Houston's building code requires impact-resistant glazing or approved hurricane shutters in wind-borne debris regions. The Texas Department of Insurance enforces windstorm standards in designated coastal counties, and parts of Harris County are in the TWIA territory.
Houston's adopted 2021 International Building Code and International Residential Code require windows and doors in wind-borne debris regions to be either impact-resistant or protected by approved hurricane shutters. The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) enforces windstorm resistance standards, and the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) provides wind coverage in 14 designated coastal counties plus parts of Harris County. Products must be tested to ASTM E1886 and ASTM E1996 standards for impact and cyclic pressure resistance. Approved protection options include permanent impact-resistant windows, accordion shutters, roll-down shutters, Bahama shutters, colonial shutters, and engineered plywood panels as temporary emergency measures. For TWIA certification, a licensed inspector must verify compliance, and a WPI-8 certificate is issued. Installation must follow manufacturer specifications and be performed by licensed contractors.
Non-compliant windows may disqualify a property from TWIA windstorm insurance. Building permit may be denied without proper glazing protection. Insurance claims can be reduced for non-code-compliant openings.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Harris County.
See how other cities in Harris County handle hurricane shutters.
See how Houston's hurricane shutters rules stack up against other locations.
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