As a coastal homeowner or business owner, you are no stranger to the threat that hurricanes can pose to your property. However, did you know that hurricane shutters can serve as more than just protection against high winds and flying debris? These shutters can also provide a significant boost to your property’s security. In this blog post, we’ll explore the benefits of using hurricane shutters for security and how they can help you protect your home and business.
Deterrent to Burglars and Home Invaders
One of the most apparent benefits of using hurricane shutters for security is that they can serve as a deterrent to burglars. These shutters are sturdy and difficult to breach, making it challenging for thieves to access your property. They also provide a visual signal to potential intruders that your property is secure and not an easy target. Choosing our rolling shutters for this is especially smart, as the intruder would have to utilize an angle grinder or heavy blunt object to break through the metal slats to gain entry. There is no simple place to cut the shutter and gain easy entry. Even if the manual operation universal faces outside, they would need the specific crank handle to use it- and this vulnerability is easily overcome if the universal is placed for access from inside only.
In addition to deterring burglars, hurricane shutters can also provide protection against other types of intruders, such as vandals and looters. During hurricanes or other natural disasters, these individuals may take advantage of the chaos to break into businesses or homes and steal valuable items. However, with hurricane shutters in place, these individuals will find it much more difficult to gain access to your property.
How can roll down and accordion shutters provide security?
Roll shutters and accordion shutters our our top line choices for security for the home. In addition to their stated storm protection, they provide security by serving as a physical barrier between the exterior of a building and potential intruders. These shutters are made of durable materials such as aluminum (or Aramid in the case of screens), and are designed to withstand high winds, heavy rain, and other extreme weather conditions. They can easily provide a strong deterrent to all but the most committed intruders- who would need power tools and extensive time to get in.
When closed, these shutters form a solid barrier that is difficult to penetrate, making it much harder for intruders to break in. Additionally, many security shutters come equipped with locking mechanisms that further increase their security capabilities.
Rolldown shutters are especially effective because they can be quickly and easily deployed in the event of a storm or other emergency. They can be opened and closed manually or with the push of a button, making them a convenient and reliable security option for homes and businesses in coastal areas. Even hurricane screens are a great option, as ours are made with Aramid fiber- which is the same material as the brand name Kevlar- used in the military to create bulletproof or near bulletproof material. While there are certain openings where aluminum shutters would be better, protecting a deck with our screens would provide a double whammy of safety for your home or business.Â
Accordion shutters are also a great option, with multiple types of locking mechanisms that provide enhanced to top-of the line security. The typical push locks are great and would need to be ground off to open, while mortise locks would need the actual shutter to be cut apart to gain entry. Most intruders rely on quick, unseen entry into homes, and needing to use power tools would give police or your family the necessary time to react and protect yourself and your belongings.What shutters are less ideal for security purposes?
Shutters we would not recommend for security include panels, bahama shutters (aka Bimini or Bermuda), polycarbonate shutters, and colonial shutters. Panels often have exposed wing nuts to fasten the shutters, so could easily be undone by potential intruders. This is the same problem with Colonial shutters, which can only be locked in a rated fashion from the outside using sidewalk bolts. Bahama shutters lock with pins, which could be pushed out from the exterior of the home. Obviously you could put in locks where the holes are, but that is generally more difficult, and may not meet hurricane ratings as the locking pins for the shutters are very robust. Finally, polycarbonate shutters could be cut with a quieter power tool (since you are cutting essentially strong plastic) which reduces their noise risk.
While the shutters above (Bahama, panel, colonial, polycarbonate) can provide some deterrent to criminals looking for a quick score, they are less secure than the accordions or roller shutters. While all shutters are a good choice for storm protection, insulation, and aesthetics, if you have a serious security concern, there are a few options that are better than others. Contact our sales team today so we can get on site and determine the best options for you.