Wood shutters can last a lifetime in beach, snow, and foggy areas, but even whole basswood will fail over time if hit repeatedly with water under high pressure. This can occur if there are regular jets of moisture from showers, sinks, and closed windows with broken window seals. (Open windows allow normal passage of air. Normal air flow won’t impact shutters unless there’s rain or misdirected sprinklers.) Elizabeth Shutters recommends and sells shades, blinds, and plastic shutters for bathrooms, kitchens, and windows next to water.