The independent Florida hurricane protection resource
Straight answers on Florida hurricane protection — from shutters and impact windows to wind mitigation, insurance credits, and storm readiness.
We don't sell shutters, install windows, or take commissions. We research the options Florida homeowners actually face — product by product, region by region, code by code — and publish what we'd want a neighbor to tell us before the next storm.
Independent
We accept no contractor commissions and no pay-to-play placements. Reviews are reviews.
Locally specific
Advice tailored to Miami-Dade HVHZ, canal-front Broward, historic Palm Beach, post-Ian SW Florida, inland Central Florida HOAs, and post-Helene/Milton Tampa Bay.
Verified where possible
Reviews flagged "verified" include proof of install — permit number or contractor invoice.
What we cover
Florida hurricane protection, end to end
Hurricane protection isn't one decision — it's a stack of them. We cover the full stack honestly, with the same independence on every topic, so you can read one source instead of stitching together a dozen vendor blogs.
Hurricane shutters
Accordion, roll-down, Bahama, colonial, and storm panels — compared by region, cost, and HOA reality.
Impact windows
When laminated glass beats shutters, and when it doesn't — code, cost, and verified homeowner experience.
Wind mitigation & insurance credits
The OIR-B1-1802 inspection, what actually moves your premium, and how to document it correctly.
Storm-rated roofing
Secondary water barriers, deck attachment, roof-to-wall connections — the features insurers and storms care about.
Hurricane readiness
Practical, regional prep checklists for coastal, inland, surge, and post-Ian/Helene/Milton Florida.
Codes & permitting
HVHZ, Miami-Dade NOAs, Florida Product Approvals, and what a competent contractor will pull on your behalf.
Expanded coverage
Deep coverage of Central Florida and Tampa Bay
Six Florida regions now have full neighborhood-level guides. We've added Orlando-metro HOA realities (Lake Nona, Windermere, Celebration) and the post-Helene/Milton Tampa Bay reset — surge zones, South Tampa bungalow framing, and barrier-island rebuild rules.
Latest homeowner reviews
All reviews →Verified Florida installs — every published review is tied to a permit number or contractor invoice.
Central Florida · Tampa Bay
Be one of the first verified Central Florida or Tampa Bay projects on the site
Our regional guides for Central Florida and Tampa Bay are live and growing — but the verified reviews for those metros aren't there yet. If you've finished a hurricane shutter, impact window, or roofing project in the Orlando metro or Tampa Bay in the last 24 months, we'd like to feature it under the same verification standards as every Miami-Dade and Broward review on the site.
Recent published reviews · South Florida
Accordion shutters
★★★★★Accordion shutters held perfectly through a tropical storm — but the latches need attention
Solid HVHZ-rated install on an older Coral Gables home. The product performs; the post-install service has been thinner than the sales pitch suggested.
1962 single-story CBS home, Coral Gables, 14 openings
Impact windows
★★★★★Impact windows post-Ian: worth every dollar of a painful invoice
After losing windows in Ian, we replaced the entire envelope. Eighteen months later it's the best home investment we've made.
2004 two-story coastal home, Naples, 22 openings
Roll-down shutters
★★★★★Motorized roll-downs on a canal home: premium price, premium peace of mind
Expensive, but for a two-story canal home where I can't physically reach upstairs windows, this was the right call.
1998 two-story canal home, Las Olas Isles, 18 openings
Popular guides
All guides →Insurance & wind mitigation
The 7 wind mitigation features on the OIR-B1-1802 form — explained
A plain-English walkthrough of the seven wind mitigation features Florida insurers credit on the OIR-B1-1802 inspection form, what each one is worth, and how to make sure your home gets credit for every one it qualifies for.
6 min read
Buying decisions
Impact windows vs. shutters: the honest comparison
When impact glass is worth the premium, when shutters are the smarter buy, and where the answer depends on your house.
7 min read
Buying decisions
Storm panels vs. permanent shutters: which makes sense for your Florida home?
A plain-English comparison of storm panels and permanent shutter systems (accordion, roll-down, Bahama, colonial) — cost, deployment time, storage, insurance credit, and when each one actually wins.
6 min read
Regional insights
All regions →
Miami-Dade County
Coastal Miami-Dade
Broward County
Fort Lauderdale & east Broward
Palm Beach County
Palm Beach & the Treasure Coast edge
Southwest Florida
Lee, Collier & SW coast
Central Florida
Orlando metro, Winter Park, Windermere, Lake Nona, Celebration
Tampa Bay
South Tampa, St. Pete, Clearwater, the suburbs and barrier islands
Not sure where to start?
Take ten minutes with our How to Choose guide. We'll walk you through the questions a good Florida installer would ask you — before anyone quotes a price.
Open the decision guide