Hurricane Preparedness Checklist for Coastal NC and SC Homeowners

Hurricane preparedness for coastal NC and SC homeowners is a topic AHS approaches with practical directness: the most important preparedness action is having rated hurricane shutters installed and verified before hurricane season begins. Everything else — supplies, evacuation plans, insurance review — is critically important but secondary to the structural protection that prevents your home from being destroyed in the first place.

Pre-Season Hurricane Shutter Checklist

• Deploy each shutter fully through its travel cycle — every window and door
• Confirm center lock bar or closing mechanism engages fully on every opening
• Clean tracks and apply fresh silicone lubricant to all mechanical contact points
• Test electric systems through a complete open/close cycle via wall switch and remote
• Verify manual override hand crank is accessible and functional on electric systems
• Inspect anchor hardware for loosening — retighten if necessary
• Call AHS at +19102561288 for any shutters that bind, skip, or don’t lock properly

Home and Family Preparedness Checklist

• Know your county evacuation zone (check your county emergency management website)
• Identify your primary and alternate evacuation routes
• Maintain 72–96 hours of water (1 gallon/person/day), non-perishable food, and medications
• Keep important documents (insurance policies, IDs, property records) in a waterproof container
• Photograph or video document every room’s contents for insurance claims
• Know your homeowner’s insurance hurricane deductible — it’s typically separate from your standard deductible
• Confirm your flood insurance coverage — homeowner’s policies don’t cover flood damage

Insurance Checklist

Review your policy’s named-storm or hurricane deductible — in coastal NC and SC, this is typically 1–5% of your home’s insured value, not a flat dollar amount. On a $400,000 home, a 2% hurricane deductible means $8,000 out of pocket before insurance pays. Confirm your wind-mitigation inspection documentation is on file with your carrier and accurately reflects your current shutter configuration. If you’ve had shutters installed since your last inspection, schedule a new wind-mitigation inspection. See our hurricane shutters FAQ.

Frequently Asked Questions