The accepted school of thought on how to protect your home and property from strong storms is to make your home into as much of a fortress as possible. Sometimes in our zeal to accomplish this goal, we don’t realize some of the negative aspects of what our storm protection provides.
The reason for this? You and I and 95% of the rest of us rarely have the inkling to think like a criminal.
Visit this link….. http://www.mysuncoast.com/news/south_newsroom/englewood-burglars-remove-hurricane-shutters-to-break-into-home/article_6fdc6ed6-f9e0-11e2-b809-0019bb30f31a.html
When you leave your Gulf Coast winter home during hurricane season, have you even considered that your hurricane protection is like a neon sign telling everyone that your home is vacant? Criminals are targeting vacant seasonal dwellings for larcenies because they know they are not going to encounter any resistance once they make entry. Gaining access via one obscure window pr door gives them free reign to roam the interior of the residence while the rest of the hurricane protection makes them nearly undetected by neighbors and passers-by – even law enforcement. This gives thieves time to pick and choose the items that they want to steal making even well hidden items easy prey. If they want, they can even replace your hurricane shutters and hide the break-in from everyone until your next visit. Depending upon your location, the thieves may even opt to make your home their “hangout” and become “squatters” while you are away.
How horrible would it be to arrive at your vacation or seasonal retreat only to find your home filthy, the furniture destroyed, everything of value; GONE and your walls, ceilings and floors spray painted with vulgar words and pictures?
The obvious solution is protection that doesn’t advertise the fact that no one is home. The more your protection blends in, the less likely that criminals will pick your home or business as a desirable target. Two major factors that criminals focus on before picking their target homes – 1.) can they get in and out unnoticed and 2.) how long can they stay inside without being noticed?
Don’t unwittingly give the criminal element of society the help that they want. Protect your home – sure – but don’t make it a playground for opportunistic, illegal criminals and drug users who are just looking for a place to exploit. Remember, they don’t feel the same way about your home as you do. They haven’t sacrificed and paid thousands of dollars to make your house a HOME. They only want to USE what you have worked hard to achieve and take whatever they can, as easily and quickly as they can. If they happen to put a hole in the wall of break a pick of furniture, they could care less.
Clear protection is your best option for seasonal absentee homeowners. Installing Evolution Hurricane Shutters for protection on your home will accomplish two things; it will NOT advertise the fact that your home is vacant. AND with the addition of timers on lights and other appliances, you can even give the appearance that someone is home, even at night because our shutters are crystal clear.
Even if thieves manage to get into your home, they’re daylight activities are limited because of the unobstructed view into your home from outside. If you have night time, drive-by security patrols in your neighborhood, a spotlight will easily allow law enforcement or security to easily see inside your home for any unauthorized activity.
Don’t play into the hands of criminals that want to exploit your hard word and terrorize your family and neighborhood. Call your local hurricane protection specialist and find out if Evolution Hurricane Shutters should be part of your storm and security protection plan.
In addition to having to be deployed, most colonial shutters require this “attractive” center reinforcing bar that goes on from the outside.
Here’s the ever-popular OSB version of hurricane protection. Judging from the height of the 3rd story, I’m guessing that if you had to hire out the installation, it wouldn’t be cheap. Now the question is….do you take it down?….store it away for next season (or storm) ….. or just leave it up? I’m pretty sure that taking it down is more than a 1 man, 1 ladder operation.
Steel corrugated panel and channel type shutters can be seen a mile away.
john sortore 