Windows and doors are highly susceptible to hurricane damage. There are special hurricane protection steps that can protect your home and lower your insurance premiums. It is well known what an errant rock can do to your home’s glass windows and doors. Imagine what hundreds of such rocks can do when propelled by hurricane-force winds.

When you keep your windows and doors protected during storms, you will be preventing injuries from flying debris and glass. Here are 5 hurricane protection tips that we have to share with you. At Muhler, we are Lowcountry’s leading provider of windows, doors, storm protection, shutters, sunroom additions, and vinyl windows. We offer our services for both construction projects and home improvement projects and have been serving this market for over 30 years.

1. Laminated Safety & Security Glass

Retrofit your windows and door glasses with laminated safety and security glass. Such glass is made up of multiple layers. It has a formidable thermoplastic interlayer that is 5 times as strong as the standard safety glass. It can be many times stiffer.

Laminated security glass offers similar protection to replacing the windows with storms windows. You will no longer have to worry about high winds and flying debris. Some of the benefits include:

• Retaining structure and strength even when facing high-force impacts
• Protecting the existing glass against shattering
• Doubles as a security upgrade for your property
• Providing protection all year round

2. Use Hurricane Fabric

Hurricane fabric can stretch and can be used to cover all the glass. It is similar to a trampoline and is capable of bouncing different types of storm debris. However, the debris that bounces off may cause damage to nearby assets.

While this is not as effective in providing hurricane protection to your windows and doors, it does offer the following benefits:

• Ease of installation, removal, and storage
• Much cheaper alternative for protecting windows and doors during storm and hurricane season

This option is recommended only if you don’t need the highest degree of hurricane protection in your area.

3. Use Storm Shutters

Installing storm shutters allows you to get access to protection whenever you anticipate a storm. Accordion and roll-up shutters can be permanently fixed to your home. Whenever there is a storm warning, you can pull the shutters in place. You can also choose shutters made of translucent material or with perforation to allow light in.

Professional storm shutter installation can be expensive and varies based on the choice of material and style. The material options include:

• Aluminum
• Aluminum-wrapped foam
• Reinforced fabric

4. Plywood

Many homeowners will board up their windows and doors with plywood before a storm. While this is an inexpensive method, it involves a lot of work. It will be required to store all the plywood required to cover all the doors and windows. Besides, you will have to start working well in advance of an impending storm.

Taking down the boards also requires lots of effort and time. While plywood can protect your doors and windows during a hurricane, this is not a convenient solution for the problem.

5. Hire Professional Hurricane Protection Services

It is best to seek professional assistance to protect your windows and doors against hurricane and storm damage. At Muhler, we provide complete storm protection solutions to address your unique challenges. Our solutions include:

• Impact-resistant windows
• Accordion hurricane shutters
• Fabric shields
• Storm stud attachment systems
• Hurricane windows
• Storm panels

Some of the key features of the different hurricane protection solutions that we offer are as follows:

Hurricane Shutters

We use proven accordion hurricane shutters from leading brands to provide optimal storm protection. Our shutters are specially designed to withstand hurricane-force winds. The special interlocking folding blade system will cover large spans while they can be folded away to provide clearer views.

Impact Resistant Hurricane Windows

We install impact-resistant hurricane windows and doors that can resist damage from any form of impact. Even when there are cracks in the glass, the frames will stick to the interlayer. The shards will stay within the frame and will not fly around.

Hurricane windows are highly recommended to keep your home and family safe during a hurricane or storm. You will not have to worry about a broken window affecting your home’s structural integrity.

Storm Panels

We use special storm panels are that hurricane-rated and provide an affordable method of protecting your home against storms. These are versatile fixtures and can be used to cover almost any opening. We have factory-trained and certified professionals who will install your storm panels. The panels can be installed from outside or inside.

We use corrugated storm panels that can readily fit together. These systems are compact and take lesser space compared to plywood, which makes them easier to store.

Remember the Exterior Doors

It is often seen that homeowners forget their exterior doors when thinking of hurricane protection. It is also important to protect your glass doors and wooden doors with glass panes just like your windows. It is recommended to check all the doors for any missing or loose screws. Strong winds can damage any door that is not properly secured or protected.

Check the hinges for any missing screws. It is also better to have three hinges on external doors than two. It can also be a good idea to replace the existing small screws on the hinges with longer ones.

It is also important to ensure the door threshold is properly screwed down. Add a 1-inch deadbolt to a door to make it more secure. Double doors should have the second door’s barrel bolt is fixed to the floor.

At Muhler, we provide hurricane protection services for homeowners and businesses throughout Charleston, Mount Pleasant, and the nearby areas of the Lowcountry. When it comes to deciding the best hurricane and storm protection needs for your property, our experts can help you make the right decisions. Feel free to get in touch with us at 843.572.9727 to discuss your unique requirements and to fix an appointment. You may also reach us from our Contact Page and we will call back to confirm the appointment.