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Posts Tagged ‘hurricane shutters’

Fabric Hurricane Shutters for Steel Buildings

Friday, August 20th, 2010

Many owners of steel buildings are choosing fabric hurricane shutters as an alternative protection from strong winds and flying debris. It is hard to believe that fabric can provide enough protection, but this type of hurricane covering meets or exceeds most building codes especially in hurricane-prone areas such as Florida and Texas.

Fabric hurricane shutters are usually made of Kevlar, a fabric used as protective body armor. This material is lightweight and easy to handle. They can be put up and taken down easily by one person. They can be rolled or folded for easy storage. The translucent material allows light to come inside steel buildings and allows occupants to know what’s happening outside.

Fabric hurricane shutters offer the same or better protection than any other hurricane shutter available. When deployed, they are stretched so tight, without a flex. There might be moisture on the surface of the fabric, but it won’t be wind-driven into the house.

Fabric hurricane shutters look like a sun awning for single story steel buildings and like a curtain wall for multi-story ones. For residential steel buildings, fabric hurricane shutters are an expensive yet practical option to protect their entryways and porches. Using fabric shutters saves a lot of time because there’s no need to bring in heavy porch furniture and decorations in the event of an approaching hurricane.

There are several styles of fabric hurricane shutters for steel buildings that are available:

· Grommet – These are the easiest to install especially if you want to do it yourself. The shutters have grommets or reinforced eyelets where they will be fastened to doors and windows.

· Rolling Screen – This type of fabric shutters are permanently attached and located above windows and doors of steel buildings. They can be lowered anytime either manually or by electric motor.

· Slide Screen – The fabric shutters slide into mounted brackets.

· Strap and Buckle – Straps and buckles are sewn into the fabric shutters and fit around eyehooks or strapped to columns. This type of fabric shutters allow easy exit from steel buildings in case of emergency.

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Plywood Hurricane Shutters for Steel Buildings II

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

Plywood hurricane shutters are the most commonly used storm shutters for steel buildings because of their price. They are considered to be temporary protection and their use is recommended only as a last resort, mainly due to the fact that these shutters do not meet most building codes.

There are two main methods for installing plywood shutters for steel buildings, the barrel bolt plywood shutters and the overlapping plywood shutters. For windows and doors of steel buildings that have an inset of two or more inches from the exterior wall, using barrel bolt plywood shutters is recommended.

These are the basic installation directions:

· Using a 5/8 inch thick plywood (3/4 inch is recommended), cut the plywood to fit snugly the window’s indentation.
· For larger framed openings such as doors, connect multiple plywood panels with 2 x 4s or sturdy hinges.
· Using one bolt for every 12 inches of vertical plywood, screw barrel bolts to each plywood shutter.
· Don’t forget to mark the bolt holes in the wall.
· As usual, label each panel with “Top” and “Bottom” and the number of the window it fits (refer to drawing discussed in yesterday’s post).
· Drill the holes.

It is recommended that plywood shutters be made waterproof by applying sealant or paint. Store plywood shutters properly in a cool, dry place to prevent wood damage and warping. Never store wet plywood shutters.

In addition, choose a storage location that keeps the shutters off the ground to prevent termite damage. This will not be a problem for owners of steel buildings because these metal structures are resistant to termites.

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Plywood Hurricane Shutters for Steel Buildings I

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

Ensuring that steel buildings are properly protected from storms requires time and money. Plywood shutters are the most commonly used type of hurricane shutters mainly because of the price. They do not meet most building codes, yet many owners of steel buildings still use them either because these people do not have the luxury of time to hire a professional contractor or these shutters are the only ones they can afford.

Plywood shutters may be the least expensive of all, but they also offer protection as long as they are properly installed. The main disadvantage of these shutters is that the building owner must make them and install them himself. In addition, the plywood material is very heavy and very awkward to install.

There are many ways to install plywood shutters. The least effective method, which is usually used by people with minimal amount of time to prepare, is to let the plywood overlap the framed opening. Then, the wood is attached to the walls using appropriate nails.

