Key Takeaways: What to Buy Before the Storm
The right time to prep a Kingston home for hurricane season is the dry season, not the morning a warning drops. By then the plywood, tarps, and batteries are already gone from the shelves. Here is what actually protects a house, in order of impact:
- The roof matters most. Wind lifts roofs off, it does not push them down. Hurricane straps and clips that tie rafters to the wall plate are the single highest-value upgrade you can make.
- Cover your glass. Cut and label 3/4 inch plywood panels now, or install permanent shutters. Tape on glass does nothing structural.
- Seal before the rain. Exterior-grade polyurethane sealant around frames, flashing, and roof penetrations keeps wind-driven water out.
- Stock consumables early. Tarps, rope, fasteners, batteries, and a go-kit of tools belong in a bin you can reach in the dark.
- Stage the spend. Buy consumables and plywood this season, invest in straps and shutters when budget allows.
The rest of this guide walks each category, what to buy, and how to decide how far to go based on your roof, your budget, and how many seasons you plan to ride out.
The Roof: Straps, Clips, and Fasteners
If you only fix one thing before hurricane season, fix the roof connection. In a storm, wind does not press the roof down onto the house. It creates uplift, a suction that tries to peel the whole cover off. When a roof goes, the rain follows within minutes and the interior is destroyed. Everything else on this list assumes the roof stays put.
For a timber-framed roof, the fix is a continuous load path from the roof covering down to the wall. That means:
- Hurricane straps and clips. Galvanised metal connectors that tie each rafter or truss to the wall plate. These are the workhorse. A single clip costs a few hundred JMD, and a full retrofit across a small roof is a fraction of the cost of a new roof.
- Ring-shank or screw fasteners for the cover. If your zinc is held on with old smooth-shank nails, they back out under vibration. Re-fixing with ring-shank roofing nails or roofing screws with sealing washers holds far better.
- Sealed penetrations. Every screw and nail through zinc is a potential leak. Cap them with roofing sealant or neoprene washers.
Retrofitting straps to an existing roof is disruptive because you often work from inside the ceiling or lift sections of cover. It is worth every hour. If you are unsure whether your roof was built to modern standards, get a builder to inspect the wall-plate connection before the season. This is the kind of job to plan around, and it pays to understand how long a small Kingston construction project actually takes so you book the work early rather than during the rush.
Windows and Doors: Shutters and Board-Up
Once the roof is secure, the next failure point is your openings. A window that blows in does not just let rain through. It pressurises the inside of the house and dramatically increases uplift on the roof, which is exactly what you were trying to prevent. Protecting glass is protecting the whole structure.
There are two real options, and one thing that does not count:
- Plywood board-up. The cheap, effective standard. Use 3/4 inch (18mm) exterior-grade plywood cut to overlap each opening, anchored to the wall or frame with proper masonry anchors or barrel bolts, not loose nails. Cut and label every panel now, drill the anchor points, and store them flat. On the day, board-up should take minutes.
- Permanent shutters. Accordion or roll-down aluminium shutters cost more upfront but deploy in minutes and last decades. If you have skipped prep before because plywood felt like too much work, this removes the excuse.
- Tape on glass does nothing. It will not stop the glass breaking under a flying branch. At best it changes how the shards fall. Do not rely on it as protection.
Do not forget doors. Double doors and garage doors are common failure points. A cane bolt at the top and bottom of the inactive door leaf, or a proper bracing bar across a garage door, keeps the wind from forcing them open.
Sealants and Water Intrusion
Most hurricane damage in a home that keeps its roof and windows is water, not wind. Driven rain finds every gap around frames, under thresholds, at roof flashing, and through old fastener holes. Sealing is cheap, quick, and one of the highest-return jobs on the list. Do it in the dry season on clean, dry surfaces.
Around windows and doors
Use a polyurethane or hybrid polymer sealant rated for exterior and wet conditions. Skip general-purpose acrylic caulk, it fails under wind-driven rain. Re-seal any gap where the frame meets the wall, and check thresholds at the base of doors.
Roof penetrations and flashing
Every vent, pipe, and screw through zinc is a leak waiting to open. Use a roofing sealant or bituminous mastic on flashing and around fasteners. Neoprene sealing washers under roofing screws stop water tracking down the shank.
