Storm Panels in Sarasota, FL

Storm panels are the simplest approved way to protect glass: corrugated sheets of aluminum, steel or clear polycarbonate that bolt or slide into tracks fixed above and below each opening. They cost the least per opening of any system, they store flat in a garage, and when installed to their approval they count as opening protection for code and insurance purposes. The catch is the work involved in putting them up.

Panel materials

• Aluminum: light for its strength and corrosion resistant, the most common choice
• Steel: very strong and usually cheaper, but heavy and prone to rust where the coating wears
• Clear polycarbonate: lets daylight in while the panels are up, so the house is not dark during a long storm; costs more and can scratch

How they attach

Most systems use a header track above the window and either a sill track or anchors below. Panels drop into the top track, overlap their neighbors, and are fastened at the bottom with wing nuts or bolts. Other systems bolt directly into permanent anchors set flush in the wall. The approval spells out panel span, overlap and fastener spacing, which is why panels should be cut and numbered for specific openings.

The deployment reality

Putting up panels is physical work. Each one has sharp edges and must be lifted into place, often from a ladder for upper windows. Before a storm, hardware stores sell out of wing nuts and people run out of daylight. A little preparation makes it manageable:

• Label every panel with its opening and keep a written map
• Store panels near the openings they cover, in order
• Keep the wing nuts, bolts and a socket driver in one bin
• Do a dry run early in the season so you know how long it takes

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Where panels make sense

Panels work well on openings you rarely need during a storm: guest rooms, small bathroom windows, clerestories and windows hidden behind landscaping. They are also a sensible way to bring a whole house into compliance on a budget, then replace the most-used openings with impact glass later. They suit second homes less well unless someone local will put them up, since an empty house with panels in the garage is not protected.

Code, permits and insurance

Permanent tracks and anchors are installed under a permit, and panels must carry a Florida Product Approval for the span they cover. Once every glazed opening has approved protection, panels qualify for the same opening protection credit on Form OIR-B1-1802 as shutters or impact windows. Keep the approval documents and the panel map with your insurance papers.

Taking care of them

Rinse panels and tracks with fresh water after a storm before storing them, check anchors for corrosion each spring, and replace any bent panels, which no longer seal their overlaps properly.