Do you need hurricane shutters for a tropical storm?
Yes, hurricane shutters are very much necessary to protect your home from the high-winds and wind-born debris of a hurricane or tropical storm
. Any standard glass opening of a home has the potential to be broken by not only wind-born objects but also gusts of wind if high enough speed.
At what wind speed should I put up hurricane shutters?
Hurricanes Hugo and Andrew were instrumental in an industry-wide upgrade of the standards for storm shutters. Standard building codes require a product to withstand
110 MPH
winds.
Do you really need hurricane shutters?
Hurricane-force winds can lead to a tremendous amount of pressure against your windows.
Without hurricane shutters or impact-resistant glass, your windows may shatter as a result of this pressure, bringing in rain and debris that can cause significant damage to your home.
Should I board my house for a tropical storm?
Do I need to board my windows for a tropical storm?
One of the most important things you can do is to board up the windows of your home
. Having hurricane shutters are the absolute best protection for your windows. However, even though you can save money by installing them yourself, shutters can still be rather expensive.
Do you need hurricane shutters in Florida?
The current Florida Building Codes demand that
every home built after 2001 must either have hurricane shutters or storm windows
. So yes, you do need some form of protection—whether you choose hurricane impact resistant windows or hurricane shutters is completely up to you.
How long do hurricane shutters last?
Shutters require regular cleaning and maintenance
This will ensure they work properly. It is recommended you operate your shutters every
3-6 months
. This is regardless of if there is a storm of not.
Are hurricane shutters worth the cost?
That’s where hurricane shutters prove their worth. Installing this type of heavy-duty style shutters is more than adequate protection and will not only reduce the risk of injury from broken glass and debris but will also strengthen and protect the interior of your home from strong winds.
Do you still need hurricane shutters with impact windows?
Hurricane Window Shutters
Although hurricane shutters can be used over any standard window glass as well,
it’s better to install them over the impact windows
, to ensure 100% protection from hurricanes and storm debris.
Do hurricane shutters increase home value?
Installing hurricane shutters can significantly increase the resale value of your property
. Potential buyers recognize the investment and care taken to maintain safety and security.
How do I protect my home from a tropical storm?
- Close and lock all your windows. …
- Inspect each window and door and reseal if necessary. …
- Shutter all the windows in your house. …
- Install a heavy-duty bolt to your doors. …
- Upgrade to impact-resistant windows and doors. …
- Check all the shingles and seams and reseal if necessary. …
- Check that roof trusses have enough bracing.
What category hurricane should you put up shutters?
According to the National Hurricane Center’s official recommendations, you should put up hurricane shutters
whenever a hurricane watch is issued for your area
. As you may or may not know, a hurricane watch is issued 48 hours before hurricane conditions are expected to begin.
What do you need for a tropical storm?
- An emergency food and water supply.
- An emergency medicine supply.
- Emergency power sources such as flashlights (don’t forget extra batteries).
- Safety and personal items.
- Important documents, including medical documents, wills, passports, and personal identification.
- A fire extinguisher.
At what wind speed should I board up windows?
A Design Pressure or DP rating measures the strength of a window. Standard residential windows have DP values between 15 and 50.
A DP 15 window can reasonably be expected to sustain winds of roughly 77 mph
before shattering. A DP 50 window is expected to sustain winds up to 173 mph.
What do you do if your window breaks in a storm?
During a storm, if your windows are damaged or broken,
move yourself and your family away from the windows and broken glass into an interior room with few or no windows
(like a bathroom or laundry room). If the winds are slow enough for you to cover the window opening, attempt to do so.
Should I board up my house for a Category 1 hurricane?
Board up the windows on your home to protect them not only from the high winds that accompany a hurricane, but also the various pieces of flying debris that will be present
. It would not take much to knock out a window, allowing wind and rain access to your home and causing additional damage.
What year did Florida require hurricane shutters?
After Hurricane Andrew, in
1992
, Miami-Dade County established the first requirements for wind-borne debris protection and developed test requirements that shutter and impact-resistant glazing systems must pass, under the code (Fla. Building Code § 1626).
Do you need hurricane windows in Florida?
The Florida Building Code (FBC)
requires windows to be impact-resistant or protected if located within one mile of the coast where the wind speed is 110 mph or greater
. (Of course, even if your home is not located in this area, this may be a good idea.)
Which is better hurricane windows or shutters?
Can you see through hurricane shutters?
All meet and exceed all current Florida Building Codes and Standards. Allow natural light in: Lexan shutters and panels are clear (see-through) so they allow natural light to enter your home.
You can see through them
: Lexan storm shutters and panels allow you to see-through them so you know what’s going on.
What is the best window protection for hurricanes?
One of the most obvious and frequently used hurricane window protection options is
plywood sheets
. Installing large plywood sheets over glass windows and doors is an affordable and highly effective method of storm protection.
How often should hurricane shutters be serviced?
It is important to have your shutters checked
annually
to ensure they are in working order, even if they didn’t get used.
How much do hurricane shutters typically cost?
How much value do hurricane shutters add?
The return on investment for hurricane shutters is less than the ROI for impact windows, which can help homeowners who are thinking about hurricane windows vs shutters choice. Homeowners can generally expect to receive about a
50%
return on their hurricane shutters cost.
How much do electric roll down hurricane shutters cost?
Roll-up or roll-down hurricane shutters cost
Roll-down hurricane shutters cost $25 to $120 per square foot or $175 to $840 per window on average. Manual roll-up shutters cost $20 to $50 per square foot. Electric roll-down hurricane shutters cost
$50 to $175 per square foot
. *Includes installation.
Can impact windows withstand Category 5?
Hurricane impact windows have advanced to the point where
they can withstand Category 5 wind conditions
, and the debris that goes with it.
Are hurricane impact windows worth the cost?
Impact windows do cost more than traditional windows, but they very well may pay for themselves by preventing extensive and expensive damage to your home
. They are also more efficient, saving on energy costs, and can help significantly increase the value of your home and reduce your homeowners’ insurance costs.
Are hurricane shutters cheaper than impact windows?
First,
hurricane shutters are a much more affordable option than installing impact resistant windows
. Hurricane shutters come in varying wind and impact ratings, depending on their size, shape, and more.
Are accordion shutters worth it?
What do hurricane shutters protect?
How much value does impact windows add?
ENERGY STAR estimates that if you are replacing single-pane windows with double-pane high impact windows, you could see savings between
$126 to $465 per year
in energy costs. If you are upgrading your existing double-pane windows to a high impact product, the savings are still estimated to be $27 to $111 per year.
How can you keep a house from blowing away in a windstorm?
Are houses in Florida hurricane proof?
While
there is no such thing as a hurricane-proof home
, there are varying levels of resistance and investment. Florida imposed new mandatory building codes after Hurricane Andrew in 1992, at first locally and then statewide in 2002. They have improved hurricane resistance dramatically in new construction there.
How do you hurricane proof an existing house?
- Install a metal roof. If you’re moving to a hurricane zone, you’re going to need a hurricane proof roof. …
- Install impact windows. …
- Replace wood doors with Fiberglass doors. …
- Landscape the yard. …
- Install a metal garage door.
Can you close accordion shutters from inside?
Do plantation shutters help in a hurricane?
These fantastic shutters
protected properties from storms, hurricanes and other dangerous elements
. Even today, the functionality of plantation shutters is still viable to people around the world. Plantation shutters adorn Floridian homes, add aesthetic value, and offer storm protection to people in Florida every day.
