Hurricane Safety Zone - Hurricane Shutters

Learn About Hurricane Shutters And How To Stay Safe

Different types of hurricane shutters to learn about

Depending on the type of house, condo or townhouse you live in, you may or may not have hurricane shutters.

If you live in an apartment, it's up to your apartment complex to decide if they want to put shutters up or not. If you buy a house, townhouse or condo, your abode may or may not have come with hurricane shutters. If it didn't, it would be a good investment, especially since there have been more and more destructive hurricanes in recent years. If you live in a coastal area, you are probably familiar with hurricane shutters.

However, if you recently moved to a coastal area, you may have a lot to learn about hurricane shutters.

The time to do it is now, not later. A lot of people who don't live in coastal areas might think hurricane shutters are unattractive and make an otherwise attractive home look like a prison compound. But they are a necessity. They only go up when a hurricane warning is issued. Some people opt to keep them up the entire hurricane season though (June 1-November 30). It depends on where you live and what your city's regulations are. Here's a brief outline of the different types of shutters that are available:

Aluminum Shutters - These are an accordian style shutter that are a little bit heavy, so they require some amount of strength to install them, and they typically cost $7-$15 per square foot.
Automatic Rolldown Shutters - These can be made of metal or PVC material, but the coolest part about them is they roll down automatically with the flick of a switch. These are great for elderly people. The cost: $20-$35 per square foot.
Bahama Shutters - These special hurricane shutters look like plantation shutters and serve dual purposes--shade and hurricane protection. In fact, they are louvered shutters that can be opened and closed. These cost $15-$20 per square foot.
Awning Shutters - These are awnings that fold down over windows and can be fastened to the window for protection. These also offer shade when they are not folded down, and they cost $15-$20 a square foot.
Accordian Shutters - These look a lot like the aluminum shutters you see, but they are stored in a space next to the window so you can just slide them out and fasten them when you need them. You can even buy clear accordian hurricane shutters if you don't want to block out daylight entirely. Accordian shutters cost $15-$25 a square foot.

So there you have it. You can also make plywood shutters as a cheaper alternative, but proper fit and installation are key to their effectiveness. Make sure you know what you're doing if you go this route. No matter what kind of safety shutters you decide to go with, installing them is just plain smart. In fact it is easily one of the best hurricane preparations you can make.