Hurricane Shutters in Melbourne, FL

Hurricane shutters protect your existing windows and doors by covering them before a storm. They are the lower-cost way to get every opening on the house protected, and for many Space Coast homeowners they make more sense than replacing windows that are still in good shape. Unlike plywood, a permanent shutter system is tested, has a product approval, and is mounted on hardware that stays on the house all year.

The main types

• Storm panels: corrugated aluminum, steel or clear polycarbonate panels that slide into tracks or bolt onto studs above and below each window. Lowest cost per opening, but they have to be stored and carried out before a storm.
• Roll-down shutters: slats that roll into a box above the opening, raised and lowered with a crank, a motor or a battery unit. The easiest to close, and the most expensive.
• Bahama shutters: hinged at the top and propped open as a sun shade, then lowered and locked for a storm. Popular for the island look on beachside homes.
• Colonial shutters: two hinged panels on each side of the window that swing closed and lock in the middle; decorative when open.
• Accordion shutters: folding blades that slide across the opening along a track; we cover these on their own page.

Choosing by opening

Shutter jobs often mix types. A two-story home may use roll-downs on upper windows that are hard to reach, storm panels on small side windows that are easy to get to, and accordions over a wide slider. Who will close them matters too: if the house is a second home or the owner travels, a motorized roll-down or impact glass may be the only realistic choice.

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Clear panels and light

Metal panels darken the house completely once they are up, which can mean days in the dark if power is out after a storm. Clear polycarbonate panels let daylight through. They cost a bit more than aluminum, and they scratch more easily, so they need careful storage.

Mounting and the walls

Shutters are only as strong as what holds them on. Panels and tracks are fastened into the block or framing around each opening with the anchors and spacing listed in the shutter's approval. On stucco block walls we drill into the block itself, not just the stucco. Roll-down boxes and accordion tracks need room around the opening, so we check eaves, soffits and trim when we measure.

Permits

Brevard County lists hurricane shutters with windows and doors on its residential permit for unincorporated areas, and the application includes the shutter's product approval and installation instructions. Inside city limits, we confirm the shutter permit rules with that city's building department, then file and book the inspection.

Keeping them ready

Before each season, close every shutter once to make sure it still moves and locks. Rinse salt off tracks and slats, lubricate as the maker recommends, and check that panel fasteners and wing nuts are all accounted for. Label stored panels by window so storm day is quick.