Before installing the plywood shutters, consider making a drawing of the steel building and marking each framed opening with a special number to match the labels of the plywood shutters.

Overlapping plywood shutters are the only option when windows or doors do not have a 2-inch inset. These are the steps in making overlapping plywood shutters and how to install them:

· Make sure the plywood is 5/8 inches thick. Remember that plywood is strongest in the direction of its wood grain.
· Cut plywood to overlap each window opening by at least 4 inches.
· For larger openings, such as doors, connect multiple plywood sheets with 2×4s or sturdy hinges.
· Drill matching holes through the plywood sheet and the wall where it will be attached.
· Label each plywood panel with “top”, “bottom” and the number of window or door it fits (refer to drawing).
· Hammer sleeve lead anchors into the wall holes made earlier.
· Screw or bolt the plywood in the anchors.

(Tomorrow: Barrel-Bolt Method)

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Roll-Down Hurricane Shutters for Steel Buildings

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

The best kinds of storm shutters are those that offer the greatest protection for steel buildings. The choice of shutters depends on individual preferences and circumstances. For the elderly or disabled, they can choose shutters that are pre-installed with motorized closing mechanism.

Roll-down shutters are pre-installed and housed in a box above each window or door when not in use. A roll-down shutter consists of a series of slats that form a curtain and are the easiest to operate. When the shutters are deployed, they roll down along a set of tracks or guide rails placed on both sides of the framed opening of steel buildings, and then locked in place.

So far, roll-down hurricane shutters are the most expensive among all popular shutter systems specially those that are motorized. Added benefits of these types of shutters are protection from direct sunlight, and property loss or damage due to criminal entry.

Roll-down shutters can be manually operated, motorized independently or motorized with a manual override. Motorized roll-down shutters can be operated individually or in groups, with a flick of a switch or with a push-button or even by remote control. Manually operated roll-down shutters make use of gears or pull straps.

The problem with motorized roll-down shutters is their operation during power outages. They must either have a battery back-up system or equipped with a pre-installed manual override. Inoperable motorized roll-down shutters have caused egress issues during fires.

Roll-down shutters are also available for large windows and doors of steel buildings. However, they require reinforcing rods that are inserted after deployment to insure maximum protection from the damages caused by hurricanes.

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Accordion and Colonial Hurricane Shutters for Steel Buildings

Monday, August 16th, 2010

Still on the subject of shutters for steel buildings, there are other types of hurricane coverings used as protection from damages caused by driving rain and strong winds. Other hurricane shutters are accordion-type, colonial, roll down, glass, fabric, and plywood. This post talks about accordion and colonial shutters.

Accordion shutters are made from connected vertical blades that slide into place on a horizontal track. They are operated, by pulling the left and right shutter toward the center of the track or for a one-piece shutter, toward the other side of the track. Then the curtains are fastened together and locked.

If the need arises, accordion shutters can easily made storm-ready even by one person. When not in use, they are housed beside the windows or doors of steel buildings, making them ideal for structures with limited space. However, they may look bulky and may not complement the look of steel buildings.

Some owners of steel buildings prefer models of accordion shutters that can be locked with a key because they also function as theft deterrents. However, since these shutters are equipped with wheels for easy gliding on tracks, some inferior accordion shutters may break easily.

Another type of hurricane shutters for steel buildings are the colonial shutters. Similar to wooden shutters but are made of aluminum, they are attached to both sides of the window. They can easily be made storm-ready by folding them together and locked, even by one person.

Colonial shutters provide protection to windows and enhances the look of steel buildings. Since they are permanently attached, they don’t require additional storage space. Aside from protecting windows, they also provide privacy and light control when closed. However, colonial shutters can’t be used to protect doors of steel buildings.

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Storm Panels Hurricane Shutters for Steel Buildings II

Friday, August 13th, 2010

Storm panels protect the interiors of steel buildings from violent wind, driving rain, and wind-borne missiles. Before a hurricane, the panels need to be securely attached to the tracks or directly mounted to the walls.

