Milton’s Coming for Your Guitars!

We’re still busy with guitars needing flood-damage mitigation work, yet here’s comes another hurricane! What’s worse, it looks like this time we may get both the big wind, rain AND storm surge.

Ya know what’s even worse? We’re not getting hit with a strong, manly-named storm like Kirk, or even a strong, pissed-off female-named storm like Katrina. No, we get “Milton”.

Here’s some things you can to to help protect your guitars –

1. Move Guitars to a Safe Location

• A/C: It’s likely we could be without electricity for a couple days. Heat and humidity are very unkind to guitars. If you have friends or family outside of the affected area, bring your guitars there today!
• Elevate: Keep guitars off the ground in case of flooding. Store them on shelves or tables, ideally away from windows or doors.
• Interior Storage: Move guitars to a central room in the house, away from exterior walls and windows, which are most vulnerable to wind and debris.
• Avoid Basements: If you expect flooding, avoid storing guitars in basements, which are prone to water damage.

2. Use Guitar Cases

• Hard Cases: Place each guitar in a hard case to protect it from impact and moisture. The more airtight, the better.
• Humidity Control: Include silica gel packets or a guitar-specific dehumidifier in each case to help control moisture buildup.

3. Seal the Cases

• For extra protection, wrap the guitar cases in plastic or use large plastic bags. You can seal them with duct tape to keep moisture out in case of flooding.

4. Protect Against Humidity

• Climate Control: If possible, store your guitars in a room with a dehumidifier or air conditioning to keep humidity levels down before and during the storm.

5. Document Your Inventory

• Before the storm hits, photograph each guitar and its serial number for insurance purposes. This is especially important if you have valuable or rare instruments.

6. Remove Valuable Guitars

• If you have sufficient time and the ability, consider relocating your most valuable guitars to a safer location outside the hurricane’s path (e.g., a friend or storage facility in a different region).

7. Secure the Building

• Board Up Windows: If possible, board up windows to prevent debris from smashing into the building.
• Sandbags: Place sandbags around the entrance to prevent water from seeping in.
• Door Seals: Make sure exterior doors are properly sealed to reduce water entry.

8. Monitor Weather Updates

• Keep track of the hurricane’s progress, and evacuate if necessary. If you must evacuate, bring your most valuable guitars with you if practical.

9. Post-Storm Recovery

• If any guitars get exposed to water or high humidity, act quickly to dry them out and reduce damage. Avoid using direct heat like blow dryers, as slow air drying with good airflow is safer. To be safe, bring them to Hank’s Guitar Shop in Clearwater, for a free check-over.