Hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, and here in New Orleans, we do not have to explain why preparation matters. Every household in Orleans, Jefferson, and St. Tammany Parish has a storm story, and most of us have lived through at least one named system that reshaped what we keep in the garage from June onward.
Windows are among the most vulnerable parts of any New Orleans home during a storm. When a window fails, wind and water can cause catastrophic interior damage in minutes, and the pressure differential can compromise your entire roof structure.
At Big Easy Home Tint, we get asked one question more than any other from May through November: “does window film protect against hurricanes?” The honest answer is more nuanced than most marketing makes it sound. This guide walks through every realistic window protection option, what each one actually does in a real storm, and how security film fits as a supplement (not a replacement) for true storm hardening.
If you would rather have us walk your home and recommend a layered prep strategy in person, contact us for a free consultation anywhere in the Greater New Orleans area.
Understanding Window Vulnerability in a New Orleans Storm
Windows fail during hurricanes in two main ways. Both happen fast, and both can take the whole envelope down.
- Wind pressure: Sustained winds and pressure differentials push windows inward, especially on the windward elevation
- Flying debris: The real danger. Airborne tree limbs, roof tiles, and unsecured outdoor objects become projectiles that shatter glass at impact speeds well above what residential windows are rated for
When a window breaks during a storm, your home envelope is compromised. Wind enters, pressure builds, the attic pressurizes, and the risk of roof failure increases dramatically. Flying glass shards also pose serious injury risks to anyone sheltering inside. We saw this pattern repeated after Hurricane Ida across St. Tammany and across the Northshore.
Window Protection Options for New Orleans Homes
1. Hurricane Shutters (Most Protective)
Permanent or removable shutters rated for hurricane conditions offer the strongest verified protection.
- Accordion shutters: Permanently mounted, fold out when a storm is named
- Roll-down shutters: Retract into housing above the window, fastest to deploy
- Bahama shutters: Hinged at top, prop open normally, lower for storms (popular on historic homes in the Garden District and Uptown)
- Colonial shutters: Decorative side-mounted panels that close over the window
Pros: Rated protection, may qualify for Louisiana insurance discounts, reusable across multiple storms
Cons: Significant investment (3,000 to 10,000-plus dollars for a whole home), professional installation required, some require manual deployment as the storm approaches
2. Plywood Boarding
The traditional approach every New Orleans homeowner knows. The lumber yards across Jefferson Parish run dry within hours of a named-storm forecast for a reason.
- Use 5/8 inch or 3/4 inch exterior-grade plywood
- Cut panels in advance, label each one for the matching window
- Pre-drill holes and use proper masonry anchors or window-frame brackets
- Store panels somewhere you can actually reach when the cone shifts
Pros: Affordable, effective barrier, materials available at every Home Depot and Lowe’s across the metro
Cons: Labor-intensive to install in 90-degree heat with storm anxiety, requires garage or shed storage, must be deployed for each storm, blocks all natural light during the event
3. Impact-Resistant Windows
Purpose-built windows designed to withstand hurricane conditions.
- Laminated glass with an interlayer that holds the glass together when broken
- Reinforced frames tested to Florida and Louisiana building codes
- Always-on protection, no deployment needed when a storm is forecast
Pros: Permanent protection, qualifies for insurance discounts, no last-minute storm prep, daily UV and noise benefits
Cons: Very expensive (800 to 1,500-plus dollars per window), requires full window replacement, not always a good fit for historic homes in Marigny, the Bywater, or the Garden District
4. Security Window Film: What It Can and Cannot Do
This is where we owe you the honest answer instead of the brochure version.
What security film IS:
- A thick (4 to 14 mil) polyester film applied to the interior glass surface
- Designed to hold broken glass together when impact occurs
- Originally developed to reduce injuries from broken glass in everyday accidents
What security film CAN do:
- Help hold shattered glass in the frame rather than scattering as dangerous shards
- Reduce the risk of injury from flying glass fragments inside your New Orleans home
- Make it harder for broken glass to create a large open breach immediately
- Add one meaningful layer to your overall storm preparation strategy
- Provide year-round benefits: UV protection, heat reduction, break-in deterrence
What security film CANNOT do:
- Make your windows hurricane-proof or impact-resistant
- Replace proper hurricane shutters or rated impact windows
- Guarantee your windows will not fail in a major storm event
- Meet Louisiana building code requirements for hurricane protection
- Qualify your home for insurance discounts as a hurricane protection measure
The honest assessment: Security film is a supplemental measure, not a primary hurricane defense. Think of it as a seatbelt: real, valuable additional protection, but not a replacement for safe driving. We recommend security film as part of a layered approach, never as the only line of defense in our market.
