Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between hurricane screens and roll-down shutters?

A hurricane screen is a fabric system on a track — you can see through it and air moves through it when it is closed, and it disappears into a housing when it is up. A roll-down shutter is aluminum slats that seal the opening completely: dark, quiet and fully closed. Screens suit lanais and big spans where you want to keep the view. Roll-downs suit windows and doors where you want the opening genuinely shut. Most houses down here end up with both.

Do you install hurricane screens on a lanai?

Yes — lanais are the majority of what we do. Motorized hurricane screens run in a full-height track on both sides and close the whole lanai in under a minute, then retract out of sight when the weather passes. You keep the view and the airflow, and you do not store anything in the garage. We look at every opening on site because no two lanai spans are the same.

Do you install hurricane shutters, or only screens?

Both. We manufacture accordion shutters and roll-down shutters in our own Cape Coral shop, and we install hurricane screens, Bahama shutters, storm panels and impact windows and doors. Screens tend to go on lanais and wide openings; shutters go on windows, doors and anything you want fully closed off.

Do you sell storm shutters?

Yes. “Storm shutters” covers a few different products for us — accordion shutters that fold and lock across the opening, roll-down shutters that come straight down from a housing above it, and clear Lexan or steel storm panels that bolt on before a storm. Which one fits depends on the opening, the span and the design pressure at your address. We work that out at the consultation.

Do you do Bahama shutters?

Yes. Bahama shutters hinge at the top and angