Pros And Cons Of Different Hurricane Shutters

In the past ten years, the United States has dealt with two severe hurricanes. Sandy and Katrina tore through cities, giving the rest of the country a tough lesson to be learned: the importance of safety and preparedness. One of the easiest ways for a homeowner to protect their investment is getting hurricane shutters for the windows. However, there are a few different types of shutters and knowing which ones are best for the house will not only save money, but also crucial minutes prior to the storm's arrival.

Types of Shutters

There are different types of shutters available, depending upon the needs of the home and the homeowner. Many building requirements on the east coast already require the use of hurricane shutters on homes. While plywood can be used and is the least expensive of the shutter systems, most of time, it is not up to the building code. A plywood shutter system also requires ample storage space, precise installation, and more than person is also required in order to install it. On the contrary, a roll-up shutter system is the most expensive kind, yet requires no special storage space. The cover rolls up via crank or button system into a box fastened into the wall above the window.

Cost and Labor

If cost is a major deciding factor, accordion-style shutters are relatively inexpensive and still require no storage space. Also, it's important to consider time and people required for storm preparation. If you live alone or are perhaps a single parent or caregiver to an elderly person, accordion-style shutters are a good choice because they can be easily fastened by one person and the whole house can be secured fairly quickly. Other types, such as the plywood and metal sheet systems, require multiple people and can be fairly labor intensive. It can be very easy to get caught unprepared with such a system.

Aesthetics is often considered, especially for homes further inland, where the need for immediate-use shutters isn't so great. Taking 20 minutes per window is far too time-consuming in Florida; however, this time frame isn't outrageous in Atlanta.

Consider the most important deciding factors for the home and narrow down the list of options from there. It's best to do some research into brands in order to have a grasp on what will sufficiently suit the home's needs. As with most anything, the technology is only getting better, paving the way for better protection at a cheaper cost. Contact a company like Active Hurricane & Security Protection for more information on hurricane shutters.


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