6 Best Hurricane Shutters to Protect Your Home During Storm Season
Investing in these top-rated storm panels will save you money in the long run.
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We updated this guide in August 2022 to ensure all products vetted by the Home Improvement Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute are still available and correctly priced. We also added additional shopping and product insights from our experts.
With a storm bearing down, the last thing you want is to be fumbling with sheets of plywood to protect your home’s windows and doors. That’s where hurricane shutters come in, and they’ve become a must-have in disaster-prone parts of the country. American homeowners now spend more than $26 billion a year on damages caused by extreme weather, up from about $10 billion in 2010, according to Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. Making matters worse, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center is calling for above-normal activity for the 2022 hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30.
So it's no wonder the market for hurricane shutters is booming. The experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute have been following the latest innovations in hurricane shutters and storm panels closely to keep tabs on the best solutions. And as consumer interest has grown, so too has the selection: We now see a wide range of shutters to fit both budget and aesthetic needs for all homeowners. Keep in mind that the average cost of hurricane shutters will vary based on the style, material and size, but you can expect the most durable and secure options to cost more than temporary fixes.
Our top picks:
Read more about the best types of hurricane shutters to buy in 2022 below, then find more details about how we chose the best hurricane shutters plus everything you need to know when choosing the best option for your home at the bottom of this guide. Also, check out our additional expert advice for emergency preparation as well as our top picks for backup generators to have at home.
Rachel Rothman was the chief technologist and executive technical director of the Good Housekeeping Institute for over 15 years, overseeing testing methodology, implementation and reporting for all GH Labs. She also managed GH's research division and the analysis of applicants for the GH Seal and all other testing emblems.
Having written thousands of product reviews and how-to articles on all aspects of home ownership, from routine maintenance to major renovations, Dan (he/him) brings more than 20 years of industry experience to his role as the director of the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. A one-time roofer and a serial remodeler, Dan can often be found keeping house at his restored Brooklyn brownstone, where he lives with his wife and kids.