Hurricane Shutters
Macko Construction was one of the pioneers of installing storm protection on the Outer Banks since 1988. We have (2) products to choose from, with (2) considerably different price points. There are rolling storm shutters from QMI in six different colors or extruded aluminum storm panels from Eastern Metals. The rolling storm shutters we use today are on the cutting edge of technology. QMI’s new AL7-E extruded aluminum slats are the best hurricane protection that you can get. All of these shutters pass the flying debris and windborne debris code for the Outer Banks. Each slat is comprised of a male and a female end so that each slat is locked in place and cannot pull apart. At the end of each slat is a stainless steel screw with a nylon bushing that allows us to have the highest rated shutters on the Outer Banks. This also allows us to make a shutter up to 19′ wide without the use of any storm bars that would impede your views of the ocean or sound.
No one on the Outer Banks utilizes this technology. Our competition still use slats that we stopped using years ago. The advantage to this product is that you do not have to drill thru the house to install an operator that you have to hook a pole to and crank down. Our shutter can be pulled down just like a garage door and there is no need to drill through the house. That is one less place for water to get in to the house. We also have the availability of Smart Drive technology, which offers low voltage operation. No need to run ugly electrical wires on the inside or outside walls. You also need not worry about the electricity going out. It works off a battery pack. Two things that also set us apart from others is the care we use in padding out the shutters with solid 1×4 PVC material, and installation of a 45 degree Kant strip on top of the shutter boxes to shed water off, as not to allow water to get behind the top of the shutter. These shutters can be seen at Quality Manufacturing’s website at www.qmiusa.com. There are many pictures there that you can view to see what these units might look like on your home.
The next price point product that we have is .050 mill finish or white extruded aluminum storm panels. This product also passes the flying debris code and all North Carolina building codes. The difference between this product and the roll shutters is that they need to be installed prior to a hurricane in a head track and sill tracks that are permanently installed on your home. The panels store easily because each panel stacks inside of each other and takes up very little space. Homeowners can store them inside their house under a bed, inside one of their storage rooms, or we can build a cradle underneath a deck to store the panels out of harms way from renters or kids. We can also build a bench seat on your existing decks so that homeowners don’t need to carry panels up 2 or 3 flights of stairs. This product is extremely durable and costs less than half as much as a comparable roll shutter.
Here at Macko Construction, we do all of the installs ourselves. We do not subcontract the installation out to someone else. We take pride in the fact that the lead installer for our shutter products has been with us for years! We take our shutter business very seriously! One of the other services we have available for our customers, is the option of setting up a contract with individual homeowners to roll down their shutters or install their panels in the event of a hurricane. If Dare County calls for an evacuation of the Outer Banks, we will get our crews out there to put up your hurricane protection and secure your home. This includes removing furniture off of your decks and pool areas and securing your home. Don’t rely on a rental company who has 700 or 800 houses. We know that most people can’t drive here to secure their homes in the event a hurricane passes our way. We can take care of that problem and put your mind at ease. So please give us a call today for a free estimate on hurricane protection for your home.