Storm Stoppers/WindShield

[scandan780]

Does anyone have any experience with Storm Stoppers or WindShield HPS (Home Protection Systems)? Reason I'm asking is that last week on WFTV Channel 9 in Orlando, FL an action news report was featured on the company known as Storm Stoppers and the hurricane protection they offer. Let me say that I did not see the news story personally. My parents live in that area and they told me of the report. I did read about the report though on their website.

Second reason I'm asking, is that I am in the process of having WindShield install their panels on my home. After learning of the report, I told them to hold off until I can find out more info. Seems the homeowner in the report is not happy with the product (the Storm Stopper product is a corrugated plastic that is attached to the window frames using a special 3M fastener called Dual Lock). The homeowner said the panels fell right off his windows. Apparently the 3M tapes got wet in a previous rain storm and when it came time to use his panels, they just did not stick to the windows, at least 2 of the panels anyhow. In that same report, it was stated that other people have the same product and they experienced none of the problems the featured homeowner did. They said their panels stayed on their windows and seemed to do the job they were supposed to do.

Anyone have any info for me???? Much appreciated.

[url]www.storm-stoppers.com
[/url]www.windshieldhps.com

[brunota2003]

I have never heard of them, however there was a thread I started about a webpage the HRD set up about Shutters, you can find the links there in the first post to their Shutter page: http://www.storm2k.org/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=82452
HRD = Hurricane Research Division for peeps who didnt know...they might have some useful info there...

[HurriCat]

Me, I don't know - they're stuck on with little adhesive strips? Might work, but what if it's a slow mover, with wind and rain effects for quite a while?

[HURRICANE1]

I HAVE ALOT EXPERIANCE REGARDING USING PLASTIC FASTENERS FOR STORM PROTECTION. I WAS STORM STOPPERS FIRST AND LARGEST DEALER FOR 6 MONTHS UNTIL I ACTUALLY CONTACTED 3M AND TALKED AT LEHGTH WITH THEIR ENGINEERS.

AFTER I GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH THEM, WE CLOSED BEACHSIDE STORM STOPPERS.

ASK ANYTHING YOU WANT REGARDING THE PRODUCT.

THERE ARE MANY FAILURES WITH THAT PRODUCT. I DON'T WANT THIS TO SOUND LIKE A DISGRUNTED FORMER DEALER.

CALL YOUR LOCAL CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT AND ASK THEM IF THEY RECOMMEND USING PLASTIC DUAL LOCKS TO PUT HURRICANE STORM PANELS ON YOUR HOME.

THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT WILL TELL YOU DUAL LOCKS WORK IS THE PEOPLE SELLING THEM. IF YOU GET THE DAYTONA NEWS JOURNAL KEEP YOUR EYE OUT IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, THERE IS GOING TO BE A LARGE ARTICLE ON THEIR FAILURES.

STORM STOPPERS FAVORITE REPLY TO PEOPLE WHO'S PANELS HAVE FALLEN OFF IS "THE DEALER DIDN'T INSTALL THEM PROPERLY".

WELL..... THEY USED TO SEND THEIR DEALERS TO ME FOR TRAINING. I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THEY THOUGHT HIGHLY BACK THEN OF MY INSTALLATION CAPABILITIES.

DON'T BE FOOLED.... IF IT'S NOT BOLTED TO YOUR HOME IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THERE WHEN IT'S NEEDED. IF A 100MPH WIND CAN RIP A ROOF FROM A HOME, JUST IMAGINE WHAT IT WILL DO TO SOMETHING MOUNTED WITH PLASTIC FASTENERS

[Tstormwatcher]

Why are you yelling? Good info though, thanks and welcome to S2K

[HURRICANE1]

Didn't realize I had the cap lock on.... Got up way to early ....

thanks for the welcome

[jrichards]

Both Storm-Stoppers and Windshield sell 10mm and 16mm polypropylene panels. The 16mm panel is exceptional strong and durable the 10mm is a little flimsy. Installation is normally done with the dual locks whcih cannot really be trusted. There are new Hurricane Clamps that have just recently hit the market that are an exceptional alterenative to using dual locks.

