An Ultimate Guide To Fabric Shield Storm Panels 

Fabric shield panels are the go-to solution for storm protection

If there’s one lesson that Hurricane Ian’s aftermath has taught us, it is that we can’t overlook the importance of storm protection solutions like fabric and metal panels. 

You see, the homes with a robust storm protection system suffered far lesser damage during the hurricane than those without one. 

And even though the deadliest hurricane in the country’s history is over, the hurricane season is still there. That means you never know when the next tropical storm or hurricane might make landfall. 

In fact, if the period of the Atlantic Hurricane Season (which lasts between June and November) is any suggestion, it is that it’s time to be vigilant. 

Among all the worries that you might have during the hurricane season, the biggest would be protecting your home. More so, your safety also hinges on how your home’s storm protection systems are able to stand the weather extremities. And to that end, fabric hurricane shutters are your best bet. 

What exactly are fabric storm panels? 

At the most basic, a fabric hurricane shutter or storm panel is meant to safeguard your home in extreme weather events like Hurricane Ian. 

And to do so, these fabric panels envelop either the entire length and breadth of your home or the most vulnerable parts like doors and windows. As such, they prevent the storm winds from exerting pressure and causing any damage to the structure. 

Wondering what’s more to hurricane fabric? 

Let’s have a look in detail. 

Do fabric shutters provide full-proof hurricane protection? 

Before investing in a whole-house hurricane or storm fabric panels, you’re sure to wonder whether or not they’re worth it. And rightly so, since these are fabric materials, and there are alternatives in the form of rigid materials like stainless steel panels. 

To that end, you can rest assured because even as fabric shield storm panels aren’t rigid as steel, they’re pretty robust. 

How? 

Well, it’s the cloth used in the making of hurricane fabric that makes all the difference. That’s because instead of regular fabric, hurricane shutters are made with hybrid materials specially reinforced for storm safety. 

There’s more to it. 

A typical hurricane fabric panel undergoes rigorous tests to ensure it withstands the worst of weather events. It includes tests for protection against and resistance to stormy winds, rainfall, and projectiles driven by the storm. 

As a result, fabric shield storm panels are able to provide full-proof protection to your home in conditions like a category 5 hurricane. 

That’s impressive, isn’t it? 

Hurricane fabric fares better over steel storm panels

Yes, that’s true. 

You see, while steel panels make a solid storm protection system, hurricane fabric easily outperforms them. Here’s how: 

To begin with, you need not install fabric storm panels permanently around your home, which isn’t possible with steel panels. All you’ll need to do is put up the hurricane fabric before the storm sets in. 

Also, unlike steel hurricane panels, you don’t need to attach rails or shutters around your outer walls. The result: your home’s outdoor aesthetics will not be ruined. 

Next, power outages are common during and after a storm. And deploying metal hurricane panels means that your home will have a complete blackout during this time. 

However, fabric storm panels are made in such a way that they allow a lot of natural light in, thus keeping your home well-lit. 

Finally, nothing beats the convenience that fabric hurricane shutters offer in terms of storage. That’s because you can simply roll up the fabric after the storm is over and store it just about anywhere. 

You won’t get such ease and flexibility on a metal hurricane panel. Will you? 

DIY-friendly installation with fabric shield storm panels 

Fabric storm panels or hurricane shutters are very lightweight, just like sip panel home kits, something that makes them DIY green building materials. 

How lightweight are these fabric hurricane shutters precisely, you may ask? 

Well, when compared with the regular metal hurricane shutters on the market, fabric shutters can be up to eight times more light. 

So you don’t need to hire heavy machines or a large workforce to install hurricane fabric around your home. You can rather have a robust hurricane protection system around your property in no time by simply following the installation manual. 

Even better, the manufacturers provide necessary equipment like buckles, brackets, and bolts to keep the fabric in place, meaning you need not buy them separately. 

Awesome, right? 

How much does hurricane fabric cost? 

As you can see, nothing comes close to fabric storm panels in terms of installation and performance. 

Nevertheless, you might still have that one important question: how much should you expect to invest upfront on fabric hurricane shutters?

You see, the exact amount you’ll need to invest in residential storm fabric will depend on factors like the total area you’ve to cover, the quality of anchors, and installation labor. 

However, when we talk about the cost of hurricane fabric, you’ll be surprised to know that these are much more affordable than conventional aluminum shutters. That’s because even the most expensive fabric shutters will cost you just a fraction of aluminum storm panels. 

Take, for instance, the regular hurricane shutters, which cost more than $54 per square foot. On the other hand, you can easily get high-performance hurricane shutters for well under $17 per square foot. 

There you have it; storm protection made cost-effective. 

Wrapping it up 

A reliable hurricane protection system is a must-have for your Florida home, as you never know when the next storm or hurricane is coming and how impactful that’ll be. 

And as Hurricane Ian has shown, a simple storm panel goes a long way in protecting your home and keeping you safe even in the worst of weather conditions. 

Nonetheless, even as conventional metal hurricane panels provide storm protection, they have their own shortcomings, the biggest being their heavy weight. 

In fact, the bulky design of metal panels means you can’t install or remove them by yourself. So you can either have them installed permanently around your home or hire labor for assembly/disassembly. 

And that’s where fabric storm panels outdo metal shutters, providing you with a sturdy, lightweight, and low-cost alternative. Also, as individual window and door fabric shutters are available, you don’t need to invest in a whole house system at once. 

Looking for one such hurricane protection solution? 

You can reach out to us!

At Eco-$mart Inc, we have top-of-the-line sustainable building materials and home protection systems at the most economical rates. So whatever your requirement is, you can rely on us.