You have the choise of professional measuring and installation or Do-It-Yourself (DIY). If you choose DIY, be aware that any hurricane protection system will need to meet the engineering specifications in your area. Please see the Engineering Drawings or call us for more information.
Hurricane Fabric is a resin-coated hybrid fabric that has nearly twice the burst strength of our closest competitor, providing unmatched protection from hurricanes. Hurricane Fabric delivers “full envelope” protection if your home or commercial property, against hurricane force winds and preventing the rapid pressurization of the building. This rapid pressurization is what causes roof lift-off and catastrophic damage. Hurricane Fabric weighs just ounces per square yard making it one of the easiest systems to manage.
I can officially say that selecting the hurricane fabric product as a way to protect my garage door was a great decision, and working with the staff at hurricane fabric was a pleasure. The fabric is cost effective, easy to install initially, easy to store, and easy to install quickly when the time comes. I am baffled; why have more people not recognized this great option?
My family recently purchased a home in Margate that has accordion shutters on all windows, but the garage door was not protected and I was not getting credits on insurance. Being new to Florida, I spent a lot of time researching options; new garage door, large removable panels, etc. I did not want to lose the nice windows in the garage door but it looked like I had no options. It took me more searching forums and websites than it should have, but somehow I came across the hurricane fabric website, and this option looked great. Better yet, once I talked with the staff and priced out an installation, I could not believe how the cost compared; half the amount of a new rated garage door! Why inspectors and realtors don’t know more about this product is unfortunate; a simple referral could have saved me a great deal of time.
You guys are great when it comes to customer service. You came out and measured, gave me a quote for you to install or for me to do it myself. That helped me make sure I would be getting the right size and parts. I chose to install myself. On multiple occasions, your staff answered installation related questions because I am such a perfectionist and planner. You delivered storm bars to my place quickly once we recognized they were needed. And then, to satisfy the crazy requests from the insurance company, you provided documentation and a letter after speaking with them to make sure they got what they needed.
Guess what, I have been told by the insurance company that my entry door is not rated :(. Looks like another hurricane fabric installation is in the future for me. Anytime I get asked about hurricane protection, I will be referring people to you. Keep up the good work!
I wanted hurricane protection for my home in Venice Florida. I investigated the different types for door and window protection-steel, aluminum, and fabric. The versatility of storing, handling and installation made hurricane fabric a clear winner. Checking several companies I found Hurricane Fabric. After speaking with them I placed an order. The web site is easy and intuitive to use, providing a cost up front-no hassle! After placing my order the material arrived in eight days. All installation tools included as well as installation instructions-very nice. During the installation I called Hurricane Fabric with a question. The person who took the call was very pleasant, informative and answered my questions. I was very impressed with their professionalism and product. I WILL order from them again-still have more windows to do!
We want you to know how pleased we are with every aspect of our Astroguard installation. We received the product in less than a week of ordering it, and appreciate that each precut piece of Astroguard was labeled, not only with the name of each window, but also with my measurements. Because we had no weather threats last summer, each week we found ourselves postponing starting the job, i.e measuring and screwing on each clip etc…it was really hot out! However, as the new year rolled in, and the weather was cool, we finally got it all done. You were always “there” for each of my questions, regardless of how weird they were, either by phone or e-mail. I thank you for that, since I am personally a maniac about customer service in my own professional endeavors.
It took installing a couple of windows as “learning tools” after realizing that there is metal flashing at the top corner of each window. After then changing the top corner clips to angles, everything fell into place simply and smoothly. My husband installed two-thirds of the windows one weekend, and the garage and sun-porch the next.
Incidentally, we are in our early 60’s and are both below average height. However Mark installed ALONE, and only needed me to hold the longest pieces of fabric a couple of times. Then after taking the enclosed pictures, I removed and packed up the Astroguard, ALONE.
