to.

Preparing for Hurricane Season as a Snowbird Who Leaves

food prep food prep box of food donation

Most snowbirds don’t actually stay in Florida during hurricane season; they usually leave right before it starts up. In the same way a Floridian would prep for an evacuation, you should consider doing the following to prepare for hurricane season as a snowbird who leaves.

  1. Bring everything inside – pool toys, umbrellas, beach towels, and even gardening tools should all be safely tucked away inside your home or locked away in a shed
  2. Close all hurricane shutters – if you’re a seasoned snowbird, you should consider investing in hurricane shutters if you haven’t already. Make sure they’re completely closed and secured in the locked position.
  3. Set your AC to 78 degrees – Sounds counterintuitive: leave an AC on for an empty house. But leaving your AC set to 78F is a nice in-between temperature that won’t kill your electric bill and it’ll help keep the risk of mold and mildew down.
  4. Unplug your appliances – fridge, washer, dryer, oven, even your dishwasher should all be left unplugged. You can assume your power is going to go out while you’re away, and the last thing you need to worry about is a leaky dishwasher ruining your flooring. (Of course, the best way to avoid worrying about this is with a Home Service Warranty from Home-Tech!)

What General Items Should a Snowbird Buy for Hurricane Season?

We’ll get more into the nitty gritty food specifics of what to buy in preparation for hurricane season, but we also want to touch on the items that aren’t thought about. These are items that, as a snowbird, you may not have in your Florida vacation home.

emergency kit packing prep
  • First-aid kit
  • A good supply of toilet paper (do you need to be reminded of the Great Toilet Paper Shortage?)
  • Flashlights with extra batteries
  • Candles and matches
  • Ice packs
  • Generator with gas container (or solar powered)
  • Cash in waterproof container
  • Manual can opener
  • Board games (what else are you going to do when the power goes out?)
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Wrench, pliers, hammer, screwdriver, and other basic tools
  • Blanket or sleeping bag
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Plasticware

What Is the Best Food to Buy for a Hurricane?

The best food to buy for a hurricane is anything that you don’t have to worry will spoil. This means canned goods, grains, dried out (like jerky), and anything else that could sit on a shelf for a week and be okay.

Some of the best staple foods to buy for hurricane season are:

  • Trail mix
  • Granola bars
  • Tuna (canned or pouched)
  • Dried fruit
  • Boxed milk (also known as “shelf-stable milk”)
  • Bottled water
  • Sports drinks
  • Rice
  • Pasta
  • Condiments (ketchup, mustard, mayo, etc.. Just be sure it’s shelf-stable like the kind you get in fast food places)
  • Crackers

Check out our blog post for an extensive list for your hurricane food kit!

What Canned Foods Should I Buy for a Hurricane?

can prep canned food jam

When it comes to canned foods, you can never have enough! Even as a snowbird, you’ll want to make sure your cabinets are filled with canned goods to have enough to eat without power. The general rule of thumb is to have enough food for three days per person in the house.

We recommend you have the following canned foods for hurricane season:

  • Corn
  • Dried beans
  • Carrots
  • Green beans
  • Mixed fruit
  • Applesauce (yes, it does come in a can)
  • Peanut butter
  • Pudding (everyone deserves a treat)
  • Soups (you can heat them over a candle or fire)

Hurricane Block Party

bbq block party happy family

A party? During a hurricane?!

Well, no. Not during the hurricane, but it is a strange Floridian tradition to host a “hurricane party” for the whole block a few days before a major storm hits. The idea is that you probably won’t be seeing your neighbors for awhile as everyone hunkers down (or evacuates) in preparation for the approaching storm.

You throw a block party to celebrate community, share some supplies, and even tips on how to outlast Mother Nature’s greatest storm! So, along with your canned goods and bottled water, add some chips and drinks to that prep list.

Prepare for Hurricane Season Before It Even Starts

snowbird prep for hurricane season

Before our SWFL weathermen even have a chance to name a storm, you could be enjoying peace of mind with a Home-Tech Home Service Warranty! Be prepared for any storm or damage that might cause your AC to go out or appliances to fail with our trained technicians answering calls from 7am-10pm everyday for our members.

Call us today and ask how you can prepare and protect your winter-getaway with a Home Service Warranty from Home-Tech.

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