Celia, Harvey and the 1919 storm all left a mark here. Here is how to prepare a Corpus Christi home for hurricane season, and where ordinary cleaning fits once the weather clears.
The city's Office of Emergency Management notes that hurricane season begins June 1 and ends November 30 each year. Corpus Christi has a long memory of what those months can bring. This is a guide to the housekeeping side of that: what to do ahead of time, and how a clean fits in afterward. Always follow official instructions first.
A hurricane on September 14, 1919, destroyed much of Corpus Christi's North Beach area and central business district. Hurricane Celia struck on August 3, 1970, as a Category 4 storm near Aransas Pass, and the National Weather Service reports that 70 percent of Corpus Christi residences suffered some damage.
When Hurricane Harvey made landfall as a Category 4 storm near Rockport on August 25, 2017, most Corpus Christi homes had roofing damage, mainly lost shingles, and nearly the whole city lost power for a couple of days. Across the bay, many Aransas Pass houses suffered major damage, and the National Weather Service lists Ingleside and Aransas Pass as the two hardest hit areas of San Patricio County.
Good storm preparation looks a lot like good housekeeping. A clean, organized house is easier to protect and easier to document.
Put safety first. Stay out of damaged buildings until they are confirmed safe. Keep clear of downed lines and standing water, and follow what the city's Office of Emergency Management is saying.
Photograph damage before you move anything. Your insurance company will want those images. Then call a roofer, a repair contractor or a restoration company for anything structural or wet. Water damage and mold need specialists, and cleaners do not do that work. Storm debris and tree limbs go out through the city's collection process rather than through a cleaner.
When the power goes out for days, as it did for nearly the whole city after Harvey, the refrigerator is often the first thing you need to deal with. Empty spoiled food as soon as it is safe, and follow public health advice on what to throw out.
Once a home is repaired, dry and safe, a clean can help it feel like home again. Fine dust from roof and drywall repairs tends to settle everywhere, and that is what a One-Time Deep Clean is good at: hand washed baseboards, wet-wiped blinds, window tracks, and fans and vents wiped in place.
If a storm forces a move, the Moving Clean handles an empty home, including the inside of the oven, refrigerator and cabinets, once any repairs are complete.
Mosquitoes also tend to follow storms. Vector Control warns they breed in stagnant water such as buckets, clogged gutters and plant saucers, so walk the yard and empty anything holding water after the rain stops.
September is the wettest month in Corpus Christi at 5.42 inches, even in a year with no storm at all. June and May follow at 3.56 and 3.38 inches. Mats, a boot tray and a bit of attention to bathroom ventilation will get a house through that period. The seasonal calendar lays it out month by month. A little routine goes a long way: wipe up tracked-in water early, keep bath mats and towels moving through the wash, and check closets on outside walls for any musty smell.
The questions Corpus Christi homeowners ask most often about this topic, answered plainly.
TotalCare Cleaning will service Corpus Christi and surrounding areas with background-checked cleaners and is insured up to $1 million. Re-clean guarantee: if we missed something, tell us by the end of the next day and we come back to fix it. Beyond Clean. TotalCare.
