Installing steel storm panels

Here in Florida, the hurricane season runs from June 1 through
November 30 each year. Yup, 1/2 of the year is the hurricane season.
There have been reports that we've begun the nasty portion of a 30-year
cycle of mild vs heavy storm seasons. Regardless, the question is not
really IF a hurricane will come, but rather WHEN. And so, we have been
spending time preparing our house to weather the inevitable storm. We
recently spent about US $1700 to purchase galvanized steel storm panels
and tracks and hardware to allow us to quickly mount protection over
our window and door openings when a storm is coming. Eastern Metal
here in Florida manufactures the 24-guage steel panels that we bought
at Lowe's. While we did find their installation instructions OK, we
would have like to have had more pictures and a little more clarity to
help us with the installation. So after we figured things out, we took
a number of pictures and have used good old Flickr to post pics of the storm panel installation. Hopefully this will help someone else.

After taking pics to document the installation, we removed the wingnuts and panels (leaving the tracks mounted), and have stored the panels in the garage, ready to rock and roll when needed.

Of course, there are no guarantees with the pics and instructions I've posted, as it is entirely possible that I have totally goofed it up :-)

Comments

[Roger V.]

sent you an e-mailgreat posting!

[Michael Grenier]

Joe,Thanks so much for posting this hurricane panel installation information and pictures. It's just what I was looking for. Hurricane Wilma took away a shutter (3 panel aluminum cover that screwed directly into the wall), and I had a couple of others with problems. We were lucky only one blew off, and at the end of the storm. So all of the problem ones will be replaced. Your info will help me beyond words, literally!

I'll post again after I complete the project within the next month. Thanks so much.

[CJ]

Joe

Thanks for the great blog! I found it while researching storm panels. I just relocated from the Windy City, which should be called the Bitterly Cold Breezy City compared to these hurricane forces, and my fiance' is from Italy. So we're drilling deep to learn all things Floridian: termites, ants, wasps, how to not get stung by pest control contractors,and creating living fences to "protect" the arch-conservative neighbor to the east.

Wish you and Shirley were our neighbors! I'd make the mojitos.

[eugene]

Joe:Great information. I'm installing my shutters using your directions. Mine will be permanent H tracks and F tracks at the bottom. I have a question, Is it normal to have less that an ich gap after installing the panels? The Easter Alumin called for a 3 panels for a 37 inches wide opening. After installing header and track and installing the panels I have less that an inche in one of the side, is that OK? Can I place two panels next to each other without overlaping to solve problem, or should I just get a longer H header and F track and add an additional panel to the installation? The headers and tracks are now very expensive to buy. I had the same problem on two opening so far and I'm half way done on the project. I will appreciate your input. Thanks for the excellent information posted, makes installation easier for no so good handy person.

[Joe Litton]

Eugene,You may want to ask the manufacturer. Personally, I would use a wider track and an extra panel ...the cost of one more panel and longer tracks is very small compared to the cost of hurricane damage. But that is only my opinion, and I am just a homeowner who put up some panels :)Cheers

[Monica Marin]

Could you be interested in buying some panels that I have? I changed them for accordion and still have them in my garage.