The only advice I would even assume to give to your company is that once the clips are on the fabric, your storage bags are a little small. So I only used one; the rest of my fabric went into plastic bins (see photos in 2nd file), and unless you have an warranty objection for some reason, that’s how they will remain stored. To customers who want to install themselves, use quality power tools; we have a Black & Decker lithium ion screwdriver which made attaching the clips a breeze, and we chose to purchase a reasonably priced electric hammer drill made by Ridgid, with a 100′ drop cord, because it’s a real hassle when you are ?in the zone? and your battery dies!
windows, and also that there was no other hurricane protection at all(a big no-no). Our Citizens Property insurance first year premium was $1467.00. So once completed and inspected by the City building inspector, I submitted all the engineering data and the link to your website to the wind mitigation inspector & to our agent, as well as the pictures I have attached. Today I heard from our agent, and she received the new endorsement from Citizens. Your product has received an “A” rating, and we’re receiving a pro-rated refund for the remainder of this year. In May, our new premium will be $945.00, a $522 savings! That rocks! The best rating for protection, and a 36% savings!
Again, Yehuda, thank you so much! If we can ever be of assistance to you with customers here in Sarasota, feel free to call us. You are, of course, free to use any or all of this letter, or our pictures, if needed.
I wanted to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation of the manner in which you and your company handled the delivery and installation of your product on my house. From the first time I spoke with you and you assured me that the product would be delivered to my residence so that I may be ready for the then-concern of Hurricane Ike, to the days that your staff took care to not only install the fabric sheets, but also ensure that they were done so in a manner that was aesthetically pleasing, your company has always acted in a professional and customer -oriented manner. Being an attorney, I recognize that providing legal services is sometimes only half the battle. The job of customer service is really what sets you apart from other firms.
In your case, you went above and beyond all expectations that I could have had as to service by a company, and outperformed and out delivered my greatest expectations. I was already a fan of your product; now I am a fan of your company. I welcome you to post these comments on your website, and would be more than happy to provide pictures and any testimonials your would like with regards to the manner in which the product is delivered and installed. Hopefully, I will not have an experience wherein I will have to use the product, but I am confident that if it ever happens, I have the best in the industry and it will afford my family the safety, security and convenience of being able to secure my patio and store my outdoor possessions therein, without the necessity of bringing them into my home.
Once again, I cannot thank you enough for the way in which you treated me and took care of me, and will be a loyal customer from now and into the future.
I’ve spent the last three years designing and constructing a waterfront home in Northwest Florida capable of withstanding a Category IV hurricane.
After months of research, I selected Hurricane Fabric to protect my windows and doors.
Hurricane Fabric was superior to the competition. The fabric was delivered within a few weeks of my order and cut to exact dimensions. On-site placement of the clips allowed me to anchor the screen to the strongest part of the structure. Installation was fast and simple. The cost was also substantially lower.
I’ve been boarding up homes for the last twenty years to protect against hurricanes. I would need at least two people and the better part of a day to board up this house with panels, but I can deploy Hurricane Fabric screens by myself inside an hour. I’ve been through a lot of hurricanes. Using these screens effectively buys me an extra day to prepare for the storm.
I can also use my screens as roll-down sun shades during hot summer afternoons. Just add a cleat, a few pulleys, and some nylon line to the installation. My back porch has become an outdoor living room. This is a great product!
I’ve spent hundreds of research hours designing a house strong enough to withstand a major hurricane. Hurricane Fabric screens are a crucial part of a layered protection envelope and the “best-fit” engineering solution for open areas like porches and lanais. Thanks for delivering the best product at a great price.
It is light as a feather, simple to install, strong as anything you can get to protect your house, and stores in a bag.
We built our home on a barrier island nearly twelve years ago and never gave a lot of thought to hurricane protection until the summer of 2004 when so many west coast communities were devastated by storms. We have a lot of windows and doors. I spent a great deal of time researching available product from plywood to steel/aluminum panels to fabric. While the fabric certainly seemed to offer the best hurricane protection, the cost aspect was just too steep. And I also couldn’t find anyone to just sell me material for a self install which led to an expensive $12-14 per square foot installation.
