In hurricane-prone regions, shutters may be recommended; in wind-borne debris regions, shutters or treated glazing is required.High-Velocity Hurricane Zones
The particular requirements for hurricane shutters in your field may vary from the regional specifications set by the IBC and IRC.
In places with a hovering Closeness of hurricane formation, such as South Florida, the building edict devotes a sizable shorten to hurricane-related structures, such as shutters.
General Regulations
In typical, hurricane shutters serve to protect windows or other glazed surfaces, where the building's overall structural standards are compromised, compared with walls or roof elements. Yet where such shutters are not mandated, building codes may reccomend that homeowners operate shutters to all exposed exterior glass, including sliding glass doors. Where building codes arrange not crave professional-grade hurricane shutters, they may reccomend securely-installed plywood shutters as an improvement over naked glass windows.
Regional Requirements
According to the International Building Rule (IBC), the International Residential Regulation (IRC) also as the American Community of Civil Engineers (ASCE), in sure regions, which are exposed to a higher threat of hurricane exertion, homeowners may be required or advised to install shutters on exposed glass windows or doors. The codes define hurricane-prone regions as those areas along the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico coasts where the basic wind velocity reaches velocities of 90 mph or worthier, for three-second gusts, too as all parts of Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. New Islands and American Samoa. A moment type of region, the wind-borne debris region, covers those areas within one mile of coastline, where basic wind celerity reaches 110 mph or in a superior way, for up to three-second gusts, extremely as all of Hawaii, and any areas where the basic wind quickness is 120 mph or in a superior way, including all of Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Fresh Islands and American Samoa.In some areas, building codes restrict the fashion of installing hurricane shutters.Hurricane shutters proposal more Safeguard to combat the high-velocity winds and surge of storm-water that can accompany hurricanes. Depending upon where you vital, there may be particular guidelines within your district building codes to decide the extent, impact or materials of hurricane shutters.
For instance, if you live in Miami-Dade or Broward counties, in Southeast Florida, the "High-Velocity Hurricane Zone," your home's construction must follow specific building requirements, including the application of shutters to all windows and exposed glazing. These shutters must fit over glazed surfaces with at least 1 inch of separation between the shutter and the glass itself. Shutters must be designed and manufactured according to a licensed Florida engineer's designs. Homeowners may either install shutters permanently or remove them, keeping them stored in a neat and easily-accessible manner.
