WHAT ABOUT SHUTTERS?
NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER
What are the chances that South Florida get hit with another
devastating hurricane?
Andrew was a category 4 hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson
Hurricane Scale which ranges from category 1 [74-95 mph] to
category 5 [over 155 mph]). Over the past 110 years, the center
of a hurricane has passed within 75 miles of Miami, on average,
once every 3.5 years. A major hurricane (category 3 or greater)
comes at least that close about once in nine years, and a
category 4, or greater, once every 15 years. If these
numbers seem unreasonable, it is because the last 30 years have
been unusual in that there were much fewer hurricanes than
earlier in the century.
Should I get hurricane shutters and why?
If you live in hurricane prone areas such as coastal counties
from Texas to Maine, covers for windows are an excellent
investment for protection of life and property. These covers can
be heavy duty commercial shutters or properly installed plywood
of sufficient thickness for the opening it is protecting. A
minimum thickness suggested is 5/8 in. with thicker, properly
reinforced, plywood for large areas such as sliding glass doors.
These covers will protect windows and doors from wind, and
more importantly, flying debris. Much of the damage that occurred
from Andrew in southern Dade County, Florida resulted from
failure of windows and doors. These failures frequently lead to
interior wall failure and sometimes roof failures. Much of the
damage from hurricane Andrew would have been prevented by
shutters or other well installed covers for the windows and
doors.
What are the best kind of shutters?
The best kind are those that are affordable and get installed to
protect your windows and doors. The answer is different for
different circumstances. For a disabled or elderly person, this
may require some sort of automated method for closing; suggesting
something like accordion shutters. For the strong handyman, heavy
plywood trimmed to fit within the windows with secure mounting
brackets makes sense. Bahamas shutters are a favorite for some
windows because they serve a useful purpose year around and are
quick and easy to install when needed. Storm panels are a good
compromise for many people. Heavy steel panels offer the best
protection, but are heavy to install. Aluminum panels at a
comparable price offer less protection, but are easier to
install. If there is no source of heavy debris upwind (windows
face the beach) you might consider the lesser protection of
aluminum shutters adequate. There are other types. The key in all
of these is that the installation must be good, and done by a
qualified and reliable workman, and they must suit the conditions
under which they will be installed and expected to perform.
The best shutters for the money depends on how much work you can
do in fabricating and installing them. Convenience costs money,
but convenience to the able bodied may be a necessity to the
elderly or even to those who don't anticipate they will have
enough time to complete more labor intensive installations. One
word of caution: if electric power is used to open or close
shutters, then a mechanical backup is mandatory, since
electricity may very well be out either before or after a
hurricane.
What about the plastic film I have been hearing about?
These films are no substitute for shutters or plywood covers for
windows and doors. However, demonstrations of their strength are
quite impressive, and they are probably the next best thing to
solid covers for windows and doors, especially where access to
such glass areas is physically restricted. One problem is that
they only provide a measure of protection for the glass itself,
and frequently the frame holding the glass in place can fail.
This includes both windows and sliding glass doors. Dade County,
and others, continue to test these products.
How do I go about choosing a company I can trust?
The same way one goes about choosing any company that performs
services. Make sure they are licensed, get references, and above
all, check the references. If the company provides the
references, they will likely not give you names of unsatisfied
customers; thus referrals from friends and relatives are
preferable. Also, check with the Better Business
Bureau, your local licensing authority, and contractor
associations.
When is the best time to get my shutters installed?
The best time to have shutters installed is when the house is
built so that they can be part of the design. If you already have
a home without shutters, then get them installed as soon as
practical. If they are permanent, in place on the building, such
as bahamas, roll down, accordion, etc., then practice closing them
once a year before hurricane season to make sure everything is in
place and in working order. If they are panels, then check at the
beginning of each hurricane season to see that all hardware is
available and check each opening to make sure no repairs are
required. It is also a good idea to practice installing
these panels for a couple of windows or doors prior to each
season, timing how long it takes you to install them.
When the hurricane "Watch" is issued, check all mechanisms and
hardware again, and perhaps install some of your more difficult
shutters. If you are in a potential evacuation zone, and it is
going to take you more than 2 to 3 hours to install your
shutters, you may want to start the work during the "Watch"
phase. If you are not in an evacuation zone, you should have time
during the "Warning" phase to install your shutters.
What if I can't afford to get shutters?
The least expensive effective method of protecting windows is
probably the plywood method. If the plywood covers are properly
installed, they are just as effective, or maybe more effective
than commercial shutters. The key is proper thickness and
installation. They should be cut, fit,and installed prior to the
hurricane season, then well marked and stored with hardware for
quick installation should a hurricane threaten the area. The time
for installation is the same as for shutters mentioned
above. You might consider doing a few windows at a time over a
long period, or seeking financing to make them affordable. There
will still be some people who, for one reason or another, just
can't afford to do either of these. For those, it is like not
having insurance, recovering from the disaster will be slow, and
they will have to depend on outside help. Putting tape on the
windows is not considered worth the effort.
Are there any tax or insurance benefits to having shutters?
There are no tax benefits that we are aware of. In fact, if you
install shutters, getting a building permit will likely result in
an increase in your property appraisal and your property taxes;
hence local government has a disincentive to installing shutters.
Some incentives are being considered at various government
levels. Monroe County, and Dade County after January 1, 1994,
require window covers on all new construction.
Before Andrew, the wind portion of your homeowners insurance
policy represented about 5% of the total cost, with coverage for
fires representing the major part. Since shutters don't reduce
the fire risk, companies didn't have much wind policy money to
discount for shutters.Some companies have increased the cost of
wind coverage as much as five to ten times pre-Andrew levels;
therefore there now may be room for some policy discounts or help
in buying shutters. To our knowledge none exist today.
Can condomimum associations prohibit installation of shutters?
The short answer in Florida is no. Chapter 718 of Florida
Statutes of the Condominium Act (1991) permits each board of
administration to adopt specifications as to color, style, etc.
All specifications "shall comply with the applicable building
code". The Florida statutes further state "... a board shall not
refuse to approve the-installation or replacement of hurricane
shutters conforming to the specifications adopted by the board"
NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION FACT SHEET
OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20230
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