Hurricane shutters usually cost less upfront, but they only protect your home when someone puts them up before a storm. Impact windows cost more, but they protect your openings all year with no storm prep. Both can count as opening protection for Florida insurance credits, so the right pick depends on your budget, your schedule and how much you want to deal with before each storm.
We install impact windows and doors, so we have a point of view. Below we lay out the facts as plainly as we can, with sources, so you can decide for yourself.
Are impact windows better than hurricane shutters?
Impact windows are better if you want protection that is always in place. Shutters are better if your main goal is the lowest upfront cost.
Pella, a window manufacturer, sums up the trade-off this way. Impact windows need no extra preparation before most storms once they are closed and locked. Shutters “only provide protection when properly deployed before a storm” (Pella).
Here is a side-by-side view:
| Impact windows | Hurricane shutters | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Higher | Lower |
| Storm prep | None once closed and locked | Must be closed or installed before each storm |
| Protection when you are away | Yes | Only if someone deploys them |
| Everyday benefits | Pella lists energy efficiency and noise reduction | Pella lists neither |
| Maintenance | Pella rates it low | Pella rates it moderate |
| Insurance credit | Can qualify as opening protection | Can qualify as opening protection |
The everyday benefits and maintenance ratings come from the Pella comparison. Results on any one home will vary.
Which costs less upfront, shutters or impact windows?
Shutters usually cost less upfront. Pella puts a professionally installed shutter system at about $1,500 to $5,900 and calls impact windows the highest upfront investment of the options it compares (Pella).
For our impact windows, an average-size window runs $1,500 to $2,000 and a larger window runs $2,500 to $3,000, depending on brand and size. Permit fees are separate. Impact doors and sliding glass doors are quoted on site after a free measurement. Our full impact windows cost guide walks through what changes the price.
Keep in mind that the cheapest option on day one is not always the cheapest over time. Shutters need to be stored, maintained and put up. Impact windows replace your old windows, so you are paying for new windows and protection at the same time.
Do I need hurricane shutters if I have impact windows?
No, approved impact windows are already opening protection. You do not need shutters over them for that purpose.
The state’s wind mitigation form treats approved impact glazing and approved shutters as the same kind of thing: protection for openings like windows, doors, sliding glass doors, skylights and garage doors (OIR-B1-1802).
Local rules point the same way. In Miami Springs, a separate shutter permit is required if the replacement windows or doors are not impact resistant (Miami Springs checklist). In other words, if your new windows are impact rated, the shutter step goes away.
One note. The form asks for the weakest form of protection on the home. If you put impact windows on the front but leave old, unprotected windows in the back, the weakest opening is what counts.
Do impact windows or shutters lower homeowners insurance?
They can. Florida law requires insurers to include discounts, credits or deductible reductions for features that reduce windstorm loss, and “opening protection” is named in the law (Florida Statutes 627.0629).
To get a credit, a qualified inspector fills out the Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form, and you send it to your insurer (Florida DFS). The form rates opening protection by test level. Products verified for the large missile test score higher than products that cannot be verified (OIR-B1-1802).
We cannot promise a dollar amount. You may qualify for a credit, but it depends on your home, your inspection and your insurer. Read our guide to wind mitigation insurance credits for the details.
What does the code require for shutters and impact windows?
Both must be approved products, and both usually need a permit.
Florida law says a product cannot be marketed as hurricane or impact protection unless it has an approved product approval (Florida Statutes 553.842). That rule covers windows, exterior doors and shutters.
City checklists show how this plays out:
- Hialeah shutter permits need two copies of the product approvals, two copies of the design wind pressures and the manufacturer’s authorization letter (Hialeah).
- Cutler Bay requires that at least one first-floor door or window, not the garage, stay usable for exit when storm protection is installed (Cutler Bay).
- Miami Springs adds a shutter permit when new windows are not impact rated (Miami Springs).
The Cutler Bay rule matters. Closed shutters can block exits. Impact windows do not cover the opening, so an operable impact window or door can still be used as an exit. Our permit guide covers more city rules.
What are the downsides of impact windows?
The biggest downside is the higher upfront cost. The project is also a full window replacement, which means a permit, inspections and a few days of work at your home.
You also need to pick products carefully. Each window must be approved for your area and meet the design wind pressure your home needs. We explain how to check a product in our post on Miami-Dade NOA vs Florida Product Approval.
When do shutters make more sense?
Shutters can make sense when your windows are in good shape, your budget is tight, or you plan to sell soon and only need basic protection. They can also work on a second home if someone you trust will put them up before storms.
If you are away a lot during hurricane season, live alone and cannot lift panels, or are tired of storm prep, impact windows usually fit better.
How do we help you decide?
We have installed about 15,000 windows and doors across Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach since 2020. We are glad to look at your home and give you an honest read on what makes sense.
See our impact windows, impact doors and sliding glass doors, or find your city on our areas page. When you are ready, contact us for a free measurement and a written quote.