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Choosing Hurricane Shutters for Your Home

Written by Jacob Zimemrman on . Posted in Hurricane Shutters.

Choosing the right hurricane shutters for your home is a crucial decision. There is nothing more important than the ability to prepare your home and protect your family when a major storm is approaching. Category 5 Manufacturing is proud to offer a wide array of hurricane shutter options to meet the needs and wants of every customer! In this article, we will walk you through some of the factors to consider when shopping for new hurricane shutters and which options would be best for your home.

Hurricane Shutter Budget

It is impossible to put a price on protecting your home and your family, but the reality is we all have a budget. That is why at Category 5 Manufacturing, we offer shutter options to work with just about any budget. When budgeting, it is important to consider all of the factors we use in preparing a quote such as how many openings, and what floor the shutters need to be installed on. Installing shutters on a second or third floor is more labor intensive than on the first floor. If cost is a deciding factor for you, then storm panels are the most cost-effective option. Storm panels manufactured by Category 5 offer top protection but at a low cost per square foot.

Ease of Use with Different Type of Shutters

Some hurricane shutter options are easier and quicker to install than others. If you are a busy person that does not have much time to prepare their home before a storm, or you have limited ability, you may want to consider shutter options that are easier or quicker to open and close.

Storm panels are easy to install but do you have the ability to lift them. Even though our storm panels are a lightweight design, a person with a physical disability may not be able to hang them up on their own. Additionally, storm panels can be installed within about an hour depending on the number of openings in the home. However, it may take longer for larger homes, and the process of hanging storm panels is not nearly as quick as some other shutter options.

Roll up shutters are one of the easiest hurricane shutter styles to open and close. They can be closed by either pulling a chord similar to the chords used on blinds, or roller shutters can be connected to a motor that closes them with the flip of a switch. Accordion shutters are another style that is extremely easy to use. Once they are installed, you prepare for a storm by simply pulling them out and locking them in place. Your home can be secured in minutes with options like roller shutters and accordion shutters.

Visual Appearance of Hurricane Shutters

Some types of hurricane shutters are considered to be more visually appealing than others. Both Bahama shutters and colonial shutters are attractive and functional options. They look great on a variety of styles of homes found in Florida. However, many homeowners prefer storm panels because when they are taken down only a small strip of metal is left behind. If your home is not complementary to Bahama Shutters or Colonial Shutters and you find other shutters clunky, then storm panels may be the option for you.

HOA Rules and Regulations on Hurricane Shutters

Some homeowners associations have very strict rules about what you can or cannot install on your home. Checking with your HOA prior to installing your hurricane shutters can save you hundreds of dollars in fines, and even more in replacing the shutters that were not allowed in your community. Luckily, at Category 5 Manufacturing, all of the hurricane shutters we offer are approved by a majority of the HOA’s in Broward and Palm Beach County.

Types of Hurricane Shutters Offered By Category 5 Manufacturing:

Making the decision to install hurricane shutters in your home is easy. The more challenging decision is what type of shutters to install. Determining your budget limitations, ease of use needs, visual desires, and HOA rules can narrow down the decisions. If you are still not sure which type of hurricane shutters you want for your home, contact Category 5 Manufacturing and speak to one of our experienced representatives (561)777-2491.