Hurricane prep in St. Pete usually means shutters, sandbags, and a run on bottled water. The outside of the house gets forgotten until the first big rain shows you where the water goes.
This is the checklist for the part everyone skips.
Before the season ramps up in June: get the gutters and downspouts clear, get the slick algae off walkways and pool decks, get the leaves out of the pool cage, and get the siding and driveway washed so nothing is holding moisture against the house. Late spring is the window. It is the same window as the best time to clean anyway, so you get both for one visit.
Key Takeaways
- Gutters first. Clogged downspouts dump water at your foundation during exactly the storms you are worried about.
- Slick walkways and pool decks are a real injury risk once it is raining every afternoon.
- Pool cages full of leaves hold water and stress the frame.
- Clean walls and concrete dry faster after storms and grow less.
- Do it in May. June is too late, and the calendar fills up.
The Pre Season Checklist
| Surface | Why it matters in a storm | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Gutters and downspouts | They carry heavy rain off the roof and away from the foundation | Clear them yourself or hire a gutter company |
| Walkways and steps | Slick algae becomes a fall risk every afternoon | Kill the growth, then pressure wash |
| Pool deck | Constant splash plus rain equals a slip hazard | Same treatment, slip safety first |
| Pool cage and screens | Leaves and debris trap water at the frame | Clear the debris, soft wash the mesh |
| Siding and walls | Organic buildup holds moisture for days after rain | Soft wash |
| Driveway | Runoff needs to drain, not pool on algae | Pressure wash |
1. Gutters and Downspouts
Not something we do, but it is the most important item on this list, so it goes first.
Leaves, seed pods, and roof grit pack into gutters all year. A blocked downspout sends a full roof’s worth of rain down the side of the house and into the planting beds at the foundation. Standing water in a gutter adds weight and holds moisture against the fascia.
Clear them in spring. If it is a two story house, hire a gutter company. Ladders in wind are not the place to save money.
2. Walkways, Steps, and the Pool Deck
This is the one with the highest injury stakes.
Algae and mildew build a thin film on concrete and pavers that gets dangerous the moment it is wet. During the season it is wet every afternoon. Shaded paths near landscaping and the pool deck under the cage are the worst spots.
The fix is killing the growth, not rinsing it. Solution, dwell time, then pressure on concrete. Our post on pressure washing and slip and fall safety goes into why this matters more than the way it looks, and the pool deck page covers the work itself.
3. Pool Cage and Screens
Cages act like a net. Everything that blows in stays in. By June the corners are packed with leaves and the frame joints are holding water.
Get the debris out, then soft wash the mesh. Clear screens mean water and air move through the way they should when the wind picks up. The pool cage and screen enclosure page walks through how gentle that work has to be.
4. Siding and Walls
Green or black buildup on stucco and siding is a sponge. After every storm it holds moisture against the wall for days, which is how you go into hurricane season already growing mildew.
A soft wash in spring clears it. Clean walls dry faster and grow less through the wet months. The house exterior and siding page covers the approach.
5. Driveway
Storm runoff needs to move across your driveway and into the street. Algae along the shaded edges slows it, stains set faster in the wet, and the whole thing goes gray by August.
A spring pressure wash gives you the cleanest possible slab heading into the rain. The driveway page covers what a proper job involves.
When to Do All This
May. Maybe early June if you are late.
Hurricane season runs June through November. The rainy season starts about the same time. Anything you clean in May is clean going into the wet months. Anything you clean in July is already fighting the rain.
It also happens to be the best cleaning window of the year for reasons that have nothing to do with storms, which we cover in the best time of year to pressure wash in St. Petersburg.
If Your Lot Is Shaded
If your situation looks like this: mature oaks, thick landscaping, a cage that fills with leaves every week.
Your property collects more organic debris than average, and that debris is the fuel for every problem on this list. Gutters fill faster. The cage needs more attention. Shaded concrete goes green sooner and stays damp longer. One thorough cleaning in May gives you a much better starting point than most, and you will likely want a mid season touch up on the walkways.
The Rest of the Year
A pre season wash is a habit, not a one off. The humidity does not care what month it is. The frequency guide has a surface by surface schedule, and the complete guide to pressure washing in St. Petersburg ties the whole property together.
Frequently Asked Questions
How early before hurricane season should I schedule exterior cleaning?
May, or the first week or two of June. The season runs June through November and the calendar fills as it gets closer.
Does cleaning my gutters really make a difference in a storm?
Yes. Clean gutters and downspouts give heavy rain a path off the roof and away from the foundation. Clogged ones dump it at the base of the house.
Can pressure washing remove the slippery growth on my walkways?
Yes, when the growth is killed first and then cleared. That makes walkways, steps, and pool decks safer to walk on when wet.
Should the pool cage be cleaned before the season?
Yes. Leaves and debris in the frame hold water and block airflow. Clearing it before the wet months keeps everything moving.
💧 Want the Outside Handled Before June?
Call or text. Owner operated pressure washing for St. Petersburg homes.
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