This year, are you serious about getting an edge on hurricane season by only installing the types of hurricane shutters Englewood Florida that the federal government would use themselves? Although there is a lot of propaganda out there about various types of highly-engineered hurricane shutters, there are several that are approved by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a branch of the federal government, that might surprise you as a homeowner because of their low prices. As door specialists, we have the edge on hurricane shutters because many use the same types of technology used in garage doors and other types of specialized gates. To get a better idea of the types of hurricane shutters that have captured the attention of the government due to their high quality, keep reading.
Automatic roll-down shutters
Of all the basic hurricane shutters models, these are the most expensive per square foot, but they are also the strongest and fairly inconspicuous. These shutters can be easily hidden by an awning because they are housed in a box above the window. When they are needed, they can be unrolled and will seal on the sides with sets of tracks. At the bottom of the shutters, they can be locked into place securely. For large-sized windows, reinforcement rods will be added to either PVC or metal louver hurricane shutters. These options can also be installed as automatic instead of manual.
Accordion shutters
While automatic roll-down shutters are going to be opened and closed from up or down, accordion shutters work in the opposite way. However, both are designed in a similar way. For example, both of these types of shutters are louver or slats of PVC and/or metal. They are also housed in boxes, can be automatic or manual, and run along tracks. The only major difference is that accordion shutters are usually cheaper per square foot.
Bahama shutters
These shutter styles are popular in sunny areas of the world, but they are intended for shade instead of hurricane protection. They are similar to accordion or rolldown shutters because they can be locked down onto the building, but do not expect protection from storm debris. One of the reasons homeowners find it difficult to choose between Bahama and accordion shutters is due to their similar prices.
Awning shutters
Another option with similar prices to accordion or Bahama shutters are awning shutters. While most models of shutters have slats or louvers, this is solid piece that will provide shade to the windows, but in an emergency, they will fold down to be locked in during a storm. Again, awning shutters do provide some shielding against storms, but not maximum protection against hurricane debris.
Storm panel shutters
For homeowners that can only afford the minimum costs, there are options that can be used that are stored when they are not in use. Mainly, pieces of steel or aluminum are cut to size for each window, and a steel channel is installed over and under each window. When the weather is stormy, the pre-cut pieces of metal are placed in the steel channels by the homeowner and locked into place.
Plywood shutters
In some cases, homeowners find that buying a drill and fastening plywood shutters to a building with barrel or lag bolts is the only solution for their budget. However, there are a few ways that a pro window installer can help. For example, getting the plywood on the windows might be easy, but removing them after they have shifted because of the high winds may be challenging. In addition, we can help cut and size the plywood or teach you how to put it in place when required. Finally, we can help you assess if the plywood option will work because in some cases the installation is too heavy for upper story or large-sized windows. One tip from the U.S. Government is to only use plywood that is about an inch thick, and this often requires a professional to measure or cut the wood to efficiently cover the window area.
Let Door Depot help you with your hurricane shutters improvements!
When we say we will go the extra mile to help you prepare your home against hurricane weather, we aim to please. From measuring windows or helping you open a stuck shutter after the storm passes, we are here to help. To get started, give us a call today. We look forward to hearing from you and thank you for choosing Door Depot.