Hurricane shutters?

[mrsnjp]

Greetings, from soggy Southeastern Virginia!

The hubs and I are wondering if the HOA at TV has a policy or covenant that covers the installation of permanent hurricane shutters (whether wood or metal).

As a life-long resident of the Tidewater Virginia area, and a veteran hurricane survivor, I know well the value of hurricane preparedness, especially covering windows before an approaching storm. This was reinforced this past weekend, when a large tree limb came within 3' of our bedroom window during Irene...fortunately, we had covered the windows on the east side of the house with plywood the night before. With TV located in the middle FL, we would be about as close to the coast (in either direction) as we are now in Suffolk, VA...and we certainly know that we are and would be within easy reach of a large tropical system.

While we are at this point still able to wrestle with large sheets of plywood, I don't think either of us will want to mess with them when we approach our 70's, and we would definitely want to look into the option of permanent / automatic storm shutters. Does anyone know if there are any restrictions concerning this? Does anyone have permanent storm shutters that could provide insight into their installation, cost, maintenance, and ease of use?

We also heard that garage doors at TV are storm tested and certified, but cannot find any actual references to this...any clarification you may be able to provide will be greatly appreciated. :bowdown:

[dfn8tly]

When you arrive in TV you'll have to have faith. Remember that we are under the protection of The Great Bubble. It encapsulates us and keeps the major storms away (for the most part). I don't know anyone who has hurricane shutters here in TV. A couple of years ago I was at our annual emergency preparedness open house and I specifically asked a captain of our emergency response teams about where to go in the event of an approaching storm. She asked me if I lived in a manufactured home and I replied that I had a new ranch home south of 466. She immediately said "just stay where you are", remove any possible flying objects from around your home or in your lanai. Other than that these houses have been constructed to the highest hurricane standards and are the safest place to be, away from windows that is. She also commented that TV is where people in the smaller communities of northern Sumter County will be coming for possible protection (all roads lead to TV). So, I don't think you need worry about the expense or hassle of hurricane shutters. Save the $$$ and go out for dinner at some of our fine restaurants. Welcome!

[getdul981]

If you're concerned about breaking windows, 3M makes a film that can be put on your windows that cannot be breached. We saw the demo when we had the film applied to our home, but didn't feel that it was necessary. The demo showed a man throwing a cinder block at the window and using a hammer on the window. The glass shattered, but did not fall off the film(if that makes sense). A bullet would probably make a hole, but not completely destroy the glass.

[Snowbirdtobe]

New construction in the state of Florida is required to have storm resistant garage doors. Even our 14 year old designer has large beams on the garage door. Over the years the state required standards have just gotten stronger.
Many of the new requirements can't be seen once the home is finished.

[KittyKat]

When you arrive in TV you'll have to have faith. Remember that we are under the protection of The Great Bubble. It encapsulates us and keeps the major storms away (for the most part). I don't know anyone who has hurricane shutters here in TV. A couple of years ago I was at our annual emergency preparedness open house and I specifically asked a captain of our emergency response teams about where to go in the event of an approaching storm. She asked me if I lived in a manufactured home and I replied that I had a new ranch home south of 466. She immediately said "just stay where you are", remove any possible flying objects from around your home or in your lanai. Other than that these houses have been constructed to the highest hurricane standards and are the safest place to be, away from windows that is. She also commented that TV is where people in the smaller communities of northern Sumter County will be coming for possible protection (all roads lead to TV). So, I don't think you need worry about the expense or hassle of hurricane shutters. Save the $$$ and go out for dinner at some of our fine restaurants. Welcome!

I agree. Have lived here 4 years. We are in more danger from tornados than hurricanes. We head for the walk-in closet during a weather alert.

[tainsley]

Hello mrsnjp. Cannot answer your questions. But I too am in SE Virginia. Right next door to Suffolk in the Western Branch area of Chesapeake. Where in Suffolk are you? Is your power back up? Look forward to hearing from you. :)

[mrsnjp]

Hello mrsnjp. Cannot answer your questions. But I too am in SE Virginia. Right next door to Suffolk in the Western Branch area of Chesapeake. Where in Suffolk are you? Is your power back up? Look forward to hearing from you. :)

@ tainsley: :wave: We are in eastern Suffolk, just off the 58 Bypass, at Wilroy Road. Surprisingly, our power was back on by mid-morning on Sunday...a welcome sight, since we were in the dark for 5 days following Isabel. We lost a few limbs out of our big hickory tree, and had several fly-ins from the neighbor's gum tree, but that was about the worst of it for us...thank goodness. I hope you and your family were able to escape Irene relatively unscathed.

How neat to see that there are others in our area who are interested in TV! Have you been down for the LSV, yet (or do you already own property)? We're trying to get down there to taste the koolaid and get a general lay of the land...just can't seem to get the scheduling right, yet.

