FSS Accordion Shutters
The workhorse of hurricane protection. Permanently mounted, closed by hand in minutes, and the best value per opening we sell.
If you protect one thing on your house, protect the windows and doors, and if you are protecting windows and doors on a budget, accordions are almost always the right answer. They are not glamorous. They are the product that has been keeping Florida homes intact for forty years, and there is a reason nearly every house on your street that has protection has these.
Approved for the strictest standard in the country
Florida Product Approval FL1850 — HVHZ approved. The High Velocity Hurricane Zone is the Miami-Dade and Broward standard, the toughest opening-protection requirement in the United States. Southwest Florida does not require it. Our accordion carries it anyway.
Every installation is permitted, and the inspector verifies the approval number against what is physically on your wall. Large missile impact rated, tested for wind pressure and cyclic loading.
Why people choose them
- Nothing to store, nothing to carry. They live at the sides of the opening permanently. There is no stack of panels in the garage and no hunting for hardware in the dark.
- One person, no tools, no ladder. You unlatch them and pull them closed. A whole house takes minutes rather than a day.
- They lock. From the inside, which matters if you evacuate and leave the house empty for the season.
- Best cost per opening. On a house with a lot of windows, accordions protect everything for a fraction of what impact glass costs.
- They fit awkward openings. Radius and arched track is available, so curved-top windows are a normal job rather than a reason to say no.
What we will tell you straight
You see them when they are open. An accordion stacks at the sides of the opening, so there is a column of housing on each side, all year round. That is the trade — you get the strongest value in hurricane protection and you look at the stack.
If a particular opening is somewhere the appearance really matters — a front elevation, a picture window facing the street — say so. Bahama shutters or rolling shutters may suit that opening better, and there is nothing wrong with mixing products across a house. Most of the jobs we do are mixed.
Where accordions are the wrong answer
| Opening | Better answer |
|---|---|
| Wide lanai or pool cage opening | Motorized hurricane screen — one span, no posts, you keep the view |
| You want it closed from inside, or while away | Rolling shutter — motorized, blackout, security |
| The windows are being replaced anyway | Impact windows and doors |
| Front elevation where looks decide it | Bahama shutters |
We can build these
Accordions are one of the products we are set up to manufacture, alongside our 55mm and 63mm rolling shutters. That matters most on the openings nobody else wants — odd widths, radius tops, tight reveals, mullion and post conditions.
Colors and finish
Standard finishes cover most homes, and we go through the options at the consultation. If you are in a deed-restricted community, color is usually the one thing the architectural review committee actually cares about, so we specify it before you submit.
Talk to us about your openings — Southwest Florida
Tell us what you are looking at and someone from our team will call you the same business day. We go through it on the phone first — your openings, the products that actually fit, what is involved — and if it is a fit we come out and put a written quote in your hand. No charge and no obligation.
Accordion shutter questions
Are accordion shutters strong enough for a major hurricane?
Ours carry Florida Product Approval FL1850 and are approved for the High Velocity Hurricane Zone, the Miami-Dade and Broward standard and the strictest opening-protection requirement in the country. Southwest Florida does not require HVHZ compliance.
How long does it take to close them?
Minutes for a whole house. They are permanently mounted at the sides of the opening, so closing them means unlatching and pulling them across. No ladder, no tools, and one person can do it.
Can I still see out when they are open?
Yes. When open they stack at the sides of the opening, so the glass is clear. The trade-off is that you see the stacked housing on each side year round.
Do they work on arched or curved windows?
Yes. Radius and arched track is available, which is why curved-top windows are a normal job for us rather than a reason to decline.
Do accordion shutters need a permit?
Yes. Any hurricane protection on an exterior opening requires a building permit, and the inspector verifies the Florida Product Approval number against the installation.
Can they be locked?
Yes, from the inside, which is one reason they are popular with seasonal owners who leave the house empty.
Do accordion shutters stay on the house year-round?
Yes. They are permanently mounted at the sides of the opening and stack there when open, which is what makes them quick to close. The trade-off is that you see the stacked housing on each side all year.
Why do accordions bind after a few seasons?
Almost always the track. Salt, sand and debris collect in it, and the wheels and centermates wear. It is rarely a failed shutter and usually a service item — which is why we would rather look at it in June than the day before a storm.
Do accordion shutters work on wide sliders?
Up to a point. They will span a slider, but on a very wide opening you end up with a lot of blades stacked at each side and a heavy pull. Past roughly fifteen feet a motorized hurricane screen usually makes more sense, and we will say so.
More questions? Our full hurricane shutter & screen FAQ covers products, service, permitting and financing.
Florida Screen & Shutter, LLC · 883 NE 27th Ln #5, Cape Coral, FL 33909 · (239) 409-0426
License #SCC131152867 · Fully Licensed & Insured Florida Contractor · MagnaTrack President’s Club, #6 in the country, 2025