Storm Shutters: What's The Point?

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Living on the coast has many advantages the majority of the year.  Living by the ocean is relaxing and beautiful.  Your home town may be considered a destination by many people.  However, living by the ocean has some risk that comes along with it, especially if you are on the East Coast or Gulf Coast.  If you live in one of these areas, it is important to be prepared for the chance of a tropical storm or hurricane. 

One way to prepare your home is by having storm shutters installed.  These shutters are sometimes called hurricane shutters.  Storm shutters are often made out of steel or aluminum and attach over the windows on the outside of the house. 

What's the point of storm shutters?

For years people just sealed up their windows and doors with plywood.  Why is it so important to spend the money on storm shutters?  There are several reasons.

1. Storm shutters protect the windows from debris that the strong winds of a hurricane fling through the air.  Flying debris breaks windows, which in turn allows the wind in the home.  The wind flowing through the house contributes greatly to the roof being blown off, and applies pressure to the walls which in turn causes damage.  Once the window is broken, your home is likely to suffer a huge amount of damage from wind, rain, and flood waters. 
2. Plywood and other types of wood boards are weak and are likely to not hold up in a storm surge.  Taping your windows will not help.  It is a waste of time and tape, and you will likely be peeling tape off your windows for weeks. 
3. Special film that covers the windows to protect against the wind and debris will not hold up in the storm.  The same is true about shatter resistant windows.  These may help protect the glass, but the frame of the window can still be damaged and torn off during a storm.  Storm shutters go over the frame of the windows so that the entire window is protected, including the frame.
4. Depending on where you live, building codes may actually prohibit certain materials and could require you to have storm shutters installed.
5. Even if you are in an evacuation zone, it is still important to protect your home with the use of storm shutters.  Although you will evacuate and your family will be safe, storm shutters will protect your home and your personal belongings. 

Storm shutters should be installed by a professional like one from Active Hurricane & Security Protection​ to ensure that they are installed correctly and will perform their job functions.  A professional can also make sure they meet the building code of your area. 

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5 March 2015