[tainsley]

We got our power back late Monday afternoon. Just had to stake some trees up. We were lucky this time. Remember Isabelle? We did the LSV in June 2010...loved it! We went back in October 2010...just to make sure TV really existed...loved it even more! Rented a house for the month of July in The Village of Glenbrook...we bought a CYV before heading back to VA! We are very excited. I have to sell my house here (do you know anyone looking for a house in Western Branch) then we will be heading down to TV. You will absolutely love TV! There is no place like it! If you are ever in the neighborhood, let me know!:)

[mrsnjp]

@ tainsley: I'm turning three shades of jealous that you'll be in TV so soon...we're still several years from being able to relocate to Lower Paradise. I'll definitely keep an ear out for anyone looking for a home in the Western Branch area...in the meantime, I think you're supposed to "bury St. Joseph?"

:D

[tainsley]

@ tainsley: I'm turning three shades of jealous that you'll be in TV so soon...we're still several years from being able to relocate to Lower Paradise. I'll definitely keep an ear out for anyone looking for a home in the Western Branch area...in the meantime, I think you're supposed to "bury St. Joseph?"

:D

He is in the ground! We have a few friends from VA Beach and Great Bridge who have recently moved to TV or are headed down in the near future. Also, met a few couples from Chesapeake (Great Bridge and Deep Creek areas) when we were in TV back in July.

[mrsnjp]

Wow, that 's quite a few people from "the 757" who have, or will be, relocated in Lower Paradise! Maybe we need to start our own club! :thumbup:

[tainsley]

Wow, that 's quite a few people from "the 757" who have, or will be, relocated in Lower Paradise! Maybe we need to start our own club! :thumbup:

:agree: The 757 Club!

[senior citizen]

When you arrive in TV you'll have to have faith. Remember that we are under the protection of The Great Bubble. It encapsulates us and keeps the major storms away (for the most part). I don't know anyone who has hurricane shutters here in TV. A couple of years ago I was at our annual emergency preparedness open house and I specifically asked a captain of our emergency response teams about where to go in the event of an approaching storm. She asked me if I lived in a manufactured home and I replied that I had a new ranch home south of 466. She immediately said "just stay where you are", remove any possible flying objects from around your home or in your lanai. Other than that these houses have been constructed to the highest hurricane standards and are the safest place to be, away from windows that is. She also commented that TV is where people in the smaller communities of northern Sumter County will be coming for possible protection (all roads lead to TV). So, I don't think you need worry about the expense or hassle of hurricane shutters. Save the $$$ and go out for dinner at some of our fine restaurants. Welcome!


I was just going to ask a similar question and you seem to have covered all the bases quite well. We were just wondering if the worst case scenario would be due to the WINDS and not flooding such as Vermont has experienced. Is flooding an issue at all in The Villages or vicinity?

My husband seems to think that the sand would absorb the water more quickly?

Flying debris we "understand" and would take care that does not happen.

Thanks for any other tips..........also, has anyone now living in TV every lived through a hurricane in either Lake County or Marion County???? Meaning in recent memory. Thanks to all in advance.

[Skybo]

:agree: The 757 Club!

Another 757'ner checking in. :a040:

[mrfixit]

......

[Skybo]

....there will always be those who think it is OK to put mulch or bark or other "floaties" in the "sluiceways" designed into every lot. Almost EVERYONE knows those "floaties" will end up in our storm water drains and CLOG them.

What's a "sluiceway"?

[mrfixit]

What's a "sluiceway"?

....a man-made channel designed to carry off excess water........MOST are found BETWEEN adjacent homes.

[Skybo]

.

[senior citizen]

....a man-made channel designed to carry off excess water........MOST are found BETWEEN adjacent homes.

Very good to know. Are they cement or just an indentation in the lawn?
Thanks.

[getdul981]

Very good to know. Are they cement or just an indentation in the lawn?
Thanks.

It's the way the lots are graded. Each home kinda sits on a little hill. Not very noticeable, but you can tell if you look.

[tainsley]

Another 757'ner checking in. :a040:

Where in the 757 are you Skybo?

[senior citizen]

It's the way the lots are graded. Each home kinda sits on a little hill. Not very noticeable, but you can tell if you look.

Thankyou. So, it's not a cement sluiceway that takes away water.
Just the grading of the lot.

[mrsnjp]

Another 757'ner checking in. :a040:

Hello, Skybo! :wave:

[mrsnjp]

Thanks, everyone, for your opinions and advice. The hubs and I will definitely take them into consideration as we continue to do our research, looking forward to when we get closer to being frogs.

I hadn't considered the flooding, but I guess localized flooding would be possible regardless...especially with clogged storm drains. Thanks for bringing that up!

