How much protection do Storm Shutters provide?
Hurricanes Hugo and Andrew were instrumental in an industry-wide upgrade of the standards for “storm shutters”. Standard building codes require a product to withstand 110 M.P.H. winds. The “newer standard”, commonly called ASCE-7-88, increases the wind-load standard plus adds a positive and negative wind loads test and a positive and negative “cycling test” plus an “impact test”. The new standards are much more stringent and expensive to satisfy but do provide a real degree of protection. The Florida counties that have formally adopted many of the new standards are Dade, Broward, Palm Beach & Monroe counties – thus the “Dade County rated” stamp of approval all of our storm protection systems adhere to.