Ground-level and low walls
If your home has flooded at door thresholds before, keep sandbags or flood barriers ready and seal any obvious wall cracks with a waterproof render or crack filler ahead of the season.
Budget several cartridges of sealant for a full-house pass and buy a decent caulk gun. Clean and dry every surface first. Sealant applied over dust or damp peels within a season and gives you a false sense of security.
The Grab-Early Supply List
These are the items that vanish from Kingston hardware shelves the moment a system enters the Caribbean. Buy them in the dry season and store them in one place so you are not scrambling.
- Plywood. 6 to 10 sheets of 3/4 inch (18mm) exterior grade for a typical small home, plus a spare or two for emergency repair.
- Tarps and rope. Two or more heavy-duty poly tarps (10x12 feet or larger) for temporary roof cover, plus strong rope or ratchet straps to hold them.
- Fasteners. Ring-shank roofing nails, roofing screws with sealing washers, masonry anchors for board-up, and the specific fasteners your panels use.
- Sealant and caulk gun. Several cartridges of exterior polyurethane, plus roofing mastic.
- Power and light. Battery or crank flashlights, a headlamp, spare batteries, battery lanterns, and a charged power bank.
- Tools. Cordless drill with charged spare batteries, driver bits, hammer, handsaw, screwdriver set, utility knife, work gloves, and duct tape in a dedicated bin.
If a storm knocks out power for days, a backup power plan matters as much as the hardware. It is worth reading how generator, inverter, and solar backup compare for Kingston power cuts before the season so you are not buying blind after the fact. And if you are not sure which shop carries what, our Kingston hardware store comparison lays out where to buy for each job.
Choose Your Prep Level
You do not have to do everything in one season. Pick the level that matches your budget and your risk, then step up next year.
Choose the minimum kit if you are on a tight budget
Tarps, rope, sealant, batteries, a go-kit of tools, and enough plywood to board every opening. Roughly JMD 15,000 to 40,000. This covers water intrusion and glass protection, the two fastest ways a house gets ruined. Start here every household should hit at least this level.
Choose the structural retrofit if your roof is old or unstrapped
Add hurricane straps and clips, re-fix the roof cover with ring-shank fasteners, and seal all penetrations. Roughly JMD 60,000 to 200,000 with a contractor for a small roof. This is the highest-value upgrade if your roof was not built to modern standards. It is the difference between minor repairs and losing the whole roof.
Choose permanent shutters if you ride out storms every year
Accordion or roll-down aluminium shutters for the whole house, often JMD 250,000 to 600,000. Choose this if plywood hassle has caused you to skip prep before, or if you want protection that deploys in minutes and lasts decades. It is the top tier, not a requirement for everyone.
When to Buy: Do Not Wait for the Warning
The Atlantic hurricane season runs June through November, and the peak for Jamaica is usually August through October. The mistake almost everyone makes is starting to prep when a named system is already in the forecast. By then the plywood, tarps, batteries, and generators are gone, prices spike, and contractors are booked solid.
Work backward instead:
- Dry season (January to April). Book any roof strapping or shutter work. Sealant passes happen now, on dry surfaces.
- Early season (May to June). Buy and cut plywood, label panels, stock the go-kit, check batteries and generator fuel.
- When a system is named. Deploy. Board up, fill water containers, secure loose outdoor items. Nothing left to shop for.
Prepping early is not just cheaper and calmer. It also protects your insurance. Insurers can drop or reprice a homeowner after repeated claims, so keeping the roof on and the water out protects your coverage as much as your house. Keep dated photos and receipts of any strapping, shutters, and sealing you do.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to hurricane-prep a Kingston home?
It depends entirely on what you already have. A basic prep kit of tarps, rope, sealant, batteries, and a few sheets of plywood runs roughly JMD 15,000 to 40,000. Adding proper roof strapping or hurricane clips across a small roof, done by a contractor, typically lands in the JMD 60,000 to 200,000 range depending on roof size and access. Permanent aluminium or steel shutters for a whole house are the big-ticket item, often JMD 250,000 and up. Most homeowners stage this over a couple of seasons: buy consumables and plywood now, invest in straps and shutters when budget allows.