[getdul981]

I don't know if anyone has noticed or not, but one of our neighbors made an observation after the heavy rains we had a week or so ago. He said that it appears that all the golf courses are a bit lower than the houses. That gives water a place to go instead of flooding houses and we have tons of retention ponds that never seem to be full to catch all the run-off. That's not to say that we can't have flooding, but the developers seem to have had that in mind while doing the development.

[Skybo]

Where in the 757 are you Skybo?

From Chesapeake, now in the Village of Tamarind Grove. :)

[tainsley]

From Chesapeake, now in the Village of Tamarind Grove. :)

What a coincidence! We live in the Western Branch part of Chesapeake and also heading to Tamarind Grove as soon as I sell my house here! :):):)

[Shimpy]

Just because we haven't had a hurricane doesn't mean we won't get one since we are a peninsula sticking out in the Atlantic. In S. Florida we went about 30 years without much trouble then in one October got two. The next year another (Wilma) a real dozy. Being inland people feel safer, but there is no place in Florida more than 60 miles from the ocean or golf. Wilma came in on the west coast of Fla, crossed about 160 miles to the east coast and got stronger. Down here compared to further north the storms move slower, 4-10 mph, and the winds are stronger due to much warmer water feeding the storms. If you get hit they last longer and can do lots of damage. I myself don't have shutters, but would like to. Accordion shutters are the easiest to use, just slide them shut. I doubt TV would have a policy against shutters considering what kind of lawsuit they would have in event someone lost their home or life if windows were destroyed and the roof lifted off after not approving an application for shutters. New homes in S. Fla. are required to have shutters and that is only 200 miles from here.
They are very expensive and I doubt there are many or any places to get them here. I've never heard or saw an ad. You'll see plenty if a Cat 3 or 4 hits this part of the state though.

[mrsnjp]

Thanks, Shimpy...I greatly appreciate your input. :thumbup:

[Doodlegirl]

It was $4,500 and I expected a tax rebate OR a change in my Homeowner's.
Not. I was sorry to leave those when I moved a month or so ago. The only window I didn't cover was a Hurricane Rated very thick metal and glass door.
Apparently by not covering that I missed the lowered HO policy insurance fee. Every window must be covered. And the door itself was over $2,000.
House was built 30 years ago and was 1800 feet.

I have experienced Hurricanes in South FL for 30 years. I doubt we could or would be missed here in TV if we were in a storm path. I wish in my closing packet I had obtained information on the safest room in this cyv. Guessing I have my eye on it, brought all my Hurricane supplies, so I'm as ready as I can be. However, this is the first frame house I've lived in since moving to FL.
That makes me a little shaky if you know what I mean. I'm seriously thinking of retrofitting the master closet...I know and have seen the damage Hurricanes cause. Mother Nature can really get angry.

[Shimpy]

It was $4,500 and I expected a tax rebate OR a change in my Homeowner's.
Not. I was sorry to leave those when I moved a month or so ago. The only window I didn't cover was a Hurricane Rated very thick metal and glass door.
Apparently by not covering that I missed the lowered HO policy insurance fee. Every window must be covered. And the door itself was over $2,000.
House was built 30 years ago and was 1800 feet.

I have experienced Hurricanes in South FL for 30 years. I doubt we could or would be missed here in TV if we were in a storm path. I wish in my closing packet I had obtained information on the safest room in this cyv. Guessing I have my eye on it, brought all my Hurricane supplies, so I'm as ready as I can be. However, this is the first frame house I've lived in since moving to FL.
That makes me a little shaky if you know what I mean. I'm seriously thinking of retrofitting the master closet...I know and have seen the damage Hurricanes cause. Mother Nature can really get angry.


Apparently this part of the state doesn't have the highest building codes for hurricanes (the famous Dade County Code) since it hasn't experienced billion dollar damage hurricanes. I now live in a frame house and I too am a little uneasy since they are rare in S. Fla. I also have a big concern that the front door of my home opens IN. That is not allowed by Dade County code. A door that opens in is only held by the latch locking the door. A door that opens out has the whole frame to keep it from being blown in. Once a door or window is open the wind and water will destroy the inside of the home and the roof could be blown off. I'm counting on the past record of hurricanes not making a direct east or west hit on the coast near us, instead entering the coast far down south and coming across on an angle that would weaken it.

[Doodlegirl]

it is said by the weather folks that we are in a bit of a vortex, goes up toward Thomasville, GA and down to us in a triangle out into the gulf. For whatever
reason, we have been lucky with hurricanes in this 'triangle'. My guess is "luck" is actually what it is all about. Steering winds, the jet stream, nothing has so
far really attempted a full fledged onslaught to our area. I think, after living in South Florida for many, many years, it is luck of the draw. Any hurricane
coming onshore in Melbourne or Daytona, Tampa or above, given the right
circumstances and winds could slam the Villages. However, if that 'vortex' has something to it, then maybe we will be spared...for another season. I am as prepared here as I can be, however, if the roof blows it will be a mess.