Impact windows or storm shutters for Florida homes

Opening protection

Two ways to protect an opening

Every window and door is a weak point when a storm arrives, so Florida homes have long relied on some form of opening protection. One approach builds protection into the opening permanently, using laminated glass in a strong frame that stays in place all year. The other adds a separate system, such as panels, accordion units or roll down shutters, that covers the opening when a storm is approaching.

The two approaches feel very different to live with. Impact glass is simply your window, and you open it, clean it and look through it like any other. Shutters are a seasonal routine for some systems and a button press for others, and they change how the house looks and feels while they are closed.

This page is a general comparison to help you ask better questions. It does not state what any local rule requires, because requirements vary by city, building and community. Your city building department, your association and your insurer are the right sources for specifics, and a good plan begins by asking them what applies to your property.

It also helps to remember that protection is only one of several reasons people replace windows. Some owners are chasing comfort, some are fixing leaks or drafts, some want a new look and some simply have old frames that no longer open smoothly. If your reasons overlap, a single project can address several of them, and the comparison below becomes a question of which approach serves the most goals at once.

Everyday convenience

Impact windows ask nothing of you on a normal day. There is nothing to install before a storm, nothing to store afterward and no hardware to find in a closet. For households that travel, rent out a property or live in a place part of the year, having protection that is always in place is a real comfort.

Shutters depend on someone being there. Panels must be carried, positioned and fastened, which takes time, space and effort, and accordion or roll down systems must be closed and locked. Motorized roll downs can be operated with a switch, but they depend on power or a manual backup. Whoever lives in the home needs to be physically able to operate the system, or have someone who can.

Think about the people in your household. A single homeowner who travels often, an older couple, or a busy family with small children all have different tolerance for the routine that shutters require. The right answer for a strong young household with storage space may not be the right answer for someone who would find the routine difficult.

Timing is part of convenience, too. A storm can change course with little notice, and a household that needs several hours to put up panels has less room for error than one that needs a few minutes. Think about a realistic day, with work, school, errands and traffic, and ask yourself honestly whether the preparation routine fits into it. A system you cannot deploy in time is not much of a system.

• Impact glass works without any action before a storm.
• Panel systems require storage, handling and time.
• Accordion and roll down systems need operation and sometimes power.
• Consider who will actually be at home when preparation is needed.

Appearance and daylight

Impact windows look much like regular windows. You can choose frame colors, grids and styles, and the glass has a clear look that lets in daylight all year. When the windows are replaced as part of a remodel, they can be selected to match the style of the house.

Shutters change the look of the facade, particularly permanent tracks, boxes and housings that remain visible. Some are designed to blend with the architecture, and some are rather utilitarian. When closed, any shutter blocks daylight and views, which can make a house feel dark and closed in during a storm preparation period.

Interior effects matter too. A house with impact glass keeps its natural light every day, while a house with shutters may be shaded year round if the shutters are left closed or partly closed. Our page on planning for natural light explains how openings affect the feel of a room, which is worth reading before you decide.

Frames deserve a close look. Thicker profiles and visible grids change the proportions of the window, and a dark frame against a light wall reads very differently from a white one. Ask to see a corner sample and, if possible, a finished installation somewhere nearby. How the frame looks from the street often matters as much as how the glass looks from the inside.

Noise, comfort and energy

Laminated glass has a different structure from ordinary glass, and many people notice that rooms feel quieter, since the glass is less transparent to certain sounds. It can also reduce the amount of ultraviolet light that reaches furniture and floors. The specifics depend on the product, so ask the supplier what the glass does and does not do.

Frame and glass combinations can improve comfort in a hot climate. Tighter seals, better glazing and well fitted frames help keep the cooled air in and the heat out. Shutters can shade glass when closed, but they are not a substitute for the performance of the window itself.

For a broader look at how openings relate to comfort and efficiency, see our energy efficient remodeling basics and the page on stuck or drafty windows. If your current windows are hard to open or let in air, the problem may deserve attention whichever protection system you choose.

A cooling system works hardest in the afternoon, when sun hits west facing glass. Glass coatings, shading and frame quality all influence how much heat enters, and the specifics vary by product. Ask the supplier how the glass is constructed, what it is designed to do about sunlight and how to compare one model with another in a way that goes beyond the brochure.

Installation and what is involved

Replacing windows is a construction project. Old units are removed, openings are checked, new frames are set and sealed, and the surrounding finish is repaired. Details such as how the frame is anchored, how water is kept out of the wall and how the interior trim is restored all affect the finished result.

Shutters involve their own installation. Tracks, anchors, boxes or housings are fastened to the wall, and the attachment to the structure matters. Panel systems need anchor points to be installed and kept in good condition, while roll down systems need a box and a guide track.

