Mount Pleasant Magazine 6.3

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Dwelling
It’s been nearly 27 years sInCe a
major hurricane swept through the Lowcountry,
but that doesn’t mean you should ignore the
probability that another Hugo-like storm will
visit the Charleston area sooner or later.
Lowcountry Hurricane Protection &
Shutters can enhance the look of your home and
at the same time prepare you for the next big weather event.
Established by local resident J.D.
Cooper in 2006, the company offers
a wide range of options that allow you to customize every
window in your home, from
decorative wood shutters to
hurricane shutters made of
aluminum and stainless steel
that offer protection from
winds of up to 150 mph.
Cooper, who grew up in
Mount Pleasant, explained
that hurricane shutters
alleviate the pressure brought
by a storm that has the
potential to cause extensive
damage to a home.
“Hurricane winds exert a positive force or pressure
against a vertical surface of a home, such as a wall or
steeply pitched roof,” he said. “As the wind flows over or
around the home, it exerts a negative force or suction on
the walls or roof. The combination of pressure and suction
can cause uplift, possibly stripping roof coverings and
sheathing or, in extreme cases, destroying the entire roof.”
Cooper, who has seven employees, launched the
company in 2006 and in 2008 started manufacturing
aluminum products. In 2012, he started crafting wood
shutters made of cedar, mahogany and extira – a wood
composite – in his shop in Mount Pleasant. Cooper said
Lowcountry Hurricane Protection & Shutters makes most
of the shutters it sells and installs, though a few models are
manufactured in Florida.
“We are one of the only businesses around Charleston
that manufactures and retails our own shutters,” he
pointed out. “Most of our competitors are retailers. We are
the manufacturer, and we sell directly to the customer.”
Two of Cooper’s most popular decorative products
are Bahama shutters and Colonial shutters. Bahamas are
hinged at the top of the window, can be closed easily when
bad weather is on the way and feature louvers that won’t
block your view. Colonials fold in from either side of the
window to provide solid protection from the elements.
Another popular option aimed more at privacy and
aesthetics than at violent weather is the porch Bahama,
which hides your porch from neighbors and also protects
against sun, wind and rain.
Other possibilities include
aluminum roll-down shutters,
which can be opened or closed
with a manual crank or a hand-
held remote; accordion shutters,
which add security to your home,
as well as protection against wind
and other weather issues; storm
panels, made of galvanized steel
and aluminum or clear Lexan
panels; and fabric shield, a
lightweight, translucent option.
Customers of Lowcountry Hurricane Protection &
Shutters can be assured that all the manufacturing and
installation work will be done by company employees
rather than by subcontractors. Cooper, who concentrates
on sales and administration, helps out in the field
occasionally these days. And he personally measures
each job, providing the client with a detailed quote that
indicates the price of every possible option for each
window in the house.
“I get great satisfaction going to a house that has
nothing on the windows and completely changing the look
of the home,” he said.
Lowcountry Hurricane Protection & Shutters is located at
488-C LaMesa, off Long Point Road, in Mount Pleasant.
To learn more, visit or call
843-822-5519.
By BRIAN SHERMAN
The porch Bahama is a popular option at Lowcountry
Hurricane Protection & Shutters.
Photo courtesy of Lowcountry HurricaneProtection & Shutters.
Don’t “Shutter”
ThinkingAbout a Storm
Lowcountry Hurricane Protection & Shutters