Hurricane Shutters in Davie, FL

Hurricane shutters protect an opening by covering it, so the window or door behind them does not have to be impact rated. They cost less per opening than impact glass and they let you protect the whole house quickly, which is why many Davie homeowners use them on some or all of their openings. The trade-off is that shutters only work when they are closed, and somebody has to close them before the storm arrives.

The main types

• Storm panels: aluminum, steel or clear polycarbonate panels that bolt or slide into tracks over each opening. The least expensive option, but they have to be stored and put up by hand.
• Accordion shutters: permanently mounted beside the window and pulled closed along a track. Quick to deploy and a common choice for second-story windows and sliders.
• Roll-down shutters: a curtain of interlocking slats that rolls into a box above the opening, by crank or by motor. The fastest to close and the most expensive.
• Colonial and Bahama shutters: hinged decorative shutters that close over the window or prop out as an awning. They change the look of the house, so check HOA rules first.
• Fabric screens: woven panels anchored over the opening; light and easy to store.

Approval and anchoring

Shutters in Broward go through the same kind of High-Velocity Hurricane Zone testing as windows: missile impact and then cyclic pressure. The approval spells out spans, anchor types and spacing, and how far the shutter must sit from the glass so that a dent under impact does not reach the window behind it. The Town of Davie's shutter checklist asks for the opening plan with every opening numbered, the product approvals, a shutter installation form and the Broward wind load chart, along with the notarized addendum. Anchors set into hollow block or old stucco need to match what the approval allows for that wall.

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Mixing shutters and impact glass

You do not have to choose one approach for the whole house. A common plan is roll-down or accordion shutters on a wide slider and the second-floor windows, with impact glass on the front windows and entry door where looks matter most. For a wind mitigation inspection, every opening needs approved protection of some kind, so a mix that covers them all can count the same as a house of impact glass.

Living with shutters

Panels need a dry place to store them and a labeled layout so the right panel goes on the right opening. Accordions and roll-downs need their tracks kept clean and their locks checked each spring. Motorized roll-downs should have a manual override in case the power goes out before the storm passes. We walk you through closing and opening each type before we leave.

Call (954) 375-7681 for a free shutter estimate.