Cape May is a city at the southern tip of Cape May Peninsula in New Jersey, where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. Cape May has a humid subtropical climate typical of New Jersey with warm summers and cool winters. The Cape May area is brushed or hit about every three years by a tropical storm or hurricane. The area has historically been struck by significantly large storms, including a Category 4 hurricane that flooded every beach from Cape May to western Long Island with a storm surge of about 10 feet. The hurricane traveled along the Jersey coast at 50 mph, and if a storm moves at 50 mph, you do not have days to evacuate people, you have hours. And that’s not the only hurricane that has hit the Cape May area. Recently in 2010 Hurricane Earl forced officials to cancel some departures of the Cape May-Lewes Ferry because of high winds and rough conditions in the Delaware Bay. Earl stayed offshore and caused no significant damage.
Because of the high frequency of hurricane or tropical storm strikes, Cape May homes need to be protected from storms. The best protection against damage is hurricane shutters, and smart homeowners retrofit them or have them added when the home is built. Hurricane shutters are available in a variety of sizes, styles, and colors and can be matched to your home and your preference.
Roll-down shutters are an immediate protection system that offers total ease of operation just by pushing a button. It rolls up neatly into its own header box at the top of the opening. At anytime you can lower these shutters to block out severe storms or to shade part of your home
Colonial shutters are side swing-mounted and meet and close in the middle. They cover the entire opening with two shutters of equal size. It’s a very popular style, especially in the South.
Accordion shutters are an inexpensive approach to home and business protection. There is no storage involved, and with just a pull from each side to the center, you are locked and protected. Because of their cost-effectiveness, accordion shutters have become a very popular approach to providing protection to homes.
Bahama shutters are the perfect decorative and fully functional hurricane shutter. With island style and flair, they are very popular in tropical areas, and look great on any style home. They also provide ventilation, as they are louvered, and fastened at the top of windows. All are available in a variety of colors to match or contrast your home’s exterior.
No matter what style of hurricane shutter you choose, it’s critical to choose one if you live in the Cape May area. Cape May has a long history of hurricane brushes and strikes, and smart homeowners install them on their homes.
