Shutter BoysPlantation shutters in Philadelphia
Homes in Philadelphia
Philadelphia has an unusually large share of townhouses and other attached houses: 56% of its 748,270 homes, beside 8% detached houses and 35% apartments.
More homes here were built before 1950 than in any later period we count: 51%. Only 10% date from 2000 or later. The median home dates from 1949. 52% of homes are lived in by their owners.
Of the 3 Pennsylvania cities we have census figures for, Philadelphia has the highest share of older homes and the third-highest share of apartments. Its housing is much like Allentown's, 44 miles away. Nationally, Philadelphia's homes are older than those in 95% of the 375 US cities we have census figures for.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. Estimates carry margins of error.
Townhouses
56% of homes share a wall with the next one. Their front windows face the street side by side with the neighbours', so many owners pick a louver size and a white or off-white finish that sit well beside the houses on either side. Bay windows on townhouses usually need a separate panel set for each face.
Plaster walls and deep casings
51% of homes date from before 1950, when walls were plaster on lath and windows sat in deep wood casings. Plaster cracks if you drive screws carelessly: drill a pilot hole, use fixings made for plaster, and fix into the casing or the framing behind it. A deep casing is good news for an inside mount; measure its depth before you choose a louver size.
Out-of-square openings
With 83% of homes built before 1980, many openings have had decades to settle. Measure each one's width at the top, middle and bottom, and both diagonals. If the diagonals differ by more than about ¼ inch, add a mounting frame in the designer, or choose an outside mount so the shutter covers the uneven edges.
Apartments and condos
35% of homes are in buildings of two or more units. Balcony and patio doors suit bypass or bifold panels rather than hinged ones, which need floor space to swing. Check what your HOA or building allows to show from outside before you order: most rules are about the colour seen through the glass.
Philadelphia weather and your shutters
At Phila Franklin INST, PA (4 mi away), July averages a high of 89.3°F and January a low of 27.8°F. Average highs reach 85°F from July to August and average lows sit at or below freezing from January to February.
About 40 days a year reach 90°F, 62 nights fall to freezing and 50.9 inches of precipitation falls, spread fairly evenly through the year.
Among the Pennsylvania cities we have climate normals for, Philadelphia has the most hot days and the most precipitation.
That's more freezing nights than in 59% of the 381 US cities we have climate normals for.
Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Phila Franklin INST, PA (temperature) and Phila Franklin INST, PA (precipitation, 4 mi away).
Monthly figures
| Month | Average high | Average low | Precipitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 41.6°F | 27.8°F | 3.6 in |
| Feb | 44.9°F | 29.6°F | 3.3 in |
| Mar | 53.5°F | 36.4°F | 4.5 in |
| Apr | 65.9°F | 46.3°F | 4 in |
| May | 75.7°F | 56.3°F | 4.1 in |
| Jun | 84.9°F | 65.9°F | 4.8 in |
| Jul | 89.3°F | 71.4°F | 4.8 in |
| Aug | 87.2°F | 69.5°F | 5 in |
| Sep | 80.3°F | 62.7°F | 4.9 in |
| Oct | 68.1°F | 51.1°F | 4.2 in |
| Nov | 56.4°F | 41.3°F | 3.4 in |
| Dec | 46.5°F | 33.2°F | 4.3 in |
Humid summers
Hot days and 50.9 inches of precipitation make for heavy summer air. Wood swells when it's humid, so give kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms some air: run the fan after a shower and tilt the louvers open so steam doesn't sit behind them.
Fitting them in Philadelphia
Shutter Boys shutters are made for you to fit yourself: an inside or outside mount takes a drill, a level and our step-by-step guide. If you'd rather hire someone, a finish carpenter or blinds installer can fit them; ask on your quote and we'll tell you if we know one near you. You arrange and pay the installer directly.
Price your windows
Add each window, pick your options and send it to us. We check the sizes and reply with your quote.