Window shutters add a nice touch to a home's exterior. In other parts of the
world, especially Europe and the Caribbean, shutters serve a functional purpose.
They cover windows by night or in bad weather to keep out bad weather or cold
air. By day they are pushed open from the inside and secured in place to let
daylight and the sun's warmth into a home. This is especially important in
communities where the majority of residents lack central heating or air
conditioning.

But in many industrialized nations, housing includes shutters more as accent
pieces or adornments than as functional window covers. Shutters may cover the
home's largest windows, the windows on the front side of the house, the windows
on the sides as well as the front, or every window in the home.

Shutters typically coordinate with a home's design to bring out a certain
style in its appearance. For example, you can get shutters that are
rectangular-shaped, or those that come in other forms. Here are some things to
consider when selecting shutters for your home.

1. Does the home's exterior paint or paneling come with matching shutters? If
so, consider using these to match the existing design, even if you had the
siding done first and now want to add shutters. If not, check with the home
supply provider for suggestions about the type of shutters that will go well
with your current outdoor siding.

You may be able to look at a print or online catalog, or view samples at the
store. Some stores provide references of previous customers who have purchased
these shutters, and you may be able to talk with them about their level of
satisfaction or drive by their homes to have a look.

2. Choose a coordinating design and color. If your home's siding or finish
does not come with matching shutters, check out several possible options before
selecting one for your home. Popular styles are made of aluminum and vinyl,
along with other materials that are weather-resistant, so find out what's
available, along with the merits of each.

3. Compare styles to find one that suits your home's design and structure.
Some shutters come with two matching panels, while others have four. You can get
louvers, but keep in mind these can collect dust and may be difficult to clean.
Even when operational shutters are not needed, some people choose to install
them for special effect on their homes.

4. Find out all you can about the product's quality. Ask the sales associate
about each product's durability and lifetime expectancy. Also ask about how to
clean various shutter types, and what type of special cleaning substances will
be needed, if any. You might also want to know about any particular conditions
that afflict certain products. Wood shutters, for instance, may tend to get dry
rot, termites, or other wood-associated conditions. Any type of shutter might
attract insect nests, and aluminum shutters may be prone to rusting.

What are the best shutters? The best kind are those that are affordable, are
easy to install, and offer the greatest protection. Which of these properties is
most important depends on individual circumstances. For a disabled or elderly
person it may be ease of installation with either an automatic closing mechanism
or accordion type shutters.

For those with limited incomes plywood shutters may be the only affordable
option. For most people the best compromise would be steel panels, which offer
good protection, but are certainly more expensive than plywood. The most
worthless type of protection is the often employed use of various types of tape
over the windows. This practice does little or nothing to prevent breakage, may
result in large, more dangerous pieces of flying glass, and is extremely
difficult to remove after the storm.

With today's changing global climate, and the increase of tropical storms
frequency, some regions of the world will need to equip themselves with window
shutters to prevent damage to their properties.