Hurricane shutters (appointed, appliances, house)

[alsidw]

After installing aluminum panels for the first time and I want accordion shutters. Anyone done this lately?

[aridon]

The process hasn't changed much. Get some quotes from multiple companies and go for it. You can either scrap the shutters yourself or donate them.

They are certainly a convenience, however they are expensive. Especially since you already have shutters and the sunk cost is there. Depending on how frequent the storms are they are easy to justify or maybe not so much. Even a small home will run several thousand dollars and you can pay people to put them up and down for you over decades for what you'll end up paying. This isn't really a cost based decision, it is 100% convenience.

That said, we love ours.

[newred5]

Sid accordion shutters are very easy to close and are a tremendous peace of mind..as long as you can deal with the costs I say definitely ..we installed them right after moving in five yrs ago ..it takes almost as long to remove the window screen than close a shutter

[alsidw]

Yes, although putting the panels up was straightforward it nonetheless was a lot for us in our 70's with bad backs and knees, the garage bracing too added to the fun. If that was all we had to do maybe but we lost power for 3 days and had to lug out a heavy generator one ended up using 25 gallons of gasoline. I need to find out who installa the accordion panels too.

[newred5]

Just sent you a DM

[Rabflmom]

Originally Posted by alsidw

Yes, although putting the panels up was straightforward it nonetheless was a lot for us in our 70's with bad backs and knees, the garage bracing too added to the fun. If that was all we had to do maybe but we lost power for 3 days and had to lug out a heavy generator one ended up using 25 gallons of gasoline. I need to find out who installa the accordion panels too.

Yep putting up the panels took us about 4 hours one night. Just 6 windows. Then another 2 for the 3 doors because some made wrong. If we had to use a manual drill it would have taken even longer.
We had hurricane garage door so at least didn't have to reinforce that.
It was much easier for us to prepare for the hurricanes of 2004 when we were in our early 50s!

[rolsinski]

Been in PSL almost 10 years and this was out first Hurricane weather experience, I don't have shutters of any kind, my house was built in 1989 and experienced many other hurricanes and it is still standing. Checked on cost of shutters in 2007 and the cost was extremely expensive do to the design of the house. Our biggest problem was moving the Lanai furniture to a safe place.

[PSLCarPool]

We were lucky to have neighbors help each other for free and some handy men outside of our community were available to help put up and take down shutters for only $7.50 each first floor window, $10 each second floor window and $20 large sliding glass door. Pricing the accordion shutters at ~$3000 for upstairs alone is not worth it for us especially if we can hire someone to put panels and take down for far less each time. We would need 30+ storms to make the accordion shutters worth it.

[alsidw]

I agree the fancy panels are not necessary but we think anything addeded to the house will increase the value of the house. In addition we are in our 70's and if the next storm might be 10 years away then if alive I will be in my 80's and know I could not get them up. As for help, i was greatly disappointed in the lock of help from my neighbors. I am still cutting down palms and trees and not one neighbor walking by offered a hand and they were probably 20-30 years our juniors. I cannot count on help so must do what I can. The storm also knocked out our power for 3 days. I had a portable gas generator what helped power selected appliances. I used 25 gallons os gasoline, and the Noise!