With the potential for winds to exceed 100 miles an hour, a hurricane can turn seemingly innocuous objects such as potted plants, lawn ornaments, felled branches, stones, etc., into projectiles. Shattered windows can expose a household to all the volatility of airborne hazards caused by the raging storm outside. In a single year, Florida residents may collectively incur billions of dollars in damages due to hurricanes. Threats to individual health and public safety are major concerns, as well. Proper protection is a must, but that protection can come in different forms. Rolling hurricane shutters are among the most recognizable forms of hurricane protection, and they come with their own set of benefits and other attributes to note.
A closer look at the features of rolling hurricane shutters:
- Rolling hurricane shutters can be deployed quickly—in seconds in most cases.
- These shutters can also be unrolled manually via a removable hand crank.
- These shutters needn’t be repeatedly set up or taken down. They affix permanently to the structure eliminating the need for storage options.
- Vast application—rolling hurricane shutters have a variety of uses including but not limited to storm protection, home and storefront security, and countertop application.
- Durability—Fatigue tests have been rigorously performed. These shutters can maintain their integrity for up to 20,000 cycles.
- Home Safety Solutions offers the most compact rolling shutters on the market today.
How, though, do these qualities translate to direct benefits for the consumer?
The Pros of Rolling Hurricane Shutters
Let’s consider the safety prospects. The dangers of flying objects during a storm should not be underestimated. According to reports by the CDC, “lacerations, abrasions, contusions, puncture wounds, sprains, and fractures,” are among the leading injuries incurred during hurricanes. Blunt trauma is the leading cause of morbidity as it is all too common for winds to dislodge objects, pick them up and propel them through the air. Rolling shutters can protect against harmful debris.
Rolling hurricane shutters can be financially beneficial, as well. Rolling shutters can prevent flying objects and water damage from impacting the property inside your home. Insurance companies know the protective qualities of rolling hurricane shutters and some offer discounts to homeowners who invest in such protective measures. Some insurance providers have even allowed discounts of up to 15% for properties with affixed shutters, assuming all of the openings of the home are protected.
Rolling hurricane shutters can increase the resale value of a property, too. Homebuyers in Florida are often looking for homes that come already equipped with protective measures. These buyers may be aware that precautions such as rolling hurricane shutters make these purchases more attractive in the eyes of insurance providers. Most insurance providers in Florida even require these kinds of protections. Either way, if a potential homebuyer finds a home with rolling shutters already installed that means less rigamarole for them and their insurers. Previously installed storm protection ensures that interested homebuyers needn’t go through the process of securing shutters themselves. A house that requires less money and energy to fix up is a house that is more likely to sell.
Rolling hurricane shutters can provide a means of cutting down on interim living costs like those produced by utilities. It is easy for Florida residents to rack up electricity costs while trying to deal with the often sweltering heat. Rolling hurricane shutters are effective at blocking out the sun’s rays. This means that you’ll be able to raise the air conditioning’s thermostat a couple of degrees and cut down on utility costs.
Lastly, as noted above, rolling shutters have the advantage of being quickly and easily deployed. Electric powered ones are rolled down with the click of a button on a handheld remote, and manual ones can be quickly pulled down by hand or deployed using a manual crank.
The Cons of Rolling Hurricane Shutters
Are rolling hurricane shutters right for your home or business? There are a number of different storm protection options to choose from. When it comes to permanently shutters, there are rolling shutters, accordion shutters, colonial shutters, and Bahama shutters. Other forms of deployable storm protection are fabric screens, metal panels, and clear panels. There are a variety of protective measures to choose from all with their own benefits and drawbacks. By assessing some of these drawbacks, you can better ascertain the merits of each protection option and determine which one is best for you.
If you are looking for inconspicuous storm protection then rolling hurricane shutters may not be right for you. Because rolling shutters have tracks and a hood that the shutters roll up into, it would be readily apparent that hurricane protection has been installed on your home. If you are looking for permanent, but less obvious protection, you may want to consider hurricane-rated Bahama or Colonial shutters. On the other hand, there are less conspicuous options available like deployable fabric or polycarbonates, but they need to be stored somewhere when not in use. You should also bear in mind that permanently installed hurricane protection is pricier than deployable options.
Contact Us
There you have it. The pros and cons of rolling hurricane shutters. If you are interested in using this type of protective measure for your home or business, please reach out to our team of experts at Home Safety Solutions. If you’d like to learn more about our other hurricane protection options, we’d be more than happy to help!