With Isaias heading toward South Florida, should you put up shutters?
It’s getting real now, folks. South Florida is now officially under a tropical storm watch.
The system in question? Isaías.
So the question is, will you need hurricane shutters? And if so, when?
The answer: It depends.
A hurricane warning is when hurricane conditions are expected in 36 hours. That’s when you need to have your shutters in place.
At this point, you should have your hurricane plans in place, pay attention to whether you are in an evacuation zone or not, and have your supplies in hand. And masking tape does not protect your windows from hurricane-force winds, and only leaves an unsightly mess if the storm bypasses your neighborhood. So, no tape.
This would be especially true if you are using plywood or have storm panels you have to put up and screw in.
If you have accordion-type shutters already attached to your house, you should be fine waiting until a hurricane watch is issued.
So who is responsible for putting shutters up?
The responsibility can vary widely. If you’re the sole owner of the property and don’t rent or live in a condo association, then it’s on you to protect your home.
If you rent, often your landlord will want to protect their property and may work with you to secure the home. Some condo associations put up shutters. Others leave it to the residents to protect their own units. Check your association’s documents if you aren’t sure — but you were probably made aware of storm policies when you moved in to the community.
The National Hurricane Center says that if you live in an area under a hurricane watch, you should start putting up storm shutters. Two days before the storm is enough time.
Although Tropical Storm Isaías had not developed into a hurricane as of Thursday night, it is not advisable for homeowners to wait until the last minute to start preparing.
Some quick tips:
First of all, check who’s responsible for putting up shutters. If you’re the owner of a property, it’s on you.
But if you’re a renter, check with your landlord and make sure to coordinate a plan to secure your home.
This story was originally published July 30, 2020 at 10:43 PM.
