Should You Crack Open Your Windows During a Hurricane?

Should you crack open your windows during a hurricane? No. Keep windows and doors closed and secured. An open window lets wind and rain into the house, and it does not protect the roof or walls. This guide explains the common belief, what an open window does, and what protects a South Florida home instead.

The Short Answer: Keep Windows Closed During a Hurricane

Keep windows and doors closed and secured during a hurricane. That is the standard advice from official preparedness sources in Florida. The Florida wind-mitigation booklet from the Florida Division of Emergency Management says window and door openings are vulnerable to hurricane wind and water intrusion.

Miami-Dade County’s hurricane window guidance focuses on securing windows and doors with approved shutters or plywood boarding. The goal is to cover the openings, not leave them partly open.

The question comes up for a simple reason. The storm is loud, the glass flexes, and the house seems to strain. Friends and online posts often pass along the cracked-window tip. It sounds convincing when you’re scared and watching the windows bow.

Why Do People Open Windows During a Storm?

People open windows because they believe it balances air pressure inside and outside the house. The idea goes like this: wind pushes hard on the outside of a house, so cracking a window should let the inside pressure rise to match. The roof and walls, the thinking goes, won’t be pushed out as much.

The belief starts with a real effect. Wind does push on buildings, and windows do move under strong gusts. Many homeowners see that movement and assume a small opening will help.

The mistake is in what happens once wind finds an opening. The pressure does not simply even out in the way the tip suggests. Instead, wind enters the home and creates a new problem inside. That’s where the belief breaks down.

What Opening a Window Does to Wind and Pressure Inside Your Home

An open window lets wind and rain into the house, and it can make pressure inside the home worse. When wind blows through an opening, it fills the rooms and pushes against the structure from the inside. That force can work against the roof and walls, and it can lift roof coverings.

Rain comes in too. It soaks drywall, floors, and furniture, often before anyone notices.

An open window also does not protect the glass. Flying debris can still strike the window from outside. Standard glass is the weak point under debris impact. A broken pane becomes a second opening, and wind rushes in through it.

That is why product design and testing matter. Under Florida law, a product may not be advertised, sold, offered, provided, distributed, or marketed as hurricane, windstorm, or impact protection from wind-borne debris unless it is approved pursuant to Fla. Stat. § 553.842 or § 553.8425, and anyone who does so without approval is subject to the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. Section 553.8425 separately sets out the methods for local product approval, under which products must demonstrate compliance with the structural windload requirements of the Florida Building Code. Approval is the check that separates tested products from marketing claims.

How to Protect Windows and Doors Before the Storm

Protect windows before the storm with shutters or products built to resist wind-borne debris. Start with what’s already on the house. Shutters that are properly installed and closed cover the glass, which is the purpose of the protection.

Large openings need special attention. Pinellas County notes that permanent accordion shutters are a hurricane-protection option for large openings such as sliding glass doors, according to its retrofit guidance.

Next, check locks, frames, and seals before the season starts. Note which openings face the strongest exposure. Clear loose items from the yard, because flying objects strike glass.

Replacing windows is a bigger step. Impact windows and impact doors are built to resist wind-borne debris. Miami-Dade’s guidance also covers general information about impact-resistant glass, including its capabilities and cost-related considerations. Installing or replacing exterior impact windows generally requires a permit, subject to the building official’s determination, according to Opa-locka permit guidance.

What Not to Do During a Hurricane

The main rule during the storm is simple: stay away from windows and stay inside. Do not open windows to relieve pressure. Do not stand near glass, even if the window looks solid.

Move to an interior room away from exterior walls when you can. Keep your body clear of the glass, and keep children and pets away from it too.

Do not go outside during a lull. Conditions can change quickly, and a calm stretch does not mean the storm is over.

Keep a battery-powered radio or a charged phone so you can follow updates from official sources. If you are checking on an older relative or a home you cannot be at, agree ahead of time on who will call, and when.

Protecting Your Home Before the Next Storm Season

If you’re weighing window protection, the question is no longer just what to do tonight. It becomes a planning decision for the next season. Many homeowners face this choice after a storm warning, when time is short.

Others are handling it for a parent, a relative, or a rental they cannot check on during a storm. Planning ahead gives you time to review your openings, understand permit steps, and schedule work before the season begins.

Impact windows and impact doors are the permanent option on this list. Their job is to keep wind-borne debris out of the opening itself. If you own or look after a home in South Florida and want to talk through impact windows or doors, ASP Superhome offers a free, confidential first consultation, with no obligation to continue.

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