Hurricane screens for patios: roll-down screens vs. shutters

Getting a Florida patio ready for a hurricane used to mean hauling plywood or metal panels out of the garage, matching each one to the right opening, climbing a ladder, and fastening hardware, often in heat and wind, and usually after a watch has already been issued. Roll-down hurricane screens change that routine.

Why patio hurricane prep takes so long

Shutters, panels, and plywood must be installed by hand before a storm and removed afterward. For a patio with wide openings, that can take hours and more than one person, and it puts someone on a ladder just as conditions worsen. Then everything has to be cleaned and stored until the next storm.

That's why so many homeowners wait until the last minute, and why the last minute is the most dangerous time to be doing it.

Roll-down hurricane screens vs. shutters and plywood

A roll-down hurricane screen is part of the house. It stays rolled up in a housing above the opening until you need it, then lowers with a switch or remote. Here's how it compares with the other common ways to protect a patio opening.

The right choice depends on the opening. Shutters and impact-rated products are common choices for windows and doors. For wide patio openings you use every day, roll-down screens are often the most practical fit.