Then a national home supply company started to offer a plastic panel for about $80 per 4X8 sheet. Having no real alternative, I went ahead and got about 20 panels. Lots of measuring and then had to cut each panel to size…not hard but time consuming. These panels were certainly a lot lighter than plywood, but still took up a fair amount of garage space. Once I finished installing the smaller doors and windows, I still had a large pool lanai area, front entranceway, and two garage doors to protect. Everything I read said the large openings were probably the most important thing to protect. Fabric was still the most practical, but the cost of material and required labor made it a painful solution.
Then I found Hurricane Fabric. It allowed for a self install if you wanted a really competitive price, and delivery of the entire package needed for installation. I installed all my prior panels with a panelmate/wingnut system and the Hurricane Fabric was approved for the same type of application. All I had to do was submit size of openings, what type construction (wood or concrete), color, and hardware preferences. No big holes for lead anchors needed and no cutting required. Well, I really pushed these guys to get this stuff on the market so I could finish up my house. And I sure am glad I waited!
The clamp system is so versatile it can be used in virtually any situation. You position the clamps in one foot increments based on how it works best on your house. Drill the holes and set the panelmates. Each clamp slides over the protruding stud and a wingnut finishes the process. I already have a wingnut driver from my prior installation so put up and take down is a breeze. Application of the resin to bond the clamps is the last step in the process and is simple and quick.
Compared to what I had installed earlier, the Hurricane Fabric is a “no brainer.” It is light as a feather, simple to install, strong as anything you can get to protect your house, and stores in a bag. This product would be all around my house if I was starting over. My wife loves being able to see right thru the screen and we’ll never have to move the lanai furniture again. While I like to do this kind of thing myself, even a non-do-it-yourselfer can get a handyman to install and save a lot of money.
Being the skeptic that I am, I sent several emails with questions about their product. No other than the president of the company answered my email.
I happened to stumble across HurricaneFabric.com while searching for hurricane protection. Being the skeptic that I am, I sent several emails with questions about their product-none other than the president of the company answered my email. We spent considerable time discussing issues of installing the hurricane fabric before I decided to go for it. I’m NOT sorry I did. When I priced hurricane fabric at our local Home Show in Sarasota, I found I could save between $8,000 and $10,000 by doing it myself and ordering from HurricaneFabric.com. I started off doing half the house just to be sure this would work. I have since completed my order for the whole house. One of the windows came in the wrong size. I notified the company. No questions asked, they recut the fabric and sent it to me. This company offers a quality product at a spectacular price with first class service. How can you not do business with a company like this?
I had the clear plastic Lexan panels professionally installed in my previous house. These were not easy to put up, although they did store nicely and I did not need a ladder to put them up. However, it took me about 5 hours to put them up on the whole house. I can do the same thing with the hurricane fabric in an hour and one half.
I also looked at the Wayne Dalton product. Installation was much more difficult as it required cutting the material to the exact size. I also would be paying for waste. You have to drill your own holes for the grommets and the material shredded. It was very difficult to install the grommets.
I have some suggestions about installation.
Don’t do it on a two story house.
Make sure you have the right drill. If you are drilling into cement block, you cannot use an 18 volt cordless drill. It is not powerful enough. You will need a 7-8 amp electric drill. I bought the Black and Decker Firestorm drill for $99.00 and this was perfect.
You will also need a second drill to use as an electric screw driver and you will need a 5/16 inch hex bit to drive in the anchors. You will need to get a hex bit for a mechanics ratchet wrench to get adequate torque. I tried using a power drill but it did not work.
The clips have prongs that push through the fabric with some difficulty. If you use the anchors to push the clips through, it is much easier.
The technique of installation is simple but it is time consuming primarily because it takes time to drill a 7/16 inch hole into cement block. You should allow 1 ½ to 2 hours per window for installation.
If you are a do it yourself-er and have enough skill to operate an electric drill, then this HurricaneFabric.com is where you want to do business.
Our home sits north of Destin, Florida on the Choctawhatchee Bay. It was built in 1992 as a wood structure cladded with vinyl siding. In 2008, we installed Old Chicago Brick, which is over 100 years old, over the existing structure. We have a porch lanai that is approximately 70′ x 15′.
