Hurricane shutters in Florida are a necessity for the residents; it is a choice between hurricane shutters and property damage every year from hurricane winds and flying debris – and that’s not much of a choice. Florida residents still shudder at the events of August 24th, 1992 when Hurricane Andrew came visiting them and left behind a trail of death and destruction. The Florida Building Code and Miami-Dade county requirements have to be met by the shutters, whatever be the shutter type. In Florida, there are enough and more hurricane shutter installers that can help you with the right type of shutter protection for your property. Pick one after basic due diligence and have shutters installed.
Whether it is accordion shutters that blend in with the decor of your balcony; shutter installation to protect a high-rise; inexpensive and easy to install storm panels; or Bahamas shutters; whatever be the shutter type, in Florida you will be able to get expert installation done. As mentioned earlier, compare costs for the service provided. You can get quotes online. Check for the value you get for that quote. What’s the extent and duration of warranty? Will the installer do free repairs for the period of warranty? Will he get you the necessary permission from local authorities for this job?
Here is a quick primer on shutter types. Storm panel shutters are the cheapest option but have sharp edges and can be difficult to handle; they cost around $8/square foot. Accordion hurricane shutters can be permanently affixed and can cost up to $20/square foot. Colonial hurricane shutters offer a decorative touch and can cost as much as $30/square foot. Bahama hurricane shutters attach above the windows and can be fixed in half an hour for the entire house, they cost around $30/square foot. If you fancy your carpentry skills then you can build and attach a plywood piece to the windows; take care that it is at least 5/8th of an inch thick.
If you don’t have storage space to spare then you’re better off with fixed hurricane shutters. If manually opening and closing shutters is a chore as it can be for handicaps and aged people, you may wish to motorize the operation.
