Do Hurricane Screens Really Work?

Last Updated: March 2026
Yes, high-quality hurricane screens provide proven protection for your home and the people inside it. These screens filter and diffuse intense winds while blocking flying debris from reaching your windows, which is one of the most critical safety measures you can take during a hurricane. 

This is not just about convenience. According to NOAA, tropical cyclones have caused over $1.5 trillion in U.S. damages since 1980, averaging $23 billion per event. The 2024 hurricane season alone saw Hurricane Helene cause $78.7 billion in damages and Hurricane Milton cause $34.3 billion, both impacting Florida within just two weeks of each other. For homeowners in Florida, the question is not whether a hurricane will come but when, and whether your home will be ready.

Hurricane screens that carry Florida Product Approval have been rigorously tested to meet ASTM E1886 (impact resistance) and ASTM E1996 (wind pressure) standards.

How Do Hurricane Screens Protect Your Home?

The biggest threat to your home during a hurricane is not the wind itself. It is what happens when wind-driven debris breaks through a window or door. According to FEMA Technical Fact Sheet No. 26, keeping the building envelope intact during a major windstorm is vital to a home’s structural integrity. Once a window is breached, internal air pressure rises rapidly and can push upward on the roof, outward on the walls, and lead to catastrophic structural failure.

Hurricane screens act as a protective barrier over your windows and doors, absorbing and distributing the force of impacts from flying debris. Unlike solid shutters, screens are made from hurricane-rated woven fabric (such as ballistic-grade PVC-coated polyester) that distributes impact evenly on impact rather than transferring force directly to the frame. Storm Smart’s Storm Catcher® Roll Down Hurricane Screens use a proprietary monofilament fabric that reduces wind velocity while maintaining filtered visibility from inside the home.

Protective barriers such as shutters and impact-rated products should be installed well in advance of a storm. Plywood should only be used as a last-minute alternative, and taping windows provides no meaningful protection.

What Are Hurricane Screens Tested For?

For a hurricane screen to be sold and installed in Florida, it must pass a rigorous approval process. Here are the key testing standards:

ASTM E1886 and E1996 are the nationally recognized impact and wind pressure testing standards. Products are subjected to simulated wind-driven debris (a 9-pound 2×4 lumber missile) and cyclic wind pressure to confirm they can withstand hurricane-force conditions without failing.

HVHZ Rated products meet TAS 201, 202, and 203 testing standards, which apply to products installed in the High Velocity Hurricane Zone and are among the strictest building product tests in the country. A product that passes these tests and receives HVHZ Rating is approved for use in the most hurricane-vulnerable areas of Florida

Florida Product Approval covers the rest of the state. Products listed in the Florida Building Code’s product approval system have been verified to meet the state’s wind-borne debris protection requirements.

How Do Hurricane Screens Compare to Other Hurricane Protection?

There are several options for protecting your home’s openings during a hurricane. Here is how hurricane screens compare to the most common alternatives:

Feature	Hurricane Screens	Accordion Shutters	Roll Down Shutters	Impact Windows	Plywood
Visibility When Deployed	Partial (filtered light)	None (fully blocks light)	None (fully blocks light)	Full (clear glass)	None (fully blocks light)
Deployment Time	Minutes	Minutes	Minutes (motorized)	Always on (no deployment)	Hours (per home)
Meets FL Building Code	Yes (when FL Product Approved)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Limited (specific install required)
Insurance Discount Eligible	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Storage Required	No (permanent mount)	No (permanent mount)	No (permanent mount)	No (built-in)	Yes (large sheets)

Can Hurricane Screens Help Lower Your Insurance?

They could. Florida law (Fla. Stat. §627.0629) requires insurance companies to offer actuarially reasonable premium discounts to homeowners who install approved wind mitigation products, including hurricane screens.

Verified opening protection may potentially earn 5 to 25% off the wind/hurricane portion of your premium, depending on your insurer and coverage details. The wind portion itself represents 15 to 70% of your total premium, depending on where you live in Florida.

To qualify for the maximum opening protection credit, all exterior glazed openings (windows, glass doors, sidelights, and garage door windows) must be protected by approved products. Partial coverage may result in a reduced discount or none at all.

A wind mitigation inspection is required to document your protection and submit to your insurer. In Florida, the Uniform Mitigation Verification form is valid for five years. The My Safe Florida Home program also offers free wind mitigation inspections and matching grants of up to $10,000 for qualifying homeowners. The program received $280 million in new funding for 2025.

Why the 2024 Hurricane Season Makes This Even More Important

The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season was a stark reminder of Florida’s vulnerability. Florida has experienced 94 billion-dollar weather and climate disasters since 1980, including 36 tropical cyclone events.

In 2024 alone, three major hurricanes struck Florida within three months:

• Hurricane Debby (August 2024) caused over $130 million in insured losses in Florida.
• Hurricane Helene (September 2024) hit the Big Bend region with 140 mph sustained winds and caused $78.7 billion in total U.S. damages, making it the deadliest Atlantic hurricane since Katrina in 2005.
• Hurricane Milton (October 2024) made landfall near Siesta Key with 120 mph sustained winds and produced up to 10 feet of storm surge. Total damages reached $34.3 billion, with 247,432 insurance claims filed in Florida alone.

Homeowners who had permanent hurricane protection in place did not need to scramble between storms. Those relying on temporary solutions like plywood faced the exhausting task of boarding up twice in two weeks.

What Should You Look for When Choosing Hurricane Screens?

Not all hurricane screens are created equal. When evaluating your options, confirm the following:

• Florida Product Approval: This is non-negotiable. Any screen without proper certification may not meet code and will not qualify for insurance discounts.
• Material quality: Look for screens made from high-tenacity, UV-resistant fabric such as PVC-coated polyester. These materials resist degradation from Florida’s sun, salt, and humidity.
• Professional installation: Florida law requires licensed contractors to install hurricane protection products. Permits and inspections are required for compliance, and improperly installed screens can become dangerous projectiles in a storm.
• Manufacturer track record: Choose a company with a strong track record of manufacturing and installing its own products. This ensures accountability from fabrication through installation and warranty service.

Storm Smart is a long-established manufacturer and installer of hurricane protection products in Florida. Storm Smart designs and builds its own hurricane screens in-house, along with other premium protection solutions.

Related Questions About Hurricane Screens

• Are Hurricane Screens Expensive? – Cost ranges, financing options, and how screens compare to other protection types.
• Can You See Through Hurricane Screens? – How visibility and light transmission compare across protection types.
• How Long Do Hurricane Screens Last? – Lifespan, durability, and maintenance requirements.
• Are Hurricane Screens Worth It? – Long-term ROI including insurance savings, damage prevention, and property value.