Being directly on the bay, we were concerned about Hurricane force winds entering the lanai and uplifting the roof. We searched many options to protect the porch. We did not want to put up plywood or aluminum panels. We found Hurricane Fabric.com and read how it had held up to Hurricane force winds. Mr. Gorman and his staff worked hand & hand with us on how to measure the fabric & deciding what kind of fasteners to use to attach the fabric to the brick.
After Mr. Gorman’s recommendations, we ordered the material, along with the fasteners & clips. The fabric came very quickly. We were impressed on how light the fabric was & that we were able to install it by ourselves. One of the pieces was 20 feet in length, but was still easy to install. Per Mr. Gorman’s recommendation, we attached the fabric clips, which were easy to attach to the fabric, approximately 9 to 12 inches apart so that we could secure it to the bricks. The idea of the patented clips was one of the selling points to us. We had talked to a couple of folks that had used a fabric material with grommets that had failed due to the grommet pulling away from the material. We drilled holes in the bricks (not in the mortar joints) and then screwed in Sammy Tapcons. Secured the fabric clips to the tapcons with stainless steel screws supplied by Hurricane Fabric.com and in no time had the fabric installed.
Fortunately, we have not experienced a hurricane to see how the fabric works. We have left the fabric up until hurricane season is over. Living on the bay, when there is a storm blowing with rain, the winds can still be strong. We are able to sit on the porch and not feel the rain or wind. Even on those sunny beautiful days, we are able to sit on our back porch and still see the beautiful view here through the hurricane fabric. The screen also protects the porch from the hot sun.
Even though Hurricane Season has not ended, we have decided to roll the fabric, in some areas of the porch, to the top of the openings and secure them with Velcro. After the season is over with, we plan to take the fabric down and easily store the material in the nylon bags that were supplied by Hurricane Fabric.com. We are amazed with this Fabric & would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to protect their property.
Thank you Hurricane Fabric. Com for everything and making us feel safe.
I wanted to let you know that I had the house inspected today for wind mitigation and the inspector was really interested in your hurricane fabric product. We spent a little bit talking about it , the installation and ordering process, and he was impressed. He told me that lots of people ask him what to use for their shutters and that he is going to tell people about your product. That is some free advertising for you!
I had a large porch area that was destroyed in wilma last year and did not know how to protect it for future hurricanes.
I am a home ownner in Delray Beach Florida. I had a large porch area that was destroyed in Wilma last year and did not know how to protect it from future hurricanes. I learned about hurricane screens and did some research and found Armor Screen and got an estimate.
I knew that fabric was the only way to solve my problem, but it was just to exspensive to have done with installation. I was up to $16/Ft then I was told about hurricane fabric and looked up the website and found out I could order the same screens online and do my own installation for 1/3 the price of Armor Screen and it was still way cheaper to do with there install team. Well we decided to do it ourselves through the do-it-yourself kit they sell. With the money we saved we were able to cover three more larger windows installation was a snap literaly their snap together clip system is so easy to do you don’t need to be a expert. I wish i had known sooner.
I put up my first AstroGuard panel (DIY) on one of five 6 ft wide sliding glass doors. It turned out GREAT. Send me your email address and I will send a picture. The help from your company was very good and very prompt. Everything fit together perfectly and the hardware is excellent quality. All the anchors went in just right and the drill bit and anchor driver worked well. This will add safety to my home and some day at sale time someone else will see those anchors in the wall and know we have protection and buy the house top dollar. I am a registered structural engineer in Florida (bridge designer) and I am impressed with the product and I hope who ever dreamed up this idea is a happy healthy rich person. I plan to do the entire house this way….a lot of windows. PS As you know the web site needs work. Advice (coming from a guy now in the software business) Have the person who will update your web site simply place go through the steps needed to order some panel s and hardware….he will immediately what is needed to make the otherwise very good web site perfect…..just hard to order…know difference in products also. Thanks….will order more in a few months.