Home maintenance on the Gulf Coast
Updated August 2026
The Gulf Coast list is written around hurricane season and salt-laden humid air, and it has almost nothing to say about winter. What separates this coast from inland Texas or Georgia is the combination: surge that floods, air that never dries out, and salt that quietly consumes metal on every house within a few miles of the water. Termite pressure here matches anywhere in North America.
Covers: Coastal Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida panhandle.
The climate here
The Gulf keeps this coast warm and wet. Summer dew points sit in the mid-70s°F for months, and even January rarely brings more than a few nights near freezing, so cooling and dehumidification run most of the year while heating stays an afterthought. The Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, with the real exposure concentrated between mid-August and mid-October. Salt rides the sea breeze well inland, so corrosion is not only a beachfront concern. Warm damp soil supports subterranean and Formosan termites, and New Orleans in particular fights Formosan swarms every spring.
What the climate does to your house
| Risk | What it does to your house |
|---|---|
| Wind and storm surge | Wind takes the roof edge and the garage door; surge takes everything below the flood line. The two failures need different answers, namely strapping and impact protection for one, and elevated mechanicals plus flood coverage for the other. |
| Salt-air corrosion | Airborne salt pits condenser fins, corrodes hurricane straps and fasteners, seizes garage-door hardware, and rusts rebar inside concrete until the surface spalls. A condenser rated for 15 years can be scrap in 8 without regular fresh-water rinsing. |
| Chronic humidity | Air held above 60% relative humidity indoors grows mold on drywall, wood, and fabric and keeps sheathing damp enough to rot slowly behind siding that still looks intact. Empty vacation houses left without dehumidification are the classic casualty. |
| Formosan and subterranean termites | Subterranean colonies number in the hundreds of thousands, and Formosans nest inside walls with no soil contact at all. Structural damage accumulates unseen for years, which is why an annual inspection, and often a bond at $500–2,000 a year, is routine practice. |
| Hard water and short tank life | Hard water plus warm supply temperatures scales tanks quickly and consumes anode rods faster than the national average. Skipping the flush turns a 12-year water heater into a 6-year water heater and a soaked garage floor. |
How the calendar shifts here
There is no winterizing season worth the name; the pivot is June 1. Finish storm prep in April and May: trim trees away from the roof and service drop, inspect flashing and roof edges, test shutters, load-test the generator, and photograph the house and its contents for the claim you hope never to file. Book the cooling service in the same window, since air conditioning runs from March into November. Through summer, rinse the condenser with fresh water quarterly, monthly if you are on the beach, hold indoor humidity between 45% and 55%, and flush the water heater every six months. Fix the termite inspection to a set annual date so it never drifts. Owners east of the panhandle will recognize the same rhythm on the Florida page.
| Task | Interval | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Trim limbs off the roof and service drop | Yearly | Half a day · DIY or $300–900 pro |
| Inspect roof edge, flashing, and soffits | Yearly | 1 hr · DIY or $150–350 pro |
| Test shutters and load-test the generator | Yearly | 2 hrs · DIY |
| Photograph rooms and serial numbers for insurance | Yearly | 45 min · DIY |
| Task | Interval | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Rinse the condenser coil with fresh water | Quarterly, monthly beachfront | 15 min · DIY |
| Hold indoor humidity at 45–55% | Ongoing | $200–1,400 dehumidifier |
| Touch up rust on railings, hinges, and fasteners | Twice a year | 1 hr · DIY |
| Task | Interval | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Annual termite inspection | Yearly | $75–200, bond $500–2,000 |
| Flush the water heater and check the anode rod | Every 6 months | 45 min · DIY |
| Clear gutters and look under the piers | Twice a year | 2 hrs · DIY |
This whole checklist ships as reminders in OnOtto: every task above, on the right schedule for your home, snooze-proof.
Load this checklist as remindersFrequently asked questions
How do I protect an AC condenser from salt air?
Rinse it. A garden hose run over the coil fins each quarter, monthly within sight of the water, carries the salt film away before it pits the aluminum. Pull the disconnect first, spray from the inside out where you can reach, and never point a pressure washer at fins. A coil cleaner twice a year helps. Coastal-rated units with coated coils cost roughly $300–800 more up front and usually earn it back within a mile of the beach.
What is the difference between wind and flood coverage here?
They are separate policies, and the gap between them is where people get hurt. A homeowners policy covers wind-driven damage, often with a named-storm deductible of 2% to 5% of the dwelling value. Rising water, including storm surge, is excluded and needs a flood policy, which usually carries a 30-day waiting period. Buy it before the season rather than when a storm is named, and keep your elevation certificate filed with it.
How do I keep mold out of a house I leave empty?
Leave the cooling and dehumidification running. A house closed up at 85°F on this coast will reach 70% indoor humidity and grow mold within weeks. Set the thermostat around 78°F to 80°F with a humidistat, or run a standalone dehumidifier draining to a floor drain, and have someone lay eyes on it monthly. Shut the main water valve, and leave interior and closet doors open so air moves through every room.
When do Formosan termites swarm?
In spring, heaviest from April into June, and they fly at dusk toward lights, unlike native subterranean species that swarm during the day. Piles of discarded wings on window sills are the giveaway. If a swarm appears inside the house, call an inspector instead of treating it yourself, because Formosans nest above ground inside walls and a soil treatment alone often misses the colony entirely.