Hurricane Shutters

[drsvelte]

We've purchased Bahama-type shutters from A Shade Above on 83 just south off of 98. Made from aluminum with a variety of different colors available. Custom fitted and installed - not off-the-shelf. Responsive owners and quality work. Not cheap.

As you'd expect they're pretty busy right now and you need to anticipate a wait.

 

[DBOldford]

We just received two estimates for hurricane shutters, ranging from $30 to $50 per sq. ft. of area covered, depending upon what type you get. The Colonial shutters are more expensive, but look a lot better. We have so many French doors and windows that we decided to stick with plywood and local labor when things look bad.

 

[Philip_Atlanta]

anyone tried or looked at the 3M Ultra film as an alternative?

 

[Smiling JOe]

anyone tried or looked at the 3M Ultra film as an alternative?

Tell me about it. I have not heard of such a thing.

 

[Philip_Atlanta]

SJ -


3M Safety and Security Window Film helps hold your glass in place during destructive weather conditions, bomb blasts, explosions, or smash and grab burglaries. It helps maintain the integrity of a structure's outer shell to keep wind, rain and flying glass fragments from wreaking havoc inside the structure. Our films can also reject harmful UV rays, which cause fading and lower energy costs.

http://products3.3m.com/catalog/us/...indowfilms/command_AbcPageHandler/output_html

 

[Camp Creek Kid]

This product is not a substitute for shutters. It is a step up from the "masking tape" method. It stops shattered glass from flying across the room, but it doesn't prevent it from being shattered in the first place. The new building code requires that builders provide each new home with hurricane rated window protection. This includes hurricane wind rated windows, shutters, or plywood and screws.

Its too bad this won't work--it is an inexpensive and relatively easy "fix" but it just won't do the job.

 

[Smiling JOe]

The new building code requires that builders provide each new home with hurricane rated window protection. This includes hurricane wind rated windows, shutters, or plywood and screws.

Of course I am not in the building industry so I do not know. Is this something new? I thought if they built the house to handle the wind load, that hurricane rated 140mph wind resistant windows were not necessary.

 

[Philip_Atlanta]

I agree, it isn't as good as the shutters as windows would still break. However; once they break it still stops rain, wind, etc coming in. For me the pro's to it would be its always "on" so to speak and, I assume, less expensive. The con, you nailed, you still receive damaged windows.

 

[SGB]

After Ivan we hired a shutter company and installed a combination of accordian shutters and lexan panels on our Seagrove house. We used the accordians on the 2nd and 3rd floors and lexan panels on the first floor. When Dennis arrived we were able to button up the house by ourselves in less than 2 hours. Almost more importantly, we were able to open the house back up by ourselves in less than 2 hours. To us it was well worth the cost of the shutters (they were expensive!) to not have to go through the stress of deciding what to do when Dennis headed our way. We plan to own the house forever, so the cost of the shutters seemed worth the peace of mind.

We boarded up the house last year when Ivan headed our way and we had to hire a crew (that was expensive too!). To get to the 2nd and 3rd floor windows was very difficult. Then after the hurricane, we had to get all the plywood off before our next guests arrived, for which we hired another crew. The patching and painting was a pain.

 

[Rita]

The new building code requires that builders provide each new home with hurricane rated window protection. This includes hurricane wind rated windows, shutters, or plywood and screws.

Construction started after what date would fall under the new building code requirements?