When the weatherman reports the direction of the hurricane and it's heading your way, the only thing any homeowner can do is board up the home. This is usually done using wood but there is a better way now to protect the house.

The best way to protect your home is by using hurricane shutters. These are strong enough to protect the windows and even the doors from gale force winds that could be carrying flying debris.

There are different types of hurricane shutters available in the market. There are the colonial, Bahamas, accordion and roll down versions. These are all made from different types of material such as metal or wood.

The cheapest among all of these is the vinyl version. Available in your local DIY stores, the only drawback with these kinds of shutters is the longevity when compared to other types.

Those who want wood should try Cedar since it has a natural oil that termites and other bugs hate as well as preventing moisture penetration.

Of course, there is always aluminum that is rust resistant. It doesn't look like much from the outside but this will perform its job when the storm rears its ugly head.

The type of shutter to be chosen will really depend on the severity of previous hurricanes. The person can contact a representative from one of these companies for an ocular inspection and measurements to be made to be able to design the right one for the home.

Contractors will usually charge per foot so you should probably look around and compare the rates before deciding on the one to get.

Hurricane shutters are easy to install. They're usually screwed onto the top of the wall so the shutter can be pulled down. This is much better than boarding up the home because the people who live there can stay inside when waiting for an order about whether to evacuate or not.

In fact, those who know some basic carpentry skills can save some money by buying the materials and building this at home.

It's always a good idea to get some friends or some members of the family to help to put the hurricane shutter into position given the weight of this thing once it is fully assembled.

Generally, hurricane shutters are placed outside of the home. Some people have even installed a second one inside that is more decorative adding a slightly bizarre but nevertheless idiosyncratic touch to the home.

When the hurricane has passed, the exterior covering can be removed and stored in the garage. This should be kept in a secure and safe place so it can be brought out again to protect the home against the next one, especially since more than 10 of these darn hurricanes come every year.

Hurricane shutters don't look that nice from the outside however this should not deter the person from getting one for the home. It may not protect the home entirely when the storm comes but at least this can reduce the cost of repairs as insurance companies are unwilling to cough up!