Hurricane Clamps can be seen and purchased at http://drdoall.com
Click on Hurrcane Clamps under What's Hot.

[Hurricane-Queen]

Storm Stoppers is a great product with thousands of satisfied customers and great Retail Dealers throughout Florida and now expanding to other states. If you want the real story, click on the link to read it: http://www.storm-stoppers.com/rumors.html

Thank you.

[HURRICANE1]

Just look at their testing website. Look at the lower left hand side when the 2x4 hits the product. Watch the product seperate from the test bucking. is Storm Stoppers going to tell you that the testing lab installed the dual locks wrong?

If your interested in Plastic Anchors do yourself a big favor.........Call Code Enforcement and ask them.

They don't even sell the product they are showing you ontheir testing video.

It's all smoking mirrirs and a play on words.

http://www.beachsidehurricane.com

[HURRICANE1]

Guess I hit a nerve. they removed their testing video.

[HURRICANE1]

Rumors about Storm Stoppers? Everything that I have posted regarding that so called Hurricane Protection can be backed up with information (hard copies) that I have from Storm Stoppers.

All you will ever hear from them is that it's the ex-dealers fault. I have a 4" binder of information.

We were Storm Stoppers largest and First dealer. The company had and probably still has people installing the product the way it WASN'T TESTED. It was tested with more fasteners than they told the dealers and homeowners to install.

When we talked to 3M regarding the use of Dual Locks to hold panels to a home for hurricane protection they said "WE DO NOT RECOMMEND THEM FOR HURRICANE PROTECTION".

Our company name was Beachside Storm Stoppers. Once we got off the telephone with 3M engineers we immediately closed our company.

If we had stayed with the product for a 30 day period we would have purchased $70,000.00 of their product.

The Storm Stopper product was never wind cycle pressure tested. It was tested differently than how Storm Stoppers instructed people to install it.

We had numerous customers complain that the product just fell off their homes. Storm Stoppers will tell you that the panels were installed incorrectly.

What they won't tell you is that Storm Stoppers would highly recommend that their new dealers come to us for installation training.

Channel 9 (WFTV) ran a story on the fastener failings. The reason why the storm stopper stuff wasn't on the home when storm stoppers went there
is because the dealer that installed it had to replace it with a bolt on product.

The Daytona News Journal is now working on a story also.

If Plastic Fasteners are the only recommended fasteners that Storm Stoppers thinks works, why is it that there is not a city, county or state agency that will tell
you that they recommend them?

It seems that only people in the Hurricane Protection Industry that will tell you that Dual Locks work are the companies selling them.

If your Hurricane Panels are not bolted to your home there is NO telling where they will end up in Hurricane Force Winds.

Don't be fooled with the ease of installation or with the comment that they are "safe in an emergency because you can push the product off your window
from the inside". Are they crazy?

Many people don't know the dynamics of Hurricane Force Winds. There are positive and negative pressures.

A positive pressure pushed towards a surface. A negative pressure pulls from a surface. The negative pressure pulls things away from a surface.

If there is a 120mph positive pressure on the front of a home, guess what you have on the other side... you have a 120mph vacuum. These are the pressures that also cause damage not only to a home but to the occupants when panels are not bolted to a home.

It takes about 6 lbs pressure to separate a dual lock. Hurricane Panels are installed with hardware that has to withstand atleast 1200 lbs pressure before it fails.

6 lbs pressure-------------------------1200 lbs pressure ??????

You want to bolt your panels to the home structure itself. You do not want your panel against the window frame. When an object hits a panel up against a window
the window has a greater chance of breaking because of flexing in panels.

Whatever you do for Hurricane Protection, do something and make sure it's bolted on your home.

Remember 6lbs----1200lbs

[phoneman1965]

In 2006, I had a local Houston area company install quick connect Windshield storm panels over my windows. They were custom cut and fit on the job. The connectors were meticulously placed after the surfaces were cleaned and primed.

In 2008, we were hit by hurricane Ike. No panels were lost; all held. I am quite happy with them.

I was looking for a dealer as my son-in-law wants to install them on his beach house on Galveston Island. No dealer seems to be available anywhere.

Oh well?