Storm shutters can help protect your home or business
Hurricane season is fast-approaching and it’s important to know the ins and outs of hurricane shutters so you can not only make sure your home is protected, but also so you can get the most bang for your buck and hurricane shutter option that works best for you.
Storm Smart offers storm panels, accordion shutters, aluminum roll shutters, rollaway hurricane screens and impact windows.
Storm panels have an install price of $20 to $28 per square foot, accordion shutters are $38 to $42 per square foot, aluminum roll shutters range from $50 to $60, rollaway hurricane screens range from $36 to $42 and impact windows with an aluminum frame are $52 to $62 and ones with a vinyl frame are $65 to $70. These prices don’t include a permitting cost.
Sales engineer John McEnroe said storm panels are the most difficult to install because they’re often cumbersome and need to be carried out of the garage or storage area to the site where they’re being installed.
“The only benefit those are to you is when there is a hurricane,” McEnroe said. “There is no other lifestyle benefit.”
Accordion shutters stay in place permanently and they’re manually controlled from the outside and they’re relatively easy to use.
“Those are primarily only a hurricane product typically,” McEnroe said.
This means these products product against hurricanes, but not against things like street noise.
Aluminum roll shutters are manually cranked down or have a motor to bring them up and down.
“They’re relatively easy to use,” McEnroe said. “They offer sun control, privacy and security.”
The rolling hurricane screens have been their most popular product on the market for the last 15 years.
“They’re very easy to use,” McEnroe. “They are much more of a lifestyle product in addition to providing hurricane protection. You can see through the screen as opposed to any of the other products.”
Deployable hurricane screens range from $25 to $30 per square foot.
“You can store them in a garage or wherever and then bring them out and put them over the opening,” McEnroe said. “The advantage to that is it lets light in so you can see out so you don’t get that cave-like feeling.”
The aluminum impact windows always stay in place.
“The advantage to that is you don’t have to do anything and they can provide some sun protection,” McEnroe said.
Vinyl impact windows are more energy efficient and typically come with insulated glass.
“It’s important that all products are installed by a professional company and people get a permit from their municipality in order to get the insurance deduction,” McEnroe said.
One of the owners from Alufab USA, Marco Mesa, said impact windows are top of the line.
“From there, roll downs will be the next step, then accordions, panels and Bahama shutters,” he said.
Aluminum roll downs offer 100% protection against a hurricane.
“One of the best features is in a lanai situation where you’ve got furniture and any kind of equipment like a grill or TV,” Mesa said. “Once it’s closed down, it’ll be protected against the elements.”
They come in different colors to match the scheme of the home. Most of them also come with manual overrides in case of a power outage.
They range from $40 to $45 per square foot.
Accordion shutters must be opened and closed manually.
“They are very easy and very user friendly,” Mesa said. “The best price point.”
Prices range from $30 per square foot.
Impact windows are the most user friendly because they don’t need to be installed each time there is a hurricane.
But, they do need to be checked to make sure they’re closed and locked in place.
These range from $65 to $75 per square foot.
Bahama shutters deploy for protection by just bringing them down and range in price from $45 a square foot.
Panels range from $15 to $25 per square foot.
“A lot of customers prefer to do the front of the house in impacts so they don’t take away from the prestige of the home, then do accordions or panels on the sides,” Mesa said. ” In the back of the house they normally do lanais in roll downs.”
“We offer peace of mind and want to make sure whatever you get you’re comfortable with because you can easily get 10-20 years out of these products.”
For more information:
Storm Smart
Where: 2351 Crystal Drive, No. 101, Fort Myers
When: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday; Closed, Saturday and Sunday
Info: 239-938-1000 and https://www.stormsmart.com/
Alufab USA
Where: 6360 Topaz Ct., Fort Myers
When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday; Closed, Saturday and Sunday
Info: 239-226-4872 and https://www.alufabusa.com/
To reach KATIE EGAN, please email news@breezenewspapers.com