Storm Smart Industries - The leader in hurricane protection » storm protection

Hurricane Irene – Category 1

kdugas — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 18:48:31 +0000

LOCATION…19.2N 67.5W

ABOUT 105 MI…170 KM WNW OF SAN JUAN PUERTO RICO
ABOUT 70 MI…115 KM NE OF PUNTA CANA DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…80 MPH…130 KM/H

The government of the Bahamas has issued a hurricane warning for the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Southeastern Bahamas.

Summary of watches and warnings in effect…A hurricane warning is in effect for…* North coast of the Dominican Republic from the Haiti border Eastward to Cabo Engano * Southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands

A hurricane watch is in effect for… * North coast of Haiti from le mole St. Nicholas eastward to the Dominican Republic border * central Bahamas

A tropical storm warning is in effect for…* Puerto Rico…Vieques and Culebra * South Coast of the Dominican Republic from South of Cabo Engano Westward to the Haiti Border * all of Haiti

Discussion and 48-Hour Outlook
——————————
At 1100 am…The Center of Hurricane Irene was located near Latitude 19.2 North…Longitude 67.5 West. Irene is moving toward the West-Northwest near 13 Mph…20 Km/H…and this motion is expected to continue during the next 24 To 48 hours. On This Track the Core of Irene should be passing just to the North of Hispaniola later today and early Tuesday and reach the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Southeastern Bahamas late Tuesday.

Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 80 Mph…130 Km/H…with higher gusts. Irene is a Category One Hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. Strengthening is forecast during the next few days.

Hurricane Force Winds Extend Outward Up To 30 Miles…45 Km…from the center…and Tropical Storm Force Winds extend outward up To 185 miles…295 Km to the Northeast of the center.

Minimum Central Pressure Estimated From A Reconnaissance Plane Was 988 Mb…29.18 Inches.
Source: NWS – NOAA

Tropical Storm Bret brushes the East Coast of Florida

kharper — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 14:50:43 +0000

Churning about 150 miles off the eastern coast of Florida, Tropical Storm Bret will pose little threat to the U.S. mainland this week as it is expected to remain well offshore.

The season’s second named storm, upgraded from a tropical depression late on Sunday evening, is meandering around the northern Bahamas this morning.

Grand Bahama, including the city of Freeport and Great Abaco, will experience bands of heavy rain today, along with wind gusts that could approach tropical storm force (39 mph or greater).

Read more on this developing weather story here.

*Source – AccuWeather.com

“…so impressive that it beckons a shout out…”

kharper — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 13:37:09 +0000

The installation of our storm shutters and automatic lanai screen was so impressive that it beckons a shout out to all involved. Scott, our installer, is someone that Storm Smart should be proud to have representing its company. His professionalism and work ethic was amazing. He worked continuously and the craftsmanship was flawless. He was courteous and neat.

To all the others involved… From our sales professional, Don, to the billing staff, and follow up crew-thanks so much for making this a low stress endeavor. I will be a definite supporter of Storm Smart to all my friends and family who are thinking about installing hurricane shutters in the future.

Sal and Jeannine M. ~ VillageWalk. Bonita Springs, FL

Hurricane Shutters ~ Which is best for your home?

kharper — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 20:31:47 +0000

Hurricane shutters are the most important protection for your home during hurricane season.

Hurricane shutters remain the most economical solution for most homeowners to protect window openings in a storm, although impact glass is increasingly popular. Preparing ahead of time, say experts, particularly with panels and other manual deployment options is key. Make sure the right tools and hardware are on hand before the storm nears. Here are just a few tips to help you decide which shutter may be best for your home or business.

Storm panels ~

Steel or aluminum shutters attach to the walls around windows and doors on bolts or tracks. Storm panels are corrugated, and each piece overlaps the next for maximum strength. There are several styles of storm panels to choose from.

The first style incorporates both tracks and bolts. The top of the panel is slipped into a track above the window, and the bottom of the panel is secured to bolts that are permanently attached beneath the window.

The second style uses a set of C-shaped tracks above and below the windows and doors. Bolts slide into the tracks from either side and must be manually aligned with the holes on the panels.

The third style uses only bolts permanently set into the wall beside the windows and doors. They can be loosened as the panel is hung horizontally, and screwed down to secure it.

Storm panels are the most inexpensive options of the permanent shutter systems. They are removable, so they don’t change the aesthetics of the house when not in use and provide excellent protection for both doors and windows.

Accordion shutters~

These one or two-piece hurricane shutters are housed beside the windows or doors when not in use. They unfold accordion-style to cover and protect during a storm.

The benefit of accordions is that they are permanently affixed beside the windows and don’t require any extra storage space. They can easily be deployed by one person and most models can be locked with a key and may be used as a theft deterrent.

Roll-down shutters~

These shutters attach above the window. They roll up and store in an enclosed ‘header’ or ‘housing’ box when not in use. They are lowered either manually by a hand crank or automatically by push button or remote, and lock in place for storm protection.

Aluminum rolling shutters are permanently affixed above the windows/doors and don’t require any extra storage space. They too can easily be made storm-ready by one person with very little effort. These type of shutters also offer some of the best protection, and make an excellent theft deterrent.