A Layered Approach to Window Protection
The most prepared homeowners we work with in Mandeville, Slidell, Covington, Lakeview, and the Westbank use multiple strategies stacked together:
- Primary protection: Hurricane shutters, impact windows, or plywood ready to deploy fast
- Secondary protection: Security film for additional glass-holding capability
- Evacuation plan: Because no window protection guarantees safety in a major hurricane like Ida or Katrina
Beyond Windows: Complete Hurricane Prep Checklist for New Orleans
Before the Season (May)
- Review and update your Louisiana homeowner insurance policy and wind/hail rider
- Document your home contents with photos and video, save off-site or to cloud
- Confirm shutters and hardware are functional, no rust on the bolts
- Pre-cut and label plywood panels if that is your approach
- Trim trees and remove dead branches near windows (oaks shed huge limbs)
- Identify your evacuation route and destination in advance (I-10 East, I-55 North, I-12)
- Prepare emergency supply kit with at least 3 days of water, food, medications
When a Storm Is in the Cone (72 to 24 hours out)
- Install shutters or plywood, do not wait until the last 12 hours
- Bring in or secure all outdoor furniture, planters, grills, and yard items
- Clear gutters and drains, especially in older Mid-City and Carrollton neighborhoods
- Fill all vehicles with gas before stations run dry
- Withdraw cash, since ATMs may not work after power outages
- Charge all devices, backup batteries, and power stations
- Fill bathtubs with water for flushing toilets if Sewerage and Water Board goes down
- Check your flood zone designation and follow evacuation orders
Louisiana Insurance Considerations
Talk to your insurance agent at least 30 days before hurricane season starts.
- Hurricane deductible: Usually 2 to 5 percent of home value in Louisiana, separate from your standard deductible
- Flood insurance: Separate NFIP or private policy required, worth considering even if you are not in a marked flood zone
- Mitigation discounts: Some Louisiana carriers offer discounts for rated shutters or impact windows. Security film alone typically does not qualify.
- Documentation: Keep receipts for all protective measures, home improvements, and pre-storm prep purchases
Why Security Film Still Makes Sense for New Orleans Homes
Even with its limitations on the hurricane side, security film offers real value year-round in our market.
- Year-round protection: Deters break-ins, reduces UV damage to interiors, improves energy efficiency in our long cooling season
- Glass safety: Holds broken glass together whether from storm debris, accident, or attempted break-in
- No maintenance: Unlike shutters, nothing to deploy or maintain as a storm approaches
- Invisible protection: Does not change your home aesthetic, which matters for historic Garden District and Marigny properties
- Peace of mind: One more layer in your overall safety strategy
We believe in being honest about what our products can do. Security film is not a hurricane solution by itself, but it is a smart addition to a layered prep plan, and the year-round benefits often justify the investment even before storm considerations.
Get Storm-Prep Ready Before the Cone Shows Up
The best time to prepare your New Orleans home for hurricane season is before NHC starts naming systems. Once a storm is in the Gulf, every contractor and supplier is booked solid and lumber yards run out of plywood within hours.
Here at Big Easy Home Tint, we will give you an honest assessment of your specific windows, your home elevation, and your existing storm-prep stack. If security film makes sense as a supplement, we install it. If you need shutters or impact windows first, we tell you that too.
Call us today at 504-676-5121 to schedule a free hurricane prep consultation anywhere in Orleans, Jefferson, or St. Tammany Parish before the season ramps up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does security window film actually protect against hurricanes in New Orleans?
It helps, but it is not a primary hurricane defense. Security film holds shattered glass in the frame and reduces injury risk from flying shards, but it cannot match a rated shutter or impact window for full storm protection. We recommend it as a supplement, never as your only protection.
Will security film qualify my New Orleans home for insurance discounts?
Typically no. Louisiana insurers offer mitigation discounts for rated hurricane shutters, code-tested impact windows, and reinforced roofing. Security film alone usually does not qualify. Verify with your agent before installing solely for the discount.
How much does whole-home hurricane protection cost in New Orleans?
Hurricane shutters run roughly 3,000 to 10,000 dollars for a whole home. Impact windows run 800 to 1,500 dollars per window installed. Security film runs 8 to 14 dollars per square foot of glass. Most homeowners we work with start with the highest-priority windows and layer over time.
How quickly should I deploy plywood or shutters when a storm is in the Gulf?
Start at 72 hours out for plywood, 48 hours for shutters. Waiting until the 24-hour mark means competing with everyone else for the same materials and the same daylight hours, often in tropical-storm-force winds.
Do shutters or impact windows work better for historic homes in the Garden District or Marigny?
Bahama shutters or Colonial shutters preserve historic aesthetics better than accordion or roll-down options. Impact windows require careful selection to match historic profiles, and many historic district approval boards have specific requirements. We work with several preservation-friendly window contractors and can refer you.
What should I do with security-film-protected windows during a storm?
Treat them like any other window: deploy shutters or plywood over them if those are your primary protection. The film holds glass together if a window does break, which protects you and your interior, but the film does not change the storm-prep checklist.
Can I install security film myself before hurricane season?
Technically yes, but the results are usually poor. Security film requires precise edge attachment to the frame to deliver any storm benefit. Improperly installed film offers minimal protection and may peel from the edges within a single Gulf-coast summer. Professional installation with proper edge anchoring is standard.
How does Hurricane Ida change what we should do for future storms?
Ida taught most New Orleans households that wind protection alone is not enough. Trees came down, roofs failed, debris flew across miles of Northshore. The clients we work with now stack three things: rated primary protection (shutters or impact windows), security film as a glass-holding supplement, and a tested evacuation plan with a destination outside the cone.