Accordion Shutters in Melbourne, FL

Accordion shutters are hurricane shutters made of interlocking blades that fold together like an accordion and stack at the side of a window or door. When a storm is coming, you slide them along a track across the opening and lock them in the middle. Nothing has to come out of the garage, and there are no panels or wing nuts to keep track of. That is why they are one of the most common shutter types on Space Coast homes and condos.

Where they fit best

• Sliding glass doors: a wide opening closed with two stacks meeting in the middle, often the most important opening on the house.
• Balconies and lanai openings: condo and townhome balconies across the barrier island and along the river often use accordions because they can be closed from inside.
• Large windows and window groups: one accordion can span several windows mulled together.
• Hard-to-reach openings: upper windows that can be reached from inside but would be risky to panel from a ladder.

How they are built

The blades are extruded aluminum and hang from a top track with a bottom track below. A center locking bar or lock ties the two stacks together, and some systems lock with a key from outside. Stacks fold into a few inches at each side of the opening, so they do take up some wall space and are visible all year. Colors are usually white, ivory, bronze or beige to match trim.

Closing from inside

On many installs, the shutter can be closed and locked from inside the house through an open window or slider. That is useful on upper floors and on balconies, and it means you are not out in the wind at the last minute. Whether inside operation works depends on the window type and how the tracks are mounted, so we sort that out when we measure.

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Compared with other shutters

Accordions cost more than storm panels but much less than motorized roll-downs. They close faster than panels and need no storage. The tradeoffs are that the stacks are always visible, and the tracks and wheels need cleaning, especially near salt water, to keep sliding freely. If the look is a concern, a roll-down or impact glass may suit you better.

Installation

We measure each opening and check the wall above and below for solid anchoring. Tracks are fastened into the block or framing at the spacing the product approval sets. On stucco homes we anchor into the block behind the stucco. The blades are cut to length, the stacks hung, and every shutter closed and locked before we leave.

Care and checks

Once or twice a year, run each accordion closed and open. Rinse salt and sand out of the bottom track, check that wheels roll and that the locks turn, and lubricate the tracks with a dry lubricant as the maker suggests. A sticking blade is easier to fix in May than the day before a storm.