Hurricane / Impact glass~

This glass can withstand hurricane debris and eliminate the need for hurricane shutters. Modern code requirements, which already require hurricane shutters or other protections on new houses, make the glass a more practical option at the time of new construction or remodeling. By having impact resistant windows installed professionally, in most cases it eliminates the need for additional shutters.

Call us today for a complimentary, no-obligation consultation to find out what works best for you and your home or business!

Smart Companies opens West Palm Beach office!

kharper — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 16:44:37 +0000

We are excited to announce the opening of our east coast office in West Palm Beach Florida!

The newest division of the Smart Companies is located at 2257 Vista Parkway, Suite 21, West Palm Beach, FL 33411. This office is part of the Vista Business Park and just off of Jog Road.

Although we are currently in the process of installing samples of all of our products, our team is ready to answer any questions and of course available to talk to you about the many hurricane protection, energy & solar options and home technology products we offer, along with assisting with service and warranty calls. Please call Dan Reames, our Regional Manager at 561-578-4751 for more details.

Solar back up powered rolling screens are here!

kharper — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 16:30:41 +0000

Florida homeowners have the most powerful source of energy at their disposal: the sun. Harnessing its power will help you save energy and money, while contributing to the “greening” of America.

Smart homeowners in Florida enjoy saving energy and saving money with innovative solutions from Smart Companies, serving Southwest Florida and beyond since 1996. They also appreciate our state-of-the-art storm and hurricane protection.

It’s only smart that we would offer our clients the most innovative products available, which includes solar. One of our newest products is a solar energy generated battery back up for all motorized hurricane protection products in the event of a power outage.

Call us now at 239-278-9092 or Toll Free 888-962-7283 to find out how taking advantage of the sun’s power can be the perfect energy source for you.

“A wonderful job!”

kharper — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 20:14:22 +0000

We love our new Accordion Shutters! You’re guys did a wonderful job and were so courteous! We will definitely recommend Storm Smart to our friends!

June Y., ~ Cape Coral, FL

We Care Program Seeks Nominations!

kharper — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 20:24:28 +0000

It’s that time of year again when Storm Smart, a division of the Smart Companies, is eager to give back to the community that continues to supports us! We are actively seeking nominations for our “We Care“ Program where each month during hurricane season, we will choose a nominee to recieve FREE hurricane protection!

Starting this month and each month during hurricane season (June to November), our Selection Committee will select a nominee to receive storm protection for their home or business and install the products at no cost to them!

Previous We Care “winners” have included the Animal Refuge Center, a first response emergency rescue employee, a homeowner who contracted with another company that closed down before her job was completed and many others in our community that needed assistance protecting their property from the devastating storms.

We encourage anyone interested in nominating a person, family or even a non-profit organization in the Southwest Florida area who may be in need of assistance protecting their home or office, to submit their entry here.

Nominations can be based upon need, merit or circumstance. Once your entry has been approved, we will post it on our web site giving your friends and family an opportunity to vote for your entry. (For more details and the rules rules that apply, please read here.)

You can help us make a difference in someone’s life, so please send your entries today!

“I just can’t say enough good things…”

kharper — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 16:42:27 +0000

Everything looks marvelous! Even better than I anticipated! I just can not say enough good things about your company and I have already referred your company to my neighbors who have come by to see my new hurricane screens. I hope you get a lot of business from them because they loved them too!

Thanks Storm Smart!

Denise W., ~ University Park, Sarasota, FL

“They worked steadily and tirelessly…”

kharper — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 15:54:39 +0000

As a very recent customer, let me tell you about my experience with your company.
Several weeks ago, I attended a Home and Garden Show at the Coralwood Mall in Cape Coral. I wanted some information about storm protection for my home and an estimate of the cost. Within a day or two, I was contacted by Ralph. We set an appointment and he came to my home, with sample case in hand and explained the available products and the cost involved. He invited me to go to your showroom to see the products at full size on display. I did this…. where I met Vicky who pleasantly showed me everything available and patiently answered questions and watched as I tried things out. Not one to jump into anything too hastily, I checked out your competitors both for price and customer service. Prices actually were not too far apart but that was not the determining factor. Ralph followed up with phone calls and at one point said to let him know if I was not interested at this time and he would stop calling. Being excellent at procrastination, the calls did serve as reminders and help me move along with the process. I signed a contract for the work I decided upon and David, the installer, came to do the measuring and double-check the color choices. Hilda called to confirm a date for the installation. On that day, she called to say there had been a heavy rain storm on another job site which would delay the start of my project. David called with appologies for the delay and to set up a new date. We agreed on Saturday, although I could not be present the whole time. David kept in phone contact with me about his arrival times and came with his son and helper, Travis on Saturday. They worked steadily and tirelessly in a very precise, pleasant and professional manner,cleaning up everything at the end of the day and leaving things “neat as a pin”. They returned on Sunday to complete the job and again on Monday to show me how everyting was to operate…..more than willing to demonstrate and insure my satisfaction with the product and the work. Here’s wishing there were more craftsmen like David who take such pride in their work and do an excellent job!

Follow up calls were made this week by Mike and Kimberly, again, thanking me for the business and checking that everything was satisfactory. There may have been some other contacts from folks whose names I have forgotten but the experience was the same with all….helpful and pleasant.

So that’s the summary of my experience with Storm Smart…..keep up the good work!

Pat G. ~ Cape Coral, FL