There are several reasons for wanting to install external house shutters on a home.  Though they are an added expense in some respects, they really do add to the overall value of your home as well providing of course that they fit in with the overall look of your home.  The same holds true even if you install cheap plantation shutters indoors, by the way. Doing anything to add value to your home is a real plus if you intend on selling it further on down the line.  But there are other reasons for adding house shutters as well.

One of the original reasons shutters, such as plantation shutters, were added to homesteads and a very good reason why house shutters should be added today, is that they offer extra protection from bad or stormy weather.  This is particularly true in areas that suffer from strong wind or hailstorms, or in areas that suffer with cyclones, hurricanes or typhoons.   They are also handy to have if you want to cool down your room during summer, particularly if the hot afternoon sun really beats through one or two windows in a room. You can simply close the shutters on that side of the room and keep the room a few degrees cooler.

Another major reason for adding house shutters to pioneer homes was that they also added extra security to households, particularly on plantations where there were a lot of poor labourers or others who might be tempted to steal.  The house could be easily secured at night, or even during the day if no one was going to be home.  This discouraged thieves from breaking in and also added to the safety of those left at home.

With heating costs as expensive as they are these days, it is always a great idea to add as much insulation to your home as you can.  Shuttering your windows helps insulate your house as well, and this can be a great idea during the nights for example when it is not as important to have light coming in through the windows.

Aside from all of these reasons, house shutters just make your home look a lot more attractive, comfortable and welcoming providing they match the overall style of your house.  They are not always that easy to attach to brick houses for example, as getting them up can be a bit tricky, but they do well for most other style of housing.

These house shutters are made from many different materials these days, including vinyl, wood such as cedar or pine, metal , and faux wood. The cheapest shutters, such as the faux wood and vinyl house shutters work well for attaching to the exterior of a house and they require little maintenance.  Vinyl shutters are better if you are mainly wanting to add to the appeal of your home as they aren’t so good at protecting your windows and home.  For that you would either want the heavier faux-wood shutters, or perhaps cedar or pine shutters.  Note, however that hard wood shutters do require more work to keep them in shape and looking good.

Popular plantation shutters, or wood shutters as they’re commonly known as, are also available made from vinyl. These vinyl shutters look just as good as many wood or faux wood shutters, and they have the added advantage of being a good deal cheaper to buy.  There are quite a few pro’s to choosing vinyl shutters over the more expensive and heavier wood or faux wood shutters, aside from the price.

Unlike wood shutters, vinyl shutters will not warp when hung in humid environments, nor fade when exposed to direct sunlight.  They are also very sturdy and durable, and resist chipping or other damage.   They are quite a bit lighter than their heavier wooden counterparts, which is a great thing with shutters as it makes them fairly easy to close and open.

Another benefit to hanging vinyl shutters is that they are very easy to clean.  It is important to keep them clean and free from any dust or any other dirt or grime, as they will not last as long if they are not kept dust free.  The simplest way to clean vinyl shutters is to wipe them with a damp rag or cloth. Usually that is sufficient to get off most of the dust and grime. If you need something a little stronger, try putting a little dishwashing liquid on the rag and wiping them with that, it should remove any grime or grease.  Then, when done, wipe them one more time with a damp rag to remove the soap residue.  This type of cleaning is best done on a monthly basis.

For regular cleaning, though, you can usually just run a feather duster or some other type of duster over them to remove the dust.

If your vinyl shutters become stained by something, you really should contact the person you bought the shutters off to find out how to clean them.  Too hard cleaning, or scrubbing can damage the surface of your vinyl shutters and ruin their appearance.

They are generally easier to clean than wooden or faux wood shutters as you are able to use water to clean them if necessary. This means that it will generally be much easier to get off the dirt and dust.   You can either choose to leave the shutters attached to the window frame, or if they’re really dirty you can unattach them and clean them over the bath or a wide sink.