Hurricane shuttering occupied home (rental, houses, tile)

[froglipz]

I have noticed that a lot of homes have hurricane shutters on the windows while the house is occupied. This practice is crazy and dangerous. If a fire were to break out egress is prevented. When it is adults only well they should know better, but when kids are in bedrooms that have no way to escape, it is criminal!

[rock creek]

I have a shuttered south westerly facing picture window in the rear of my home that keeps out the sun makes a ten degree difference in that room in the summer. It's next to a slider so easy exit if needed. So for me there is a reason to shutter occupied homes

[HarborRat]

If the window doesn't open, or is a typical Florida jalousie type it cannot be used as an egress anyway. They (mostly older people) cover them to save on AC. It's not like we have two story houses here where you will be trapped on the second floor. They are small BRICK ranchers with tile flooring over slab, I doubt you'd have a problem getting to a doorway, especially since most bedrooms down here have sliding glass doors.

Yes...it looks ugly and i wouldn't do it myself, but I can't blame them for keeping unused south or east windows covered to save electricity.

On a related note, I just tinted my front southern windows with low E tint from Lowes....It makes it at least 5 degrees cooler in the rooms now, even with the curtains open. I could never open those curtains before! For only $50 i should have done it a long time ago...

[the searchers]

We put up clear panels on two windows facing the front of our house for the first threat of the year and leave them up till the end of hurricane season. Riding by the house, it is not even noticable. Also have some hard to get at windows between houses on one side that stay shuttered once they are closed. There is still plenty of exit opportunities available. In our case it is not a safety issue.

[froglipz]

I guess I don't understand why the county building code requires windows to be of certain dimensions and number if they are just going to be sealed up and unusable. Just doesn't make sense to me, I must be missing something.

[Nancy in Nokomis]

Just moved into our rental and I noticed this on one house I had admired and a neighbor told me they always have their hurricane shutters up - the woman inside is old and sick - so sad.

[Big House]

Some people put the shutters up to aid in shading a room, and helping things stay cooler.
Others, put up some shutters in rooms that aren't used much for the same purpose, as well as making it easier if the need arises to put them up.
It only takes me an hour or so to put them all up, but for some this can be a more difficult process.
I agree with the original poster though - I would feel bad if a tragedy should ever happen.