11 Mar Plywood vs. Storm Panels: Which One Is Better for Hurricane Shutter?
Storm panels, unlike other types of window hurricane protection, may be taken out and put back in. They may be put up in front of your windows during a storm and then taken down after the storm is through.
Storm panels are often composed of steel, aluminum, or a transparent/white plastic that is engineered to resist moderate force, preventing the glass from breaking in the case of storm damage.
On the other hand, a structural material made of glued or bonded together wood sheets is known as plywood. It has grains aligned at right angles or broad angles between adjacent layers of wood.
Oasis Hurricane Shutters will represent plywood vs. storm panels in this blog.
Is a Plywood Hurricane Shutter a Reliable Thing?
Does plywood really work as a storm barrier? No, that’s the quick answer. Using plywood to safeguard your house, family, and goods has serious drawbacks.
However, plywood might be deemed a “Code-Approved” hurricane-protection product if placed correctly. Ninety-nine percent of plywood-using homes are not adhering to “Code-Approved” installation techniques.
IBHS recommends hurricane shutters as the best way to protect your doors and windows from damage in the event of a tropical storm.
As an added benefit, they shield your home from the damaging effects of heavy rain and high winds. Installing storm panels may be an option if you don’t already have one.
They are lightweight, portable, and simple to store and deploy, making them suitable for a wide range of applications.
Don’t rely on plywood as a last-ditch defense to be on the safe side, says the Institute of Building and Fire Sciences (IBHS). As a result, the plywood sheets are likely to be damaged by water, distort, and fail to defend against dangerous missiles.
Although fabric storm panels are becoming increasingly popular, replacing your plywood with traditional metal storm panels is a more economical and more dependable option for protecting your home from a storm.
Storm Panels Are a Better Alternative to Plywood
These hurricane shutters, constructed of steel or aluminum, are fastened to the walls around windows and doors using bolts or tracks. Each piece of storm panel overlaps the one before it for optimal strength.
Many homeowners fail to inspect the storm panels when purchasing a property, which is a significant concern. Many people find out that panels are missing or too heavy to install on their own.
Advantage of Storm Panels Over Plywood
Storm panels are one of the most efficient ways to reduce the amount of damage done to your house or company during a thunderstorm or hurricane.
Rather than employing plywood sheets as a temporary remedy when a storm is approaching, consider investing in a more long-term solution that provides unsurpassed security instead.
While hurricane panels are far less difficult to handle than plywood, they are also considerably more conveniently packed away and out of sight when they are not in use.
Because the panels are lightweight and cost-effective, they can be placed quickly. They also lock firmly into place, keeping the elements outside and reducing potentially harmful uplift pressure on your roof from the inside.
Final Verdict
Storm panels are a more cost-effective option for protecting your Florida house from hurricanes than conventional window coverings. As a result, the cost of the materials is lower than that of impact glass or motorized storm shutters, which are more difficult to manufacture.
Contact Oasis Hurricane Shutters for more details on storm panels.
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