Hurricane prep and salt-air hardware: a Palm Beach County checklist
Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. A short visit before the season, and a look at the hardware that salt air eats, saves a lot of stress later.
Before hurricane season
- Storm shutters. Find every panel, check the labels, and make sure the bolts, wing nuts and tracks are all there and not rusted. Accordion shutters should slide and lock smoothly.
- Doors and windows. Doors should latch tightly and locks should turn easily. Replace worn weatherstripping so wind-driven rain stays out.
- Outdoor items. Plan where patio furniture, planters and decorations will go. Loose items become flying objects.
- Inside. Test smoke and CO alarms, and know where your water shut-off and electrical panel are.
We can check shutter hardware, tighten and adjust doors, replace weatherstripping and swap rusted hardware in one visit. Shutter installation on new openings and impact windows are specialist work, and we will tell you if that is what you need.
Salt air and hardware
Within a few miles of the ocean or the Intracoastal, salt air rusts ordinary zinc-plated screws and hinges quickly. Signs it is time to replace:
- Orange streaks under screws, house numbers or light fixtures
- Hinges that squeak or stick on outside doors and gates
- Outdoor light fixtures with rust at the base or a cloudy cover
- Railings, hooks or brackets with flaking metal
What to buy: for outdoor hardware near the water, stainless steel (type 316 is the most corrosion-resistant, 304 is good further inland) or coated hardware rated for outdoor use. Buy outdoor-rated fixtures, and keep the receipt. With our photo price, you can buy the part at Home Depot and add Handy Pros as the pickup person.
After a storm
- Stay safe first: avoid downed lines and standing water near outlets.
- Take photos of any damage before anything is moved or repaired. Your insurance company will want them.
- For finish repairs after a covered loss, like drywall, trim, doors and fixtures, see insurance repair work.
Make it easy every year
Our Home Care Plan includes a hurricane-season check of shutter hardware and anchors as part of two scheduled visits a year.
Local notes: Jupiter · Palm Beach Gardens · Wellington · Boynton Beach · Lake Worth Beach
Prices are for one technician: $237 for the first hour for repairs, TV, electrical and plumbing, or $158 for furniture, pictures and shelves, then 30-minute increments. No trip fee in our service area, and you pay after the work is done. Updated October 2026.
Stuck? Call (561) 486-6812
Common questions
When is hurricane season in Florida?
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. May is a good time for a pre-season check.
Can you put up my storm shutters before a storm?
Call us as early as you can. Before a storm, every handyman in the county gets busy, and we book real openings only. Checking shutter hardware before the season is the best way to be ready.
Is stainless steel hardware worth it?
Near the ocean or the Intracoastal, yes. Stainless or coated outdoor hardware lasts much longer than standard zinc-plated hardware in salt air.
Do you install new shutters or impact windows?
No. Those are specialist jobs. We check and repair existing shutter hardware, doors, weatherstripping and outdoor fixtures.
Ready when you are.
Call (561) 486-6812, Monday to Saturday, 8 to 5. Hablamos español.
Prefer to talk? Call (561) 486-6812