Impact windows and hurricane shutters both protect a window opening from wind-driven debris. The difference is effort: impact windows are always on, while shutters have to be closed or put up before every storm.
Shutters usually cost less per window. HomeGuide lists hurricane shutters at $35 to $350 per window installed, compared with $400 to $1,200 for hurricane windows. Impact windows cost more but need no action when a storm is coming, and they don’t block your view.
If you’re deciding between the two, TurnKey Window can look at your openings and talk through impact window options. Get a free estimate or call (504) 226-6201.
Key takeaways
- Both options protect against windborne debris when they’re rated and installed correctly.
- HomeGuide prices shutters at $35 to $350 per window installed, and hurricane windows at $400 to $1,200.
- Impact windows need no action before or after a storm. Shutters and panels need someone home to deploy them.
- Look for products tested to ASTM E1886 and E1996 or AAMA 506, whichever route you choose.
- Many homes use a mix: impact glass where openings are hard to reach, shutters or panels on the rest.
Why protecting the window opening matters
A broken window lets in more than rain. This Old House quotes the CEO of the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes explaining that wind entering through a broken window has to come back out, and the pressure builds until it bursts through weak spots in the structure.
The Building America Solution Center describes the same risk: wind pressure can break a house apart from the inside by blowing off the roof. Keeping every opening closed is the goal of both impact windows and shutters.
The National Hurricane Center sets the Atlantic season at June 1 to November 30, with the peak on September 10. For Louisiana homeowners, that’s a long stretch of the year to be ready.
How impact windows protect a home
Impact windows use laminated glass in reinforced frames. The Building America Solution Center explains that on impact, the glass cracks in a spider web pattern and the fragments stay attached to the interlayer instead of shattering into the house.
This Old House calls them a passive, always-ready solution. They may crack when struck, but they keep wind and rain out of the home.
What you gain:
- No action needed before or after a storm, per the Solution Center.
- No lost view and no stored panels or ladders.
- Protection even when you’re away and a storm arrives quickly.
- They work well on hard-to-reach, large or oddly shaped windows.
What you give up is money up front. This Old House cites contractor estimates of $4,589 to $20,415 for a typical project, and notes that a severe impact may mean replacing the unit afterward.
You’ll find the styles we install on our impact resistant windows page.
How hurricane shutters protect a home
Shutters cover the glass from outside so debris strikes the shutter instead of the window. The Solution Center divides them into permanently installed shutters, which are always in place and ready to close, and removable storm panels that go up as needed.
Common shutter types and published costs
HomeGuide’s hurricane shutter guide lists these installed prices:
| Type | How it works | HomeGuide installed cost |
|---|---|---|
| Storm panels | Temporary aluminum, steel or polycarbonate panels on tracks or bolts | $5 to $20 per sq ft, or $35 to $140 per window |
| Accordion | Permanent, runs on a track and unfolds when needed | $15 to $25 per sq ft, or $105 to $175 per 24 by 42 inch window |
| Bahama (Bermuda) | Permanent, top-hinged like an awning | $20 to $50 per sq ft, or $140 to $350 per window |
| Colonial | Side-hinged, folds closed, decorative | $20 to $50 per sq ft, or $140 to $350 per window |
| Roll-down | Permanently top-mounted, rolls down over the opening | $25 to $120 per sq ft, or $175 to $840 per window |
| Electric roll-down | Motorized roll-down, needs battery backup or manual crank | $50 to $175 per sq ft, or $175 to $1,225 per window |
| Fabric screens | Flexible, coated fabric that attaches with grommets, straps or tracks | $5 to $30 per sq ft |
| Plywood | Temporary boards put up before a storm | $2 to $5 per sq ft |
The tradeoffs with shutters
- Someone has to deploy them. Panels and plywood go up before each storm, and HomeGuide notes panels can be cumbersome to install depending on the material.
- Weak spots exist. This Old House found that metal shutters struck in a vulnerable spot, such as near a lock, can still fail to fully protect the window.
- Fabric flexes. In the same demonstration, fabric kept debris out but may not prevent the glass behind it from breaking.
- Plywood takes work. This Old House says plywood is heavy, slow to put up on upper floors and needs storage space.
- They block light when closed, unless you choose clear polycarbonate, which HomeGuide lists at $10 to $20 per square foot.
One detail from This Old House is worth remembering: in its air cannon test, a 2×4 went straight through half-inch OSB and the window behind it, while 5/8 inch plywood stopped it. If you rely on boards, OSB isn’t a safe substitute.
Materials and everyday use
Shutters aren’t only for storms. HomeGuide notes that exterior rolling shutters also provide security plus light and noise control, and that Bahama shutters add privacy, light control and a tropical look.
Material choice affects how long they hold up in our weather. HomeGuide says aluminum panels are the most common and weigh 1 to 1.5 pounds per foot, while steel panel