Do I really need roof straps in Kingston?
If your roof is timber-framed with a zinc or shingle cover and it was not built or retrofitted to modern hurricane standards, then yes, uplift is your single biggest risk. Wind does not push a roof down, it lifts it off. Hurricane straps and clips tie the rafters to the wall plate so the whole structure resists uplift as one unit. Retrofitting straps to an existing roof is disruptive but far cheaper than replacing a roof after it peels off. A budget hurricane clip costs a few hundred JMD each; a new roof costs hundreds of thousands. The math is not close.
What is the cheapest way to protect my windows?
Plywood board-up is the cheapest effective option. Use 3/4 inch (18mm) exterior-grade plywood cut to overlap each opening, fixed with proper anchors, not just nails into the frame. Budget roughly JMD 4,000 to 8,000 per standard window in plywood and fasteners. Cut and label the panels now, drill the anchor points, and store them flat so board-up on the day takes minutes, not hours. Tape on glass does nothing structural. It only makes cleanup slightly easier and can give false confidence, so do not rely on it.
Are permanent shutters worth it over plywood?
For most Kingston homeowners who ride out multiple storm seasons, permanent shutters pay off in convenience and reliability. Accordion and roll-down aluminium shutters cost more upfront, often JMD 250,000 to 600,000 for a full house, but they deploy in minutes and last decades. Plywood is cheaper (JMD 4,000 to 8,000 per opening) but you re-cut, re-drill, and store it, and it degrades. The decision comes down to how often you use it and your budget. If you have missed prep before because plywood was too much hassle, permanent shutters remove that excuse.
What sealant should I use around windows and doors?
Use a polyurethane or hybrid polymer sealant rated for exterior and wet conditions, not general-purpose acrylic caulk. Around window and door frames, silicone or polyurethane holds up to wind-driven rain far better. For roof penetrations, flashing, and around fasteners, a proper roofing sealant or bituminous mastic is the right product. Expect to spend JMD 1,500 to 3,500 per cartridge and budget several cartridges for a full-house pass. Clean and dry the surface first, because sealant applied over dust or damp fails fast. Do this pass in the dry season, not the morning a warning drops.
How much plywood and tarp should I keep on hand?
Enough plywood to cover every window and glass door, plus one or two spare sheets for emergency roof or door repair. For a typical small Kingston home that is often 6 to 10 sheets of 3/4 inch (18mm) exterior plywood. Keep at least two heavy-duty tarps (blue poly tarps of 10x12 feet or larger) for temporary roof cover if you lose zinc during the storm, plus a coil of strong rope or ratchet straps to hold them down. Store everything flat and dry. Buy it in the dry season, because these are the first shelves to empty when a system enters the Caribbean.
What should be in a hurricane hardware go-kit?
Keep a dedicated bin so you are not hunting for tools in the dark. Include a battery or crank flashlight, spare batteries, a headlamp, a manual screwdriver set, a cordless drill with charged spare batteries and driver bits, a hammer, a handsaw, a utility knife, work gloves, duct tape, roofing nails and screws, a coil of rope, and a supply of the fasteners your board-up panels use. Add a small tarp, zip ties, and a couple of sealant cartridges with a caulk gun. A charged power bank and a battery lantern round it out. Check the batteries every season.
Does prepping my home help with insurance?
It can, both directly and indirectly. Some insurers view documented mitigation (roof strapping, shutters, secured roof cover) favourably, and it reduces the chance of a claim in the first place. More important, if your roof holds and water stays out, you avoid the loss entirely. Insurers can drop or reprice homeowners after repeated claims, so preventing damage protects your coverage long term. Keep receipts and dated photos of any strapping, shutters, and sealing work you do. That paper trail helps if you ever need to prove the home was maintained and hardened before a storm.
Get storm-ready. Walk into Malcolm’s.
Plywood, tarps, hurricane straps, roofing screws, sealant, fasteners, batteries, and tools, all under one roof at 44-46 Slipe Road, Cross Roads. Stock up before the season, not the day the warning drops. Call ahead for bulk orders, or ask about delivery across Kingston and St. Andrew.
Visit Malcolm’s Hardware