How To Choose Hurricane Window Protection

Windows are the most susceptible parts of a house during a hurricane, and so it’s important to buy the right type of window protection for your home. Even Category 1 hurricane has the capability of reaching wind speed up to 95 miles per hour.

It could rip tree limbs and make dangerous projectiles of stray lawn furniture, loose objects, and tree branches. You should take into consideration all the necessary steps for protecting windows from breakage as the hurricane may cause damage to your home.

Varieties of coverings are available including shutters, cut plywood, and hurricane glass. Each has its pros and cons. The type of protection you will select depends to a great extent on the ease of installation, cost and the results you want to achieve.

HOW TO CHOOSE HURRICANE WINDOW PROTECTION

Shutters

Hurricane shutters refer to any solid material designed for covering windows like plywood, steel, and lots more stuff. Buy special shutters designed exclusively for protecting windows from the hurricane. Roll-down or metal accordion shutters are affixed to the house permanently.

Hurricane Window

Just roll them down and fasten them at the right place. A few of these shutters also operate electrically, but most of them have a mechanism for allowing manual operation in case of power failure. You will be able to modify the size of the shutters for fitting with any size of the doors and windows including sliding glass doors and large picture windows.

The shutters are expensive solutions for the hurricane, and so everyone could not afford to install these coverings. If you want you could also buy metal storm panels perfectly designed for fitting your windows.

These panels are attached with screws and should be put up and taken down whenever a hurricane threatens. You must store these panels in a secured place when they are not in use.

Plywood

During every hurricane season, the television news shows people fixing plywood to their windows to get prepared for the approaching storm. Plywood is less expensive compared to metal shutters. However, plywood is bulky and very hard to store. In the coastal climates that are often affected by hurricanes, plywood may rot in a few months.

Window

As per International Hurricane Protection Association, plywood doesn’t meet the standards of the building or the insurance industry. If the plywood could not protect your window, the insurance company may not pay you for the damage.

However if you are determined to use plywood, purchase sheets of minimum 2 inches larger and a ½ inch thicker than the windows on all the sides. Fix with 1 to 2-inch anchors or screws spaced at every 12 inches all the way around the plywood.

Film

The window film doesn’t protect the windows from breaking. However, the film contains the shattered glass, and it helps to hold off stormwater from leaking into your home.

The film is rather inexpensive and clear, and thus it could be left in place all through the year. Nevertheless, you should replace the film and the broken window glass if your home suffers from storm damage. Keep in mind that the film is not a protection against all types of flying debris.

High-Impact Glass

The high-impact glass is also called the laminated glass. It has two sheets of glass sandwiching a laminated film, and it is almost similar to the auto glass construction. Remember that laminated impact windows glass can withstand high impact. It may crack, but it doesn’t break. High impact glass is mostly found in the coastal areas with high-velocity wind zones. However, its main drawback is its high cost.

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Once you know the pros and cons of the different methods of window protection, it will be easier for you to choose the best one for your home. Purchase the best coverage and protect your home from the ravages of a hurricane.