BEST Hurricane Shutters & Screens

Why Opening Protection Matters in Tampa Bay

If you live anywhere from Pinellas to Hillsborough, you already know hurricane season isn’t optional. What many homeowners don’t realize is that their windows and doors are the weakest points in their homes during a storm. Once an opening fails, wind pressure inside the house can lift the roof, blow out other windows, and turn the whole structure into a much bigger insurance claim.

There are really only three ways to protect those openings:

1. Impact windows and doors: permanent, always on, no setup required.

2. Hurricane shutters: metal panels, accordion, or roll-down systems you deploy before a storm.

3. Hurricane screens: fabric-based systems that cover large openings like lanais, patios, and garage doors.

Most homes in the Tampa Bay area end up using a mix of all three: impact glass on the main windows, and shutters or screens on lanais, large sliders, and any openings that don’t have impact glass yet.

A1 installs all of it. We’ve been doing this in the Tampa Bay area since 1977, and we’re AAMA Certified InstallationMasters, the highest installation certification in the industry.

What We Install Near You

Metal Hurricane Shutters

Heavy-duty corrugated aluminum or steel panels that bolt over your windows and doors before a storm. The most affordable form of opening protection, and code-approved across Florida.

• Best for: budget-conscious homeowners, second homes, garages, and openings you don’t need to see through year-round

• Storage: panels store flat in a garage or shed

• Deployment: typically a 2–3-person job before a named storm

Accordion Shutters

Permanently mounted shutters that fold open and closed like an accordion. You deploy them in minutes, no ladder, no hardware.

• Best for: homeowners who want fast deployment without storing panels

• Locks: most models lock from the inside for security year-round

• Finish: white, ivory, or beige to blend with the home

Roll-Down Shutters

Mounted in a housing above the window or door and deployed with a crank or motor.

• Best for: large openings, second-story windows, and homeowners who want motorized convenience

• Bonus: blocks light and dampens sound for the rest of the year

Hurricane Screens (Fabric Systems)

High-strength woven fabric panels engineered to handle hurricane-force winds and large missile impact. Designed for lanais, patios, large sliders, and garage doors where panel-style shutters aren’t practical.

• Best for: lanais, screened porches, oversized openings, garage doors

• Visibility: most products preserve visibility — you can see out during a storm

• Storage: rolls up and stores in a fascia housing

Brands We Carry

We install the products we’d put on our own homes — and we stand behind every install.

• Armor Screen: premium hurricane screen system, widely considered the top of the category for fabric-based opening protection.
• Croce: additional hurricane screen/shutter offering carried by A1.

Once confirmed, each brand will get a short paragraph covering what it is, where in the home A1 typically installs it, pros/cons, and warranty notes.

Shutters vs. Screens vs. Impact Windows — How to Choose

Our honest take: If you’re doing a full window replacement anyway, impact windows are usually the right call for the main openings. Where shutters and screens make the most sense is on the openings you don’t want to replace right now: lanais, large sliders, garage doors, or windows that are still in good shape but need code-level protection.

We’ll walk you through both options during the in-home consultation and tell you straight which one fits your home and budget.

Our Installation Process

1. Free in-home consultation. We measure every opening, talk through your goals, and give you a line-by-line quote.

2. Permitting: we handle the permit pull with your local jurisdiction (Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco, Manatee, etc.).

3. Order & lead time: most shutter and screen products are custom-fabricated; typical lead time is 4–8 weeks.

4. Installation: done by A1 employees, not subcontractors. AAMA Certified InstallationMasters.

5. Final walkthrough: we show you how to deploy your shutters or screens and answer any questions before we leave.

Service Area

We install hurricane shutters and screens throughout the Tampa Bay metro area, including St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Safety Harbor, Pinellas Park, Largo, Seminole, Tampa, Brandon, Riverview, Land O’ Lakes, and the surrounding communities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do hurricane shutters or screens lower my insurance?

In most Florida counties, yes, code-approved opening protection qualifies you for a wind mitigation credit on your homeowner’s policy. We’ll provide the documentation your insurer needs.

Are hurricane screens really as strong as metal shutters?

The top-tier fabric systems (like Armor Screen) are tested to the same large-missile impact standard as metal shutters and impact glass. The advantage of screens is that they cover openings that panels can’t, like lanais, patios, and oversized sliders.

Can I install shutters myself?

The panels themselves can be deployed by a homeowner before a storm, but the mounting system has to be permitted and installed to code. That’s what we do.

How long does installation take?

Most homes are 1–3 days, depending on how many openings are involved.

Do you service shutters you didn’t install?

Yes, we service and re-permit existing shutter systems across the Tampa Bay area.

Ready to Protect Your Openings?

A1 offers free, no-pressure consultations for homeowners across the Tampa Bay area. Jim will walk through your options, answer your questions, and give you a straight quote, no surprises.

Call us: 727-638-9873