Hurricane Shutter Requirements for Florida Homeowners

Jul 12, 2022 Posted by: Zero Gravity Marketing

With the Atlantic hurricane season officially upon us, now is the best time to get your home, business, and family prepared for what is expected to be another active season. NOAA predicts a hurricane season with a 65% chance of above-normal storm occurrence, with three to six major hurricanes (classified as category 3, 4, or 5) making landfall this season. Most Floridians know the basics of hurricane preparation, yet not every home is properly protected from the damage that can occur during these dangerous storms.

Home and business owners are responsible for knowing hurricane shutter requirements in Florida, which are serious and regulated – and for good reason. These state requirements must be followed on all buildings, including residential and non-residential properties. To meet the current Florida building code for hurricane shutters, buildings must be designed to stand up to impacts from high-wind debris across the southern portion of the Sunshine State and through much of the panhandle.

Hurricane Shutter Requirements in Florida

Though technically, there is no Florida hurricane shutter law, regulations and codes exist for Florida buildings. Currently, two approved options can be used when meeting the Florida building code for hurricane preparedness. The first option is for all windows and doors to be covered entirely with high-impact storm shutters. These can be metal panels, roll-down or accordion styles, and even extra-strong fabric. The other option is to replace all exterior opening glass (windows and doors) with impact-resistant glass. This glass is considered shatter-resistant and is similar to what is required in vehicles – two panels of glass with a film in between for safety and stability.

These hurricane shutter requirements are especially impactful in elevated wind-borne debris regions where dangers are at their highest. In addition to the large numbers of coastal homes, Miami-Dade, Broward County, and Coastal Palm Beach County in South Florida are considered high wind-borne debris areas. Points up to five miles inland, and even further in some areas, can be subject to high-velocity hurricane zone (HVHZ) building codes. Knowing the specific requirements in your area is imperative to help keep your home and property safe.

HVHZ-approved products require more in-depth testing to ensure the quality of products will withstand the 140–180 mph wind speeds seen in those designated areas. For impact-resistant glass or window covering to meet the HVHZ standards, they must go through large and small missile testing. For example, a six-foot-long 2×4 weighing roughly nine pounds will be fired at a speed of 50 feet per second at the opening being tested. The projectile will be fired at both the center and the sides of the window to ensure the product can withstand the possible conditions that may be seen during a hurricane.

Miami-Dade NOA (Notice of Acceptance)

Due to the HVHZ building codes requiring heightened protections, those in Miami-Dade County are subject to even stricter requirements. All shutter and impact-resistant glass protection must meet the Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA) regulations. The Miami-Dade NOA means that materials covering windows and doors have been through rigorous testing and comply with the highest industry standards of hurricane shutter protection.

All products used on buildings in HVHZ areas like Miami-Dade must be approved for use in Miami-Dade NOA #12-1004.02 and certified for use with Florida Building Code approval #15208, Florida High-Velocity Hurricane Zone Approval #17661. Always check with companies and/or contractors to ensure that products and workmanship carry the correct certification for your area.

Hurricane Shutter Installation Code

In addition to using strong and safe regulation materials, hurricane shutter insulation must be done correctly according to the hurricane shutter installation code. Shutters and coverings are useless if they are not correctly installed and could cause problems with getting claims through insurance companies if damage does occur. All coverings must have a one-inch gap between the shutter and glass across the entire surface of the opening. This allows maximum deflection if any debris strikes the covering.

Proper fit is crucial to the correct use of window and door coverings. If incorrect sizing leads to gaps, major damage can occur. Once hurricane winds have entered a structure via a pierced window or door, all the pressure from that wind begins pushing outward on the interior walls of your building. Upward pressure can also push on the roof. This extreme pressure can lead to a failed roof and exposed interior, leaving the valuables within your home or business vulnerable.

The Right Shutters Can Help Homeowners (And Insurance Agencies)

Following hurricane shutter requirements is a proactive and smart choice for preparing your home or business this hurricane season. It helps protect your valuables from catastrophic hurricane damage, as seen in recent hurricane seasons. It also secures your physical dwelling. If you do not have proper coverings and severe damage occurs, getting your home repaired quickly and efficiently will be a challenge. Contractors and repair companies will likely have backlogs of other homes and businesses needing the same work completed. This could mean you are out of your home or building for months.

Purchasing and maintaining Miami-Dade NOA-approved hurricane shutters is typically much less than the cost of paying the deductible for repairs after hurricane damage is assessed through insurance. Adding HVHZ-approved hurricane shutters is also highly cost-effective, especially considering the cost of repairs even with hurricane insurance. A typical deductible of 2%–10% can cost upward of $20,000 for the average three-bedroom and two-bath home in southern Florida.

Protecting your home and business is of the highest priority. Follow all Florida regulations while keeping your insurance rates where they should be. With this information about the hurricane shutter requirements in Florida, you can research the best products to ensure that this hurricane season will not cost you for years to come.

Contact Florida’s Atlantic Hurricane Fabric Shutters

For premium products that protect your largest investment, contact Atlantic Hurricane Fabric Shutters today.