There are several ways storm panels can be mounted to your steel buildings:
· Standard mounting with top header and bottom stud angle
· Direct mounting to walls without vertical and horizontal tracks
· Using F-tracks with slide bolts instead of stud angles
· Vertical or horizontal mounting for blocked framed openings
· Can be equipped with escape panel for entry/exit

Typically, storm panels are mounted vertically. This requires that the door or window has a recessed opening with a flat area that has no obstacles. The track types used are either an H-header and studded angle or F-track at the top and studded angle or adjustable F-track at the bottom.

If a door or window is blocked or there is no flat surface in the surrounding wall, a U-header, attached to the ceiling, is used instead of the wall mounted H-header. Should there be moldings or obstacles that may not allow the panels to lay flat against the opening, build-out tracks can be used.

In case there is enough wall clearance, direct mounting can be used. Direct mount storm panels are attached directly to the wall without track by using anchors and stainless steel bolts.

Storm panels can also be installed horizontally. This method is usually preferred when there is an obstacle at the bottom of a window or door of a steel building, like a protruding sill. The track type used consists of a pair of studded angle or adjustable F-track. The U-header and H-header track types are not applicable to the horizontal method. Directly mounting the storm panels horizontally is a feasible option.

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Storm Panels Hurricane Shutters for Steel Buildings I

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

Shutters are the first line of defense against hurricanes. Doors and windows of steel buildings, especially those with considerable glass in them, should be shuttered and reinforced to protect them from strong winds and wind-borne debris.

The last post talked about Bahama shutters. This time, let’s talk about storm panel shutters.

Storm panel shutters are made of either aluminum or steel and are touted as the most cost effective means of protection against storms. They are removable and can be stored away when not in use.

Storm panel shutters are corrugated, and each aluminum panel overlaps the next one for maximum protection. They interlock in approximately 13-inch increments. These shutters attach to the walls around windows and doors on bolts or tracks.

These shutters can be installed easily. Since they are removable, they do not alter the appearance of the steel building when not in use. They are available in unlimited widths, and the height can go as high as 12 feet.

Unfortunately, storm panel shutters have some disadvantages:
· They are not attractive.
· They require storage when not in use.
· It is very time consuming to put them up and take them down.
· For steel buildings and steel-framed residences that are multi-story, an extension ladder is needed during installation.
· They can only be operated from the outside.
· They require that existing obstructions in the framed openings of steel buildings be removed prior to installation.
· They can be difficult to handle and typically requires more than one person to do the installation and dismantling.

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Bahama Shutters for Steel Buildings

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

Shutters are excellent investments for people living in coastal counties and in other hurricane prone areas. These accessories are not only meant to protect windows and doors, but also precious possessions and the people inside the building.

During the onslaught of a hurricane, windows and doors need protection not just from strong winds and heavy rain, but most importantly, from flying debris. For steel building owners, there are various types of shutters to choose from. Let us talk about Bahama shutters first.

Bahama shutters have been a favorite in hurricane prone areas in the 50’s and 60’s. Their existence up to now is a testament of their versatility and effectiveness. These shutters are easy to install and function as shade when not deployed.

Today’s modern Bahama shutters are made from aluminum. The panels are permanently mounted above each framed opening on a desired angle, typically 45 degrees. The design allows building owners to see through a perforated aluminum panel mounted between the aluminum horizontal slats.

Bahama shutters are extremely popular they are architecturally pleasing because they enhance the appearance of steel buildings. They are easy to install and operate from the inside or outside of any home or office.

Bahama shutters offer convenient light, sound, and ventilation control on a daily basis. They also provide increased security and privacy. The support arms that control the angle of opening are adjustable up to 60 degrees or bigger.

Bahama shutters are considered when ease of installation and operation is important. They can be included during the design or construction phase. The good news is, installing them on existing steel buildings will not be a problem.

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