Patrick's Handymanand Remodeling Services

Hurricane Season Guide

Water, storm and flood damage, city by city.

One guide per Pinellas city we serve: what to do when water gets in, what repairs cost here, and the local permit and flood rules. Written by a Florida Certified General Contractor (Lic. #CGC1541672), with every number sourced.

Updated as the season goes.

Guides by city

Belleair

Moisture damage in older Belleair homes: plaster walls, wood floors and hidden framing

How water and humidity damage older homes in the Town of Belleair: signs in plaster, cupped and buckled wood floors, rot in floor framing, what to test for before cutting into old walls, Belleair's permit and historic rules, and what repairs cost.

Clearwater

Clearwater windows and sliding glass doors that leak in wind-driven rain: why, what to check, and what to fix

Why windows and sliding glass doors leak in Clearwater storms (clogged weep holes, missing sill risers, failed caulk, flashing), what you can safely check yourself, when it needs a permit and Florida product approval, and what repairs cost.

Dunedin

Stucco cracks in Dunedin: how water gets behind stucco, and what to fix first

Why stucco cracks and where water gets in on Dunedin homes (cracks, gaps at windows, pipe and wire holes, the base of the wall), which small cracks you can seal yourself, when a crack means a pro, Dunedin's permit rules for stucco, and what repairs cost.

Indian Rocks Beach

Storm surge and saltwater damage in Indian Rocks Beach: electrical repair, drywall and insulation

What saltwater does to a home in Indian Rocks Beach, which wet electrical parts have to be replaced, how much drywall and insulation to remove, who issues permits, the city's 50% rule, and what repairs cost.

Largo

Plumbing leaks, slab leaks and water heater failures in Largo: what to do first, and who fixes what

What to do when a pipe, a slab leak or a water heater fails in a Largo home: shutting off the water, finding a hidden leak with your meter, what needs a licensed plumber and a City of Largo permit, the repairs after the plumber, and what it costs.

Madeira Beach

Rebuilding after storm surge in Madeira Beach: permits, flood vents, breakaway walls and elevation rules

How rebuilding works in Madeira Beach after storm surge: the city's own Building Department, the 50% substantial-damage rule, elevation and freeboard, flood vents for enclosures, breakaway walls in V zones, and what the work costs.

Oldsmar

Mold after water damage in Oldsmar: what you can clean yourself and when you need a licensed mold pro

What to do about mold after a leak or flood in Oldsmar: the EPA's 10-square-foot rule, Florida's mold licensing law, how to check a license, what Oldsmar requires before repairs, and what mold work costs in Tampa Bay.

Palm Harbor

A/C leaking water in Palm Harbor: condensate leaks, humidity and the damage they cause

Why an air conditioner leaks water inside the house, the signs of a clogged condensate drain or overflowing drain pan, what indoor humidity Florida health agencies recommend, who is licensed to fix the A/C, Pinellas County permits for A/C changeouts in Palm Harbor, and what the repairs cost.

Pinellas Park

Water got inside your Pinellas Park home? What to do in the first 48 hours

A step-by-step plan for the first two days after a storm, leak or flood puts water inside a Pinellas Park home: safety, photos, drying, what to tear out, what it costs and which repairs need a city permit.

Safety Harbor

Impact windows and doors in Safety Harbor: costs, permits and the help available

What impact windows and doors cost in Florida, who issues the permit for a Safety Harbor home, the state grant, sales tax refund and insurance discounts that can lower the bill, and what you can do yourself before a storm.

Seminole

Roof leaks and ceiling stains after a storm in Seminole: find it, stop it, fix it

How to tell a roof leak from a plumbing or A/C leak, why the stain isn't under the hole, what storms do to roofs, Seminole's permit rules, Florida's 25% roof rule, and what roof and ceiling repairs cost.

St. Petersburg

Wood rot in St. Petersburg homes: where it hides and when to fix it

About half of St. Pete's housing was built before 1970, and Florida's warm, wet climate is hard on wood. Where rot hides, how to tell it from termites, what repairs cost, St. Pete permit and historic-district rules, and how to fix it right.

St. Petersburg

Repairing a flood-damaged older home in St. Petersburg: permits, the 49% rule and historic houses

What St. Petersburg homeowners need to know before repairing an older home after a flood: what you can remove without a permit, how the city's 49% substantial damage rule counts repair costs and market value, what changes for historic homes, which materials hold up below the flood line, help from flood insurance, and what repairs cost.

Tarpon Springs

Flood-damaged homes in Tarpon Springs: repair, rebuild or raise?

How the 50% rule works in Tarpon Springs, how the city values your house and your repairs, what elevating means, and what repairing, raising or rebuilding costs.

Treasure Island

Storm damage in Treasure Island: what to do in the first 48 hours

A general checklist for Treasure Island and Pinellas beach homeowners after a hurricane: safety, photos, stopping water, claim deadlines in state law, permits and the 50% rule.

Treasure Island

Getting a Treasure Island home ready before a storm: openings, garage doors and what to secure

A countdown for Treasure Island homeowners when a storm is coming: what to do early in the season, at a hurricane watch and at a warning; protecting windows and doors; bracing the garage door; what to bring in or tie down; why sandbags won't stop surge here; and the re-entry hangtag you need before you leave.

Official Pinellas County resources

General information, not legal, insurance or engineering advice. Rules change and vary by city; confirm with your building department, DBPR, your insurer, an attorney or an engineer as fits.

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