I just realized that americans install fake swinging window shutters

[Murloc]

All these years seeing american movies and pictures of suburban houses, and I never noticed!
Until today!

Now I just dropped the streetview yellow man randomly over new jersey and I notice it on a bunch houses!

How tacky is that?

And how can they get by in the summer with only interior curtains, do they have AC in every house even in NJ?

 

[highland145]

We even have AC in mobile homes. How 1%er is that?

 

[xthetenth]

We even have AC in mobile homes. How 1%er is that?

Ehh. That's a major factor in the death toll from blackouts. We probably shouldn't look at that as an extravagance as much as its lack as something that would be beneficial to address.

 

[highland145]

Ehh. That's a major factor in the death toll from blackouts. We probably shouldn't look at that as an extravagance as much as its lack as something that would be beneficial to address.

Link, Francis?

 

[dave_the_nerd]

All these years seeing american movies and pictures of suburban houses, and I never noticed!
Until today!

Now I just dropped the streetview yellow man randomly over new jersey and I notice it on a bunch houses!

How tacky is that?

And how can they get by in the summer with only interior curtains, do they have AC in every house even in NJ?

Yeah, it's the style. I think they're stupid AF but nobody asked me.

See also: mcmansionhell.

 

[lxskllr]

They're kinda dumb. I wish real shutters would make a comeback. I suppose you can custom make anything you want, but it would be nice to get ready made shutters from the store.

 

[gorcorps]

And how can they get by in the summer with only interior curtains, do they have AC in every house even in NJ?

Not having A/C is quite an oddity in most of the states. NJ is probably humid in the summer, so it's nice to have.

 

[mxnerd]

We have faux bricks, faux flooring, faux fireplaces, faux stones, even Faux News, why not faux shutters?

 

[Red Squirrel]

A lot of houses here have it too, even my parents'. It's just a decorative thing. If you notice even if they did swing they would not even cover the entire surface of the window. Basically a useless decoration lol.

I always thought some kind actual usable shutter system could very well be useful though for summer or in case of storm. But given that's only a few months of the year not really worth building a system just for that. Though a simpler solution would be some kind of fixed awning that is just the right size so that it lets sun in only in winter.

You see these places that board up their windows every time there's a hurricane. That requires putting fasteners right through your house/window frame etc. Why not just implement that as a shutter that opens/closes.

 

[Carson Dyle]

And... you can drive down most streets in America and never see an old woman in a babushka dumping the wash water out of a second story window into the street below.

 

[JEDIYoda]

I have seen tents with AC.....go figure!!

 

[DCal430]

All these years seeing american movies and pictures of suburban houses, and I never noticed!
Until today!

Now I just dropped the streetview yellow man randomly over new jersey and I notice it on a bunch houses!

How tacky is that?

And how can they get by in the summer with only interior curtains, do they have AC in every house even in NJ?

Actually shutters are very thermally inefficient. Blinds, drapes and such are much better. So what you are saying about AC isn't accurate.

 

[rh71]

I have before and after pics of our windows/house with/without those shutters. It looks a lot better with them there, giving it a finished look. And that's all I care about.

 

[NutBucket]

Actually shutters are very thermally inefficient. Blinds, drapes and such are much better. So what you are saying about AC isn't accurate.

And cleaning shutters sucks. I can throw drapes in the washer!

Actually I like have blinds for light control and drapes for blackout and heat retention/rejection.

 

[Carson Dyle]

Actually shutters are very thermally inefficient. Blinds, drapes and such are much better. So what you are saying about AC isn't accurate.

I find that somewhat surprising, given that shutters can completely block out the sunlight before it ever even reaches the glass.

Are you sure we're talking about the same kind of shutters?

 

[Carson Dyle]

And cleaning shutters sucks. I can throw drapes in the washer!

Actually I like have blinds for light control and drapes for blackout and heat retention/rejection.

Cleaning shutters? Huh?? Do Americans even know what shutters are and how they function?

I would imagine most modern homes with working shutters still have some kind of inside window coverings.

 

[NutBucket]

I was thinking of interior shutters also known as plantation shutters.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Actually shutters are very thermally inefficient. Blinds, drapes and such are much better. So what you are saying about AC isn't accurate.

I would figure it would be the other way around. with curtains, the heat is already inside the house, yeah it might be between the curtains and the window but chances are the window has better R value than the curtains (if not it's a really crappy window or has a broken seal and should probably be replaced) so the heat will radiate into the house.

Edit: Oh interior shutters, yeah, compaerd to curtains those are probably better. But even with those the heat is already inside. Though if they're white it won't be as bad as if they're black.

 

[Murloc]

Actually shutters are very thermally inefficient. Blinds, drapes and such are much better. So what you are saying about AC isn't accurate.

I'm talking about exterior shutters or blinds.

Close them and the sun radiation doesn't get in. The heat behind them doesn't get in either because you have double paned glass keeping it out.

Also great to sleep with windows open.

Cleaning shutters? Huh?? Do Americans even know what shutters are and how they function?

I would imagine most modern homes with working shutters still have some kind of inside window coverings.

yes there are curtains inside, but they're for privacy, decoration, sound dampening and for total blacking out.

See also: mcmansionhell.

lol great website

A lot of houses here have it too, even my parents'. It's just a decorative thing. If you notice even if they did swing they would not even cover the entire surface of the window. Basically a useless decoration lol.

the fact that they couldn't cover the window even if they could swing is what gets me.

I always thought some kind actual usable shutter system could very well be useful though for summer or in case of storm. But given that's only a few months of the year not really worth building a system just for that.

this is likely why in northern europe houses don't have shutters, they're probably not needed except for a few days a year.
In central europe the shutters are mostly used for sleeping and not having sun in your eyes in particular situations outside of the summer, the heat stuff applies 2.5 months per year mostly. In southern europe this is quite longer though I think.
In central and southern europe non-north facing big/normal windows without external shutters do not exist.

Though a simpler solution would be some kind of fixed awning that is just the right size so that it lets sun in only in winter.

this is actually a concept in passive or energy-efficient house construction. The winter sun in central europe does heat the house quite a bit if it can radiate into the house through windows and the summer/winter angle difference is significant.
Another neat trick is having trees that lose their leaves in front of the house: lots of sun on the house in the winter, no sun in the summer.

 

[Pulsar]

Most us homes have single piece bug screens that make opening and closing shutters impossible from inside.

Some homes are going to in window blinds... but those suck when they break.

 

[Carson Dyle]

Most us homes have single piece bug screens that make opening and closing shutters impossible from inside.

Good point.

Mustn't be any bugs in Europe. Or maybe bug screens violate the endless laws they have that control every last iota of construction and remodeling.

In the US we'd have motor controlled shutters with an app on our smart phones. And the motors would break and require $1500 in repairs every three years.

 

[Carson Dyle]

the fact that they couldn't cover the window even if they could swing is what gets me.

That's what gets you? I suppose you must mean because the width of the shutters often isn't as wide as the windows? If they exist purely for decorative purposes, what difference does it make?

 

[Carson Dyle]

In the US we'd have motor controlled shutters with an app on our smart phones.

Or do have. Like these fugly things.

 

[JimKiler]

My parents had those decorative only shutters on their house but they got rid of them a couple decades ago.

I live in a housing development that was completed 5 years ago. Some neighbors have fake handles on the garage doors. Others have the vent at the top of the garage but it is over the siding and even looks fake. Those house owners had to pay extra for their fake items.

 

[shortylickens]

The house I grew up in was built in 1983, and it had fake shutters. So they are at least that old.
Why did you just notice this today?