What are the best practices for taping a window for hurricane protection?

Question

When working with glass windows that have no hurricane protection, I understand it is advisable to tape windows to prevent them from blowing into too many pieces.

What are the best practices for doing this, assuming no other options exist?

Do you tape them on the inside or the outside (I would assume the inside to prevent removal from elements, but also dependent on the durability of the tape)?

What's a good pattern to tape (I again assume an 'X' layout)?

What's a good tape to use (I'd guess packing tape or duct tape; masking/painter's tape only on the inside)?

Answer 1

If you can't cover them with shutters, then just leave them as is. It's just a waste of time and money to tape. Tape will NOT prevent them from breaking and if they do blow out, many smaller pieces cause less damage than fewer larger pieces.

Taping windows can create larger and deadlier shards of glass when winds blow through a home, said Leslie Chapman-Henderson, president and CEO of Federal Alliance for Safe Homes.

"The shards can become bigger because they're being held together," Chapman-Henderson said. "You're wasting your time. You're wasting your money and you're potentially increasing the danger to your home."

CBS News article

NOAA Hurricane Center FAQ

Snopes (see the bullet points a ways down)

Palm Beach Post article