Permits and inspections are part of both paths. Requirements vary by city and building, so ask your city building department what applies and who files. Our permits questions page lists the general questions to bring to that conversation, and the impact windows and doors page describes how the process is organized.

Measurements drive everything. Openings are measured on site, and the product is made to fit those measurements, so errors can cause delays or fitting problems. Ask who measures, how the numbers are checked and what happens if an opening turns out to be out of square. Older homes in particular may have frames that are not perfectly plumb, and the installer needs a plan for that.

Storage, maintenance and lifespan

Impact glass needs the maintenance of any window: cleaning the glass, checking the seals, lubricating hardware and watching for signs of water around the frame. There is no seasonal storage or rotation of parts.

Shutter systems need their own care. Panels must be stored somewhere dry and accessible, ideally labeled to match their openings, and hardware must be checked for corrosion in a salt air environment. Roll down mechanisms and tracks need cleaning and lubrication, and motors should be tested before the season rather than during a storm.

Lifespan is hard to promise in a coastal setting, so treat any number you hear as a question to ask rather than an answer to accept. Ask what parts wear first, which parts can be replaced individually and what the supplier expects the maintenance routine to look like each year. Salt and humidity can age metal components over time. Ask what materials and finishes a system uses and how they behave near the coast. For any option, ask for written maintenance instructions and keep them with the house records.

Think about the cost of effort as well as the cost of equipment. A panel system asks for a few hours of labor each time a storm threatens, and for storage space that could otherwise hold something else. Impact glass front loads the effort into one project and then asks for ordinary window care. Neither is better in every case, but putting the effort side by side with the expense gives a fuller picture.

Condos, townhomes and associations

In a condo or a community with an association, the decision may not be entirely yours. Many associations have rules about the appearance, color and type of window or shutter, and about who is responsible for openings that face common elements. Some buildings coordinate window projects for all units at once.

Ask for the documents and talk to the manager before you shop. You may need approval in writing for color, style and installation method, and you may need a contractor of record according to the association. Our pages on condo association approvals and HOA approval basics explain what to ask and what to bring.

Sliding doors, balcony doors and large glass walls deserve special attention, since they are some of the biggest openings in a home. Our page on sliding door problems describes common issues and why they are worth sorting out when planning protection.

Insurance and documentation

Opening protection can relate to insurance in ways that vary by insurer and by policy. Some policies recognize certain protection systems when calculating terms, and some require documentation. Because the details differ, ask your insurance agent what they need to see and what kinds of documentation they accept.

Keep product information, installation records and inspection results in one folder. If you ever sell the home, that file helps explain what protection exists and when it was installed. A tidy record also makes future repair or replacement easier.

Do not rely on rumor or a neighbor's experience. Policies change, products differ and each home is its own case. A short call to your agent before a purchase is worth more than any amount of guesswork afterward.

It is also wise to ask what happens when a product is damaged. After a storm, who inspects the installation, how are repairs documented and what do you need to keep for a claim? Having the answer to that in advance, along with photos of the openings in good condition, makes any later conversation with an insurer clearer and calmer.

Combining approaches and phasing

Some homeowners combine the two approaches. They may install impact glass in the most exposed or hard to shutter openings, such as large sliders and upper windows, and use panels or roll downs on others. Upper floor windows are awkward to reach with panels, and large sliders are heavy and clumsy to cover, so those are the places where built in protection tends to earn its keep. Small, ground level windows are the easiest to cover by hand. This can spread the work over time while still moving toward a protected home.

Phasing a project requires a clear plan. Decide which openings come first and why, how the new units will match the old ones in appearance and where temporary protection will be needed in the meantime. Our page on phasing a whole home project shows how to sequence work without leaving gaps.

If you are already planning a remodel, openings should be part of that conversation from the beginning. New walls, larger glass areas and moved doors all affect which products and installation methods make sense.

Questions to settle before you choose

Begin with a clear list: how many openings the home has, which are the largest, who will be home before a storm and how much storage space exists. Add the rules from your association and the information from your insurer.

Walk the house with a notepad and photograph every opening, including garage doors, entry doors and small bathroom windows that are easy to forget. A complete inventory prevents the unpleasant surprise of discovering one unprotected opening after the project is finished. Then ask suppliers to explain how each product is installed, what documentation comes with it, how it is maintained and what the schedule looks like. Lead time is something to ask about, not assume, and our materials lead time questions explain why. For a wider view of how openings work together, see the hurricane ready openings overview and the guide to impact windows explained.

Finally, plan the calendar around the storm season. The weeks before a season starts are busy for everyone, so thinking ahead gives you more choices. Our hurricane season construction planning page helps you think through timing.

Questions and answers