Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30. For a rental on the Alabama coast, the storm is only part of the risk. The rest is the booking calendar, guests who need clear instructions, a property you may be hours away from, and a claim that will be judged partly on how well you documented and protected the place before and after. A plan split into four stages handles all of it.
Stage 1: Before the season (March to May)
Building
- Roof edges and covering. Wind damage usually starts at edges, corners and ridges. Replace missing or loose shingles, re-secure drip edge, and check that flashing and pipe boots are sound.
- Soffit and fascia. Loose soffit panels let wind-driven rain into the attic. Fasten or replace them, and repair rotted fascia so gutters stay attached.
- Openings. Doors, windows and garage doors are where pressure gets into a house. Make sure shutters or storm panels exist for every opening, fit, and are labeled by location with hardware stored beside them.
- Gutters and drainage. Clear gutters and extend downspouts so heavy rain moves away from the foundation.
- Trees. Have dead limbs and branches over the roof removed by a tree service. Do it in spring; there are no tree crews available once a storm is in the Gulf.
- Outdoor items. Decide where every chair, grill, umbrella, kayak and planter will go in a storm, and make sure that place exists.
Paper
- Policy review. Read the declarations page for your wind or named-storm deductible, and confirm whether loss of rental income is covered.
- Flood coverage. Homeowners and landlord policies typically exclude flood. If you need flood coverage, buy it well before the season, since NFIP policies generally have a 30-day wait.
- Condition photos. Walk every room and every side of the building with dated photos and video, including the roof from the ground, appliances with model plates, and furniture. This is the before picture your claim will be measured against.
- Contacts. Insurer claim line, agent, property manager, HOA or condo association, utilities, and the contractor you intend to call. Put them where your team can reach them without you.
Rental agreement
Make sure your agreement has a hurricane clause: what happens when an evacuation order is issued, how refunds or rebooking work, and that guests must leave when ordered. Vague terms here cost owners more in disputes and bad reviews than most storm repairs.
Stage 2: When a storm is forecast (about 72 hours out)
- Watch official National Hurricane Center forecasts and county emergency management for your area.
- Contact current and arriving guests early with clear instructions and your evacuation policy. Pause new bookings for the forecast window.
- Bring in or tie down every outdoor item. Anything left loose becomes debris that hits your building or a neighbor's.
- Install shutters or panels on every opening, and close and lock interior doors.
- Move valuables and electronics off floors in ground-level units; raise furniture where flooding is possible.
- Turn off and unplug what you can. Know how to shut off water at the main and decide whether to turn it off for an unattended property.
- Take a final set of photos once the property is secured.
Stage 3: During the storm
Nobody should be at the property during a hurricane except under official guidance. Do not send cleaners or maintenance staff to finish prep once conditions deteriorate. Follow evacuation orders yourself if you are there.
Stage 4: The first days after
- Safety before access. Wait for officials to reopen roads and islands. Watch for downed lines, gas leaks, displaced wildlife and compromised structures.
- Document before touching. Photograph every side, every room and every damaged item before cleanup. Compare against your pre-season photos.
- Mitigate quickly. Tarp roof openings, board broken windows, and pull out soaked carpet, pad and drywall. Wet materials in coastal heat grow mold fast. Keep receipts.
- Report the claim and keep a log of every call, claim number and adjuster name.
- Cancel or move bookings honestly; do not rent a property with active water damage or unsafe conditions.
- Avoid storm chasers. Do not sign over insurance benefits, and be wary of anyone offering to cover your deductible. Read our page on how storm damage insurance repairs work.
Coastal wear that hurricane prep exposes
Salt air corrodes fasteners, hinges, shutter hardware and HVAC coils far faster than inland. Sand abrades door sweeps and sliding door tracks. Pre-season is the time to replace corroded fasteners on shutters, rails and stairs with corrosion-resistant hardware, because the storm is when you find out they have rusted through. Turnover crews who note these items at every turn save owners from the worst surprises. Our rental turnover checklist includes them.
If your rental needs pre-season repairs, the earlier you book the better. Gulf Coast work is scheduled from Birmingham, and spring openings fill before summer.