Hurricane center tracking first tropical wave of 2022

May 09, 2022 Posted by: Nicholas Blake

Atlantic hurricane fabric shutters are the best hurricane shutter protection in Florida. We are approved by insurance companies for category 5 hurricanes. Our hurricane protection is more cost effective and stronger than other hurricane shutters.

It may only have been Mother’s Day and not yet hurricane season, but the National Hurricane Center started tracking the first tropical wave of 2022.

In its Monday morning tropical update , forecasters said the first tropical wave of the season emerged off the west coast of Africa. moving west at almost 12-17 mph.

“Latest satellite imagery shows an extensive area of numerous moderate to isolated strong convection,” the NHC said.

“Tropical wave guidance has it moving westward over the next 24-48 hours, passing well to the south of the Cabo Verde Islands,” the morning update said.

Hurricane season officially starts on June 1, but in the past seven years there have been named storms in May – including Anna last year and Arthur and Bertha in 2020.

The first named storm of the 2022 season will be called Alex.

The 2022 hurricane season is expected to be a busy one , according to the meteorological team at Colorado State University. Its forecast released in April called for an above-average year with 19 named storms this season — five more than what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration considers average, based on data collected from 1991 to 2020.

The Colorado State prediction also calls for four major hurricanes, which are defined as being at least Category 3 with maximum sustained winds greater than 110 mph. The average season has about three, according to NOAA.

Written By: Roger Simmons & Orlando Sentinel

Be Prepared For The 2022 Florida Hurricane Season

May 07, 2022 Posted by: Zero Gravity Marketing

Florida State University experts discuss 2022 hurricane season

"It only takes one storm to have a devastating impact."

The time of year Floridians have come to dread is approaching: hurricane season.

A media briefing on Monday afternoon via Zoom consisted of Florida State University experts discussing the 2022 hurricane season, which will start on June 1.

“The forecasts that have been released so far all agree that an above active season is predicted,” said Allison Wing, an assistant professor in the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science.

Wing studies hurricanes, as well as other types of tropical systems, thunderstorms and climate. She was also named to Popular Science’s Brilliant 10 list of early career scientists conducting groundbreaking research in their fields in 2021.

WeatherTiger forecast: Since 2017, a ludicrous 101 named storms have formed. Expect more this hurricane season

There have been several active seasons in a row with 21 storms in 2021 and 31 storms in 2020. This year’s forecast calls for between seven and nine hurricane-level storms.

atlantic hurricane shutters are the best hurricane protection for your Florida, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina and South Carolina Homes

“This could be something like last year where there were a lot of storms, or it could be really hyperactive or something less than that but still above normal,” Wing said.

Charles Nyce, an associate professor of risk management and Insurance and associate director of the Center for Risk Management Education and Research, focuses his research on how to pay for natural disasters once they occur.

“From an insurance perspective, I would encourage people to check their policy limits,” Nyce said. “Construction costs are still really high in the state.”

“If you bought a policy a few years ago where you're only getting a 2,000 square-foot house and you think it's going to cost $100 a square foot to fix it, that's not the case anymore. It's going to cost a lot more than that, so make sure your policy limits are high enough to cover how much damage you could potentially have.”

Nyce also provided tips about insurance premiums for homeowners.

"To alter the premiums that you as a household are paying, you actually need to harden your home," Nyce said. "The bang for your buck that you're going to see is the actual physical hardening of your home that'll make the biggest difference in your premiums."

atlantic hurricane shutters out perform all other hurricane shutters. Our hurricane shutters are approved by all major insurance providers and up up to building code for category 5 hurricanes.

The FSU faculty members who contributed to the briefing are leaders in the study of hurricanes and the effects of these destructive storms. Their scholarship has led to research on infrastructure challenges, evacuation routes, sustainable tools and mental health challenges for those affected by hurricanes, according to the university.

Among the FSU experts was Eren Ozguven, an associate professor in the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and the director of the Resilient Infrastructure and Disaster Response Center. His research focuses on the relationships among infrastructure networks in Florida, such as roadways and emergency transportation operations, and how they contribute to an area's ability to be prepared for disasters, including hurricanes.

"We need to think about our vulnerable populations, whether they are in urban and rural areas, whether they are living in coastal or inland, whether they are older and whether they are with disabilities or other vulnerabilities," Ozguyen said. "We need to have plans that can adapt to these changes, especially on the infrastructure side of things."

Marcia Mardis, a professor in the College of Communication and Information and former public librarian, was also a part of the briefing. In the wake of Hurricane Michael, Mardis received a National Science Foundation grant to collaborate with librarians and community members to establish processes to ensure that rural public libraries can serve as resiliency hubs or support centers for residents during a hurricane or other natural disaster.

Mardis is working in Calhoun County in great depth along with other collaborators, including representatives from the FSU College of Medicine and the School of Information at the College of Communication and Information. They are all doing some mapping to figure out where people go in a disaster, which will help to better plan shelters.

“Regardless of how many hurricanes we expect,” Wing said, “we always should prepare the same way because as we know, all too well, it only takes one storm to have a devastating impact.”

Written By: Tarah Jean

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