Maybe you’re looking to . Maybe you’re in the market for your next home improvement project.
Either way, you should take a closer look at functional shutters.
They’re a prominent part of your home design, yet most homeowners overlook them. Here are seven reasons why functional shutters should be your next home improvement project.
1. Increase Privacy
One of the most obvious benefits of functional shutters?
Privacy.
When you close your shutters, they cover the whole window in one easy swoop. Just like that, you’ve got a miniature wall between your house and the rest of the world.
Whether they’re interior or exterior, shutters are an easy way to keep prying eyes out without blocking all the light. Like blinds, you can open shutters at an angle to allow light in while still blocking the view into your home.
Sure, you can take steps to create more privacy in your backyard, but if you’re back-to-back with your neighbors, functional shutters allow you the freedom to keep your neighbors’ eyes away even if you can’t plant a wall of shrubs.
2. Thermal Insulation
Of course, shutters don’t just keep prying eyes at bay. They also keep sound and heat away.
Picture this. It’s July and it’s hot enough to fry an egg on the pavement. You want the heat out of your house, but you don’t want to restrict airflow either.
In this situation, functional shutters are a lifesaver. You can open your windows to let the breeze in while keeping the shutters closed to keep sunlight out. Plus, they’re less stuffy than traditional curtains, so you won’t feel like you’re trapped in a cave when you close them.
3. Improve Energy Efficiency
And since functional shutters are good at thermal insulation, they’re also good at improving your energy efficiency – which is great news for your energy bill.
On hot days, you can avoid the air conditioner by opening the windows and closing the shutters, allowing the breeze to flow freely. And on cooler days, you can avoid the heater by closing the windows and the shutters to trap warmth and light indoors.
It’s an easy way to improve energy efficiency, and it’s much cheaper than other eco-friendly options.
4. Weather Protection
That’s all fine and good, but let’s say you live in an area prone to severe weather. Maybe it’s thunderstorms, maybe it’s snowstorms, maybe it’s tornadoes or hurricanes.
Either way, when the weather comes calling, you need something that will keep your windows safe.
Here, again, functional shutters can save the day.
During heavy storms, wind can fling debris at your house, shattering your windows and damaging anything else struck by the debris or shattered glass. And you’re stuck worrying about whether this will be the storm that forces you to replace your windows.
Functional shutters offer a layer of protection against the elements. You can close and lock exterior storm shutters to protect window glass against flying debris. Debris may still damage the shutter, but it’s far cheaper to replace a shutter than to replace an entire window and clean up shattered glass.
5. Boost Curb Appeal
We’ve talked a lot about the functional aspect of functional shutters, but functional shutters aren’t some hideous thing you throw on your windows to prepare for catastrophe.
In fact, the right shutters can improve your curb appeal.
Curb appeal is the art and science of making your home look attractive when someone pulls up to the curb. It includes everything from your exterior paint job to your landscaping to your front door. It’s all the details that combine to make a first impression.
In areas without severe weather, shutters are primarily used for aesthetic purposes. It’s easy to understand why – they give your home a classic appeal by framing the windows, adding depth, and creating a bit of texture with a contrasting color.
If they’re purely for aesthetics, visitors will appreciate the design and attention to detail. If you live in an area with severe weather and have functional storm shutters, potential buyers will appreciate this element of practicality.
6. Add to Your Resale Value
This leads to our next point. Functional shutters help improve your resale value.
Part of the whole point of curb appeal is making your home more attractive to potential buyers. The trick of it is that you don’t want to spend so much on home improvement that you end up losing money in the sale since you can’t directly add the cost of the projects into your sale price.
Because of this, home improvements are a balance of cost versus value.
Functional shutters are a fantastic choice here because they’re a relatively affordable home improvement that buyers will appreciate from an aesthetic and functional point of view.
7. Easy Customization
Finally, functional shutters offer you a degree of customization that’s hard to find with other window treatments.
Whether it’s color, architectural style, or material, your options are pretty much endless, which means you can create exactly the right shutters to match your home decor.
Plus, window shutters are custom-fitted to your windows so that you can get exactly the style and protection that your windows need (this website explains that process nicely).
Windows Within Your Functional Shutters
With all that functional shutters offer your home, the real question is why you haven’t installed them yet.
If you’re still investigating your options, no worries. Check out our blog for more useful home improvement tips, like this post on how to buy
