Southern Louisiana is a storm magnet, there’s no doubt about it. It gets hammered with thunder storms, tropical storms and hurricanes. No one knows when the next big storm will hit, but you can be assured that it’s coming. When you say the name Katrina, New Orleans pops immediately into your head. We all saw the devastation that hurricane brought, but Louisiana has a long history of being hit by these storms. In Cameron, Louisiana, for example: A 1957 hurricane nearly wiped Cameron off the map, and more than 300 people were killed. And after sustaining extreme damage from Hurricane Rita in 2005 and Hurricane Ike in 2008, the population in 2010 dropped from 1965 to around 280. There was only one reported death because of evacuations, but during Hurricane Ike, the storm surge was so severe and came up so quickly that hundreds of people had to be rescued from rooftops.
In southern Louisiana, hurricane shutters can protect your home from extreme winds, flying debris, and even intruders. They give you the most reliable hurricane protection. Without shutters on your home, storm winds can create enormous pressure changes and actually tear your roof off, hurting the people inside and destroying both the building and its contents. Good hurricane shutters are insurance against expensive disasters. If you would like to know in advance how much hurricane shutters will cost, you can find out easily by picking a shutter style, and doing some measurements. There are an assortment of storm shutters and panels, and they come in a variety of costs.
There are many options to choose from, including the following:
Rolling shutters – These are very convenient shutters, making them a popular choice. You just push a button, and the shutters roll down. In the case of a power outage, they have a manual crank so that you can still roll them down and provide protection for your home. They tend to be the most expensive kind of shutters, but most homeowners find that the convenience factor far outweighs the cost.
Bahama Shutters – Offer tropical island style and elegance. Bahama shutters add exotic island flair, permanent shade protection, and excellent storm protection.
Colonial Shutters – Combine convenient storm protection with the flavor of the old South. Colonial shutters are extremely reliable and weatherproof, and blend perfectly with the architectural style of Louisiana homes.
Accordion Shutters – These hurricane shutters are ideal for people who want to have shutters, but don’t want to mess with putting up and taking down shutters when a storm is on the way. They’re easier and more convenient. They also tend to be less expensive, so they’re often a more economical solution.
Putting hurricane shutters on your Louisiana home is the best insurance against hurricanes that you can have. While we can never predict the path and intensity of a storm, we can make sure that our homes and families are protected.