Hurricanes are the costliest weather disasters in the United States. According to the NOAA Office for Coastal Management, tropical cyclones (hurricanes) have caused over $1.3 trillion in damages from storms that occurred between the years 1980 and 2023.
Hurricane hazards, including high-velocity winds and torrential rain, are extremely destructive and pose risks to both life and property. If you live or own property in a hurricane-prone area, FEMA recommends you reinforce, strengthen, or retrofit the property to reduce the risk of damage. Having the proper protection in place to board up glass windows and doors is one essential and provides peace of mind if you need to evacuate. An effective material to help defend your home from damage is multiwall polycarbonate hurricane panels. Below, we discuss what they are and how they can help.
Understanding Multiwall Polycarbonate Hurricane Panels
Multiwall polycarbonate hurricane panels are used to safeguard windows and glass doors during severe storms. Designed to withstand strong winds and heavy rains, and protect against flying debris, the material is a great choice when considering storm shutters to safeguard a property.
The reinforced thermoplastic is durable and shatterproof, providing a reliable barrier against the weather elements. Its multiple layers of plastic sheeting (multiwall) provide thermal insulation and sound resistance as well. Another advantage to using the panels is that, unlike alternatives such as metal shutters or plywood, polycarbonate allows light to filter through during a storm in the event of a power outage.
Advantages Over Traditional Materials
Durability and Strength
Multiwall polycarbonate is virtually indestructible compared to glass. A sheet of polycarbonate is 250 times stronger than a pane of glass while being lighter in weight. The plastic is also resistant to corrosion, making it last a long time with minimal maintenance.
Impact Resistance
Unlike glass, polycarbonate is highly resistant to breaking when struck by flying debris during a storm. If the panels do break, they won’t shatter into dangerous shards like a glass window would.
Lightweight and Ease of Installation
A key feature of polycarbonate is that it’s very lightweight. Polycarbonate hurricane panels are lighter than metal storm shutters, plywood, and even glass, and therefore easier to handle when transporting, installing, and storing.
Affordable
Compared to metal storm shutters, polycarbonate hurricane panels generally cost less. In addition, their light weight and ease of installation saves on any labor fees.
Leverage Enhanced Safety and Protection
Polycarbonate hurricane panels are built to withstand high winds and flying debris. This is important since hurricane-force winds, once inside a structure, can create pressure that may cause a structure’s roof to fly off. The panels also help to prevent water infiltration and their translucency lends a safety element as you can still see what’s happening outdoors and have a light source if the power goes out.
How Multiwall Polycarbonate Panels Minimize Hurricane Damage and Repair Costs
While insurance may help with some replacement and rebuilding costs, it may take time to access any funds. This makes hurricane preparedness key to minimizing damage in the first place. The strength offered by polycarbonate hurricane panels protects flying debris from breaking glass windows and doors. This can prevent the damaging water and wind infiltration that is frequent in such storms.
And, depending on your insurer, using polycarbonate hurricane panels may reduce your insurance premiums. It will also and provide a good return on investment if you sell your home.
Safety Features to Consider
Polycarbonate hurricane panels secure your home in numerous ways:
- They have high impact resistance and if they do break, they will crack, not shatter into pieces like glass.
- Our panels have been tested against high air pressure, simulating 170 MPH winds, and have proven their durability against hurricane-force winds.
- They have high clarity and light transmission to help bring in light during power outages.
- Their light weight enables them to be installed easily and quickly, especially helpful if a tropical system develops into a hurricane in a short period of time.
Additional Benefits of Multiwall Polycarbonate
1.UV Protection
Multiwall polycarbonate hurricane panels are UV resistant to prevent yellowing and discoloration over time. That protection also helps minimize degradation caused by exposure to UV rays.
2. Aesthetic Appeal
They offer a more pleasing look than plywood or metal storm shutters. And since they are translucent and don’t block natural light, they can be installed days before a forecasted storm.
Easy Installation and Maintenance.
Their light weight makes them easy to handle while installing. They can be easily cleaned with mild soap and water to remove dirt and dust, as well as any salt residue.
Enhance Your Hurricane Protection with Acme Plastics
To reiterate, here are some key reasons why you might opt for polycarbonate hurricane panels as the ultimate defense against hurricanes: They are virtually indestructible, shatterproof, lightweight, and translucent. Acme Plastics offers 16mm Multi-Wall Polycarbonate Sheets in sizes 48” x 96”. The panels have successfully passed the Dade County Hurricane test, withstanding a Large Missile Impact test where a 9 lb. 2” X 4” missile was shot out of an air cannon without causing any damage to the panel or the glass behind it. Please contact us for more information on protecting your property with polycarbonate hurricane panels.
