When it comes to storm shutters, we can all see the obvious protection they offer against flying projectiles. There’s a big storm and a tree limb crashes through your window. Rain and wind blow in, and some of your stuff gets wet. No one wants that, right? It would be great if that was the extent of the potential damage, but you stand to lose a lot more when a window breaks during a hurricane; namely - your roof.

What's missing from this picture? A broken window is the least of their worries.

Here’s a science lesson: when an unprotected window or door breaks during a hurricane, the entire house quickly becomes pressurized by the wind blowing in. As the internal pressure in the house builds dramatically, high winds are rushing over the roof, and you’ve literally got a pressure-cooker situation. It’s just a matter of time before the combined forces of the pressure inside and the suction outside rip the roof off. Once the roof is gone, the structure is weakened to the point that it may completely collapse. Now ALL your stuff is wet. And crushed. And blown all over the neighborhood. The up side? You get to be on the news.

Fortunately, there are many kinds of hurricane shutters that can prevent this from happening. Rolling shutters provide the best protection, but storm panels, accordion shutters and Bahama shutters will all protect your windows from wind-borne projectiles. An affordable and easy-to-install alternative to solid storm shutters is wind-abatement hurricane screens. While they’re less effective than solid shutters at deflecting projectiles (they’re flexible, and work like a trampoline), in the event a window breaks, they’ll stop 97% of the wind from coming in. As a result, little pressure builds up in the house, and you get to keep your roof.

You’ll be doing a lot more than sweeping up broken glass if your window breaks during a hurricane. Fortunately, there are lots of storm shutter options to make sure your stuff stays safe, dry, and out of your neighbor’s yard.

Yes, friends, it’s hurricane season again. Time to stock up on canned goods, map out your evacuation route, and figure out how to protect your home if the big one hits. As a longtime Florida resident, I can tell you one thing – you do NOT want to brave the crowds for water, batteries, and worst of all – plywood – when there’s a storm system threatening your area.

It’s easy enough to buy some extra bottled water and batteries, but how about protecting your home? There are a variety of different hurricane shutter options available, and what’s best for you depends a lot on your budget, and who’s going to be putting them up and taking them down. Here’s a breakdown of the different types of shutter available on the market today:

Roll Shutters

• Made from: Aluminum
• Ease of operation: Very easy and convenient, motorization available
• Maximum opening: 16′ W x 10′ H
• Can be operated from inside the structure: Yes
• Meets latest building codes: Yes
• Pros: Can be operated from inside or outside of building
• Cons: Expensive
• Price range: $16 to $40 per square foot

Colonial & Bahama Shutters

• Made from: Aluminum
• Ease of operation: Easy to open and close from outside
• Maximum opening: 72″ W x 192″ H         
• Close & secure from inside building:  Colonial, no. Most Bahama shutters, also no, but some can be made with special inside closure.
• Meets current building codes: Yes
• Pros: Strong and attractive – enhances beauty of your home
• Cons: Can only be opened and closed from the outside (unless specially made Bahama shutters)
• Price range: $12 – $28 per sq. ft. of shutter

Accordion Shutters

• Made from: Aluminum
• Ease of operation: Easy operation inside or outside
• Maximum opening: Unlimited W x 12′ H
• Close & secure from inside building: Yes
• Meets latest building codes: Yes
• Pros: Easy operation and strong
• Cons: Maximum visual impact on architectural look of property (a nice way of saying they’re ugly, but very strong!)
• Price range: $12 – $18 per sq. ft. of shutter

Storm Panels

• Made from: Steel, aluminum or clear polycarbonate
• Ease of operation:  Time consuming to put up and remove. Panels can get lost.
• Maximum opening: Unlimited W x 12′ H
• Close & secure from inside building: No
• Meets latest building codes: Yes
• Pros: Strong and inexpensive
• Cons: Time consuming to put up and take down
• Price range: $5 – $10 per sq. ft. of shutter

Hurricane Screens

• Made from: Lightweight geo synthetic fabric with properties similar to Kevlar
• Ease of operation: Simple to install, no heavy lifting
• Maximum opening:  Unlimited W x 13’ H
• Close & secure from inside building: No
• Meets latest building codes: Yes
• Pros: Economical, allows light and visibility, folds easily for storage in included bag
• Cons: Protects structure, but windows can break if struck with wind-borne missile
• Price range: $6 – $20 per sq. ft. of shutter

Clearly, all of these are a better option than plywood! Hurricane shutters won’t rot, warp or get lost, and all are much easier to install (not to mention, you get to avoid that potential fist fight at Home Depot). And most importantly, they do a MUCH better job of protecting and securing your home and valuables. True, some shutters are prettier than others – show us yours!

Welcome to the blog for Hurricane and Security Shutters.