Shutter BoysPlantation shutters in Houston
Homes in Houston
Apartments outnumber houses in Houston: 51% of its 1,040,576 homes are in buildings of two or more units. Detached houses make up 43% and townhouses and other attached houses 5%.
The biggest building period was 1950 to 1979, which accounts for 39% of homes standing today; 30% are from 2000 or later. The median home dates from 1982. Most homes are rented: owners live in only 42%.
Of the 48 Texas cities we have census figures for, Houston has the third-highest share of apartments. In nearby Pearland, 16 miles away, 11% of homes were built before 1980, so Houston's windows are on the whole older. Nationally, Houston's homes are newer than those in 52% 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.
Apartments and condos
51% 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.
Replacement windows
39% of homes went up between 1950 and 1979, and most of them have had their original windows replaced since. A replacement window often sits further into or out of the wall than the old one, so the depth you have for an inside mount may differ from window to window in the same house. Measure every opening rather than copying one.
Renting?
58% of homes are rented. Shutters screw into the window frame or casing, so ask your landlord before you install; taking them down later leaves only screw holes to fill.
Out-of-square openings
With 47% 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.
Houston weather and your shutters
At Houston-PORT, TX (7 mi away), August averages a high of 94.3°F and January a low of 44.3°F. Average highs reach 85°F from May to September.
About 109 days a year reach 90°F, 5 nights fall to freezing and 55.4 inches of precipitation falls, spread fairly evenly through the year.
That's more 90°F days than in 85% of the 381 US cities we have climate normals for.
Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Houston-PORT, TX (temperature) and Houston 2.1 NNE, TX (precipitation, 1 mi away).
Monthly figures
| Month | Average high | Average low | Precipitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62.8°F | 44.3°F | 4.2 in |
| Feb | 66.7°F | 48.9°F | 3.1 in |
| Mar | 73.3°F | 53.7°F | 3.6 in |
| Apr | 79.2°F | 60.9°F | 4.3 in |
| May | 85.7°F | 68.7°F | 5 in |
| Jun | 91.3°F | 74.8°F | 5.8 in |
| Jul | 93.2°F | 76.8°F | 4.4 in |
| Aug | 94.3°F | 76.8°F | 5.7 in |
| Sep | 89.8°F | 71.8°F | 6.2 in |
| Oct | 81.9°F | 62.7°F | 5 in |
| Nov | 72°F | 52.9°F | 4.2 in |
| Dec | 65.2°F | 46°F | 3.9 in |
Summer sun
On the 109 days a year above 90°F, closed louvers keep direct sun off the glass and out of the room. In a window that takes afternoon sun, white and light paint finishes stay cooler to the touch than dark stains.
Humid summers
Hot days and 55.4 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 Houston
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.