Exterior & Storm Protection
Screens, shutters, and storm-season strategy for Florida living.
Florida living happens outdoors — and storm season tests every exterior opening. This cluster covers shading and protecting your lanai and windows, from motorized exterior screens to hurricane protection and impact-rated glass.
We install both everyday exterior screens and storm-rated protection, so these guides give you an honest view of what each option does, what it doesn't, and how they work together for a storm-ready home.
Buying guides in this topic
Exterior Screens Explained
How exterior solar and retractable screens beat interior shades for heat — and turn a lanai into a year-round room.
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Hurricane Protection Screens vs. Storm Shutters
An honest comparison of two storm-season strategies for protecting large openings — coverage, convenience, and everyday use.
Read the guideRelated articles & advice
- Hurricane Shades & Storm Protection: Your OptionsFrom roll-down hurricane screens to impact windows, here are the storm protection options for Florida homes — how they compare, and the everyday benefits beyond hurricane season.
- Hurricane Prep: The Benefits of Impact Doors, Windows, and Hurricane ScreensImpact-rated doors and windows plus motorized hurricane screens are the strongest way to protect a Southwest Florida home. Here is how each works and how they pay off year-round.
- Best Window Treatments for Florida Hurricane SeasonFrom motorized shades that make closing up fast to exterior hurricane screens that add real protection, here is how to prepare your windows for storm season in Southwest Florida.
- Older Florida Homes Without Hurricane Windows? Here Are Your OptionsIf your older Florida home still has original single-pane windows and sliding doors, you are more exposed than you think. Here are the storm protection options that fit existing homes — no full window replacement required.
- Upgrading to Impact Windows & Doors on Longboat, Bird & Siesta KeyWaterfront homes on Longboat Key, Bird Key, and Siesta Key face the full force of Gulf storms. Here is why upgrading to impact windows and doors protects your coastal investment — with benefits all year long.
- PGT Impact Windows in Florida: What Homeowners Should KnowPGT is one of the most trusted names in Florida impact windows and doors. Here is what makes them a smart choice for coastal homes — and how to finish them with the right window treatments.
- Motorized Retractable Screens: Year-Round Comfort on a Florida LanaiMotorized retractable screens turn a Southwest Florida lanai into a comfortable, protected room you can use all year — sun control, insect protection, privacy, and storm-season readiness in one system.
Ready to move from research to results
Common questions
- What's the difference between hurricane screens and storm shutters?
- Both protect openings, but they deploy and look different and carry different ratings. Our 'hurricane protection screens vs. storm shutters' guide compares protection level, convenience, cost, and appearance.
- Do exterior screens help with heat?
- Yes. Motorized exterior solar screens block a large share of solar heat before it reaches the glass, keeping lanais and adjacent rooms noticeably cooler while preserving the view.
- My older home doesn't have impact windows — what are my options?
- You can add impact-rated windows and doors, hurricane protection screens, or shutters. Our guide for older homes without hurricane protection walks through the practical paths and where to start.
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