Hurricane Season Prep: Protect Your Property Before It Hits
If you've been through a Florida hurricane season, you know the anxiety that comes with watching a storm track toward your property. You also know that the things you wished you'd done before the storm don't help you after it's too late. This guide covers what Florida property owners should do now — before hurricane season peaks — to protect their vehicles, equipment, and property.
Why Steel Structures Perform Well in Storms
Not all steel structures are created equal — and this point is critical. A properly engineered steel building with certified wind ratings performs extremely well in hurricane-force winds. An under-built or improperly anchored steel building can fail just like anything else.
What makes the difference:
Engineering and wind certification: Our buildings are engineered to meet Florida's wind load requirements — typically 130–160 mph depending on your location. Every structure comes with an engineer's letter. If a vendor can't provide certified wind ratings, their building isn't engineered for Florida.
Frame gauge: A 12-gauge frame is significantly stronger than a 14-gauge frame. For any structure in a wind-exposed location, 12-gauge is the right call.
Anchoring: The anchor system is as important as the frame itself. Our installations use code-compliant concrete anchors set into poured footings. A building bolted to surface-level concrete pads with undersized hardware can lift in high winds even if the frame itself is strong.
Vertical roof panels: The vertical roof's hat-channel construction adds structural rigidity to the roof deck and sheds wind-driven rain better than horizontal panels.
What to Do Before Hurricane Season (June 1 – November 30)
Get covered storage in place early. Installation lead times lengthen as hurricane season approaches. Customers who wait until August or September often can't get a structure installed until after the season. Order in the spring for summer delivery.
Inspect existing structures. Walk your existing carports, barns, and garages and look for: - Loose or missing screws on the roof panels (especially at the ridgecap and eaves) - Rust spots or compromised paint at fastener locations - Signs that anchor bolts have shifted or loosened - Any panel that has lifted or appears misaligned
Verify your anchor system. This is the most overlooked item. Pull back any dirt or debris from the base of your structure's legs and visually confirm that the anchor bolts are tight and the concrete is intact. If you have any doubt, call us for an inspection.
Secure loose items near structures. In high winds, anything that becomes airborne becomes a projectile. The biggest threats to steel structures during storms are often items that were stored adjacent to them — ladders, lumber, landscaping equipment.
What to Store in Your Steel Structure Before a Storm
A properly anchored and engineered steel structure is one of the best places to put your valuables before a hurricane:
- Vehicles: a covered carport or enclosed garage provides protection from wind-driven debris even if water intrusion occurs - Lawn equipment: mowers, blowers, and outdoor power tools should come inside - Outdoor furniture: anything that can become airborne should be stored - Generators: if you're running a generator during or after a storm, keep it outside the enclosed space due to carbon monoxide risk — but having it covered and protected is valuable - Livestock feed and equipment: if you have a barn, getting hay and equipment covered reduces significant post-storm losses
What Not to Expect From a Steel Structure
Even the best-engineered steel structure has limits:
- Direct tornado impact: no light-gauge steel structure is designed to survive a direct tornado strike. Take shelter in a reinforced interior space during a tornado warning. - Flooding: steel structures can be installed on elevated pads, but they don't prevent flooding if water rises above the floor level. For flood-prone properties, discuss pad height with us before ordering. - Unanticipated debris impact: an engineered building is designed for wind pressure loads, not point impacts from flying debris. Large debris can penetrate any panel.
After the Storm: What to Check
After a significant storm passes:
1. Look for panel damage: walk the perimeter and look for any panels that lifted, bent, or tore at fastener points 2. Check the ridgecap: this is the most common failure point in vertical-panel roofs after high wind events 3. Inspect anchors: look for any signs of movement at the base of the legs 4. Check for interior water intrusion: even a well-sealed structure can have minor leakage at panel overlaps during extreme rain events — identify and seal any points before the next storm
For any significant damage, call us at (863) 296-3400 — we do post-storm assessments and repairs across Florida.
Hurricane season starts June 1. Installation lead times are already growing. If you need a covered structure on your property before peak season, call us now at (863) 296-3400 to get on the schedule.
The best hurricane prep is the stuff you do before the storm is in the forecast. A certified steel structure, properly anchored, is one of the best investments a Florida property owner can make.
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