Living in this area of the country means you have to be proactive in protecting your home from the storms you know are going to come at some point. Most homeowners know that protecting the windows it of utmost importance to keeping the house in good shape when a storm rolls through. That means that homeowners have either window shutters or hurricane windows in Pinellas County, FL to combat the storms. Here are some comparisons of the two to help you decide which direction you want to take or if you want to switch from one to the other.
Installation/Replacement Needs
Hurricane shutters must be installed over the windows (and then taken back down later) every time a storm comes through. That takes time and effort and can be a big chore. These shutters may also very well have to be replaced on a regular basis. If the storm does some damage, the shutters might take a lot of the force and that could cause them to be useless in the future. You will have to get new ones to protect your home next time around.
Hurricane windows, on the other hand, only have to be installed once. After they are placed on the house, they’re in. They don’t have to be replaced and they won’t break during a storm so that’s not an issue at all. The windows last for decades without giving homeowners anything but good results.
Costs
Hurricane windows are going to cost a significant amount more than shutters. However, they last a lot longer and bring a lot more benefits with them as well and that often counterbalances the upfront costs. Windows, for example, is good not only for storms but also for everyday use. They are energy efficient, which helps you to save money on energy bills each and every month. You can pay yourself back for the windows whereas the shutters won’t do much other than help to protect your home during storms if you install them in time.
Storage
Hurricane windows are stored right there on your house, in plain view, every single day. Shutters, though, are taken down when there aren’t storms brewing and you will have to have a place to put them until you need them again. Depending on how many windows you have, they could take up a lot of space that you might rather use for other things.
There are going to be pros and cons to any answer you consider, but when you look into hurricane windows in Pinellas County, FL, the pro list grows and grows while the con list stays very small. If you are thinking of upgrading your home to include hurricane windows, the professionals at Clearwater Window & Door Inc. are here to help you look through the options and make a final decision. We can give you a free consultation with no obligations so you can get the information you need to make the right decision for your home. We can also come to your home for an assessment to offer advice.
