AMD Supply LLC, South Florida’s leading wholesale supplier for accordion hurricane shutters and aluminum supplies, has continued to add more hurricane shutter inventory for the upcoming hurricane season 2022 with four distribution centers to help our window and shutter contractors throughout Florida, and the Texas Gulf Coast.
Residents in Florida and the Caribbean had an eventful 2017 with Hurricane Irma ripping through the southeast and destroying homes that were inhabitable for weeks, months at a time; in some cases, gone for good.
The team at AMD Supply has shared some highly valuable insight into the different types of hurricane shutters out there and how they differ from one another.
AMD Supply has been serving the needs of Florida contractors with their aluminum shutter needs since 2006 and have our own high velocity hurricane shutter brand called, “Supernova Shutters“.
Our years of experience and industry knowledge in the aluminum supply and hurricane manufacturing industry can serve as a useful guide for people who want to purchase hurricane shutters in Florida for their homes.
Understanding the options available in your local Florida market actually helps you to make an educated decision with long term value when it comes to choosing the best hurricane shutters.
Highlighting how AMD Supply is playing its part in consumer education, “When customers buy what they know they need, they are happier and more satisfied with the overall buying experience.
No matter how great our quality, our hurricane shutter products will be of no value to a customer who never needed it in the first place.
As a company focused on customer satisfaction, we take consumer education as our responsibility. We want them to be aware of the options they have so that they can see why ours is the best choice for them.”
Types of Hurricane Shutters
While AMD Supply exclusively deals in aluminum hurricane shutters, they have different types to offer. The first one is our Roll down shutters that are built to comply with Florida Building code for a High Velocity Hurricane Zone.
It is further classified into different types based on the mechanism chosen by the customers.
For the lowest price, customers can purchase a standard motor, without manual override. For more convenience, the spokesperson suggested the use of remote-controlled hurricane shutter with the manual override.
At AMD Supply, Roll down hurricane shutters are available in four different colors as well. The spokesperson recommended the roll up shutter to almost everyone, saying, “Roll ups are popular shutters because they are also the most convenient ones to use.”
He explained, “They are installed above the windows or doors, so no extra storage space required. Also, they can be operated by one person alone and will be storm ready in the least amount of time.”
The other type of aluminum hurricane shutters is the accordion shutter.
AMD Supply is offering the patented Florida Building Code approved accordion hurricane shutters which feature a revolutionary direct-mount system and commercial lock center-mate. These types of accordion shutters are easy to install and operate.
Supernova Shutters are designed to keep the aesthetics of the building unaffected by the hurricane shutter. Moreover, they can be installed in any space including balconies, patios, and 2nd story windows.
STORM PANELS
Discussing other types of hurricane shutters, the spokesperson talked about hurricane panels, which usually are more common due to their low cost and for the do it yourself market.
There are several types of DIY hurricane panels including panels installed using tracks, panels that are bolted directly to the wall, and one that utilizes both tracks and bolts.
The biggest problem with these hurricane shutters is that removal and installation are quite difficult and complicated for one person alone, especially if you are a senior citizen. They may be completely removed when not required, but a spare storage place is needed to keep them safe.
The spokesperson warned about badly made storm panels, “People might choose them because of the low cost, but sometimes they are so badly made that they won’t line up properly.” He continued, “If you are not up for the hassle, better go for another less complicated option.”
LOUVERED HURRICANE SHUTTERS
Other than panel shutters, there are louvered ones that include Colonial and Bahamas styles. Colonial Shutters include two folding pieces while Bahama Shutters are a one piece louvered shutter. Both of these shutters are permanently affixed, and are limited for windows only.
The colonial hurricane shutters have a good aesthetic value, while the Bahama ones offer shade and privacy.
Hurricane shutters used in South Florida also vary in terms of material. While aluminum shutters are considered the strongest and sturdiest of all, many homeowners also resort to taping glass windows or plywood.
Plywood shutters, despite their lower cost, are not recommended by the AMD Supply spokesperson. According to him, plywood shutters fail to comply with the building code of South Florida. They are not able to withstand the strong winds of a hurricane and will bend causing the glass window to break and catastrophic loss to occur.
Other Materials
Taping windows, on the other hand, simply doesn’t work either. Tests have shown there is no benefit to applying tape over your glass windows.
During a storm, the cause of catastrophic loss is the pressurization of the interior of your home that will cause the home to burst apart at the seams. Taped windows cannot prevent this from occurring. Also when the windows breaks the pieces of glass that are taped become projectiles through your home. This can inflict serious damage to you and your family.
AMD Supply offers a wide range of aluminum products other than hurricane shutters. As a top rated aluminum company in Florida, quality is the company’s foremost focus. The company keeps offering huge discounts on all of their wholesale aluminum products including aluminum sheets, fences, signs, and hardware.
AMD Supply is the manufacturer of the Supernova Shutters, an accordion hurricane shutter system recently awarded, “Best Accordion Shutters“, in 2022 by the Spruce. Call us today at (786) 621-6706 or feel free to visit one of our six locations in Florida: Deerfield Beach, Port St. Lucie, Boynton Beach, Pensacola Government, Pensacola Palafox, Fort Myers to learn more about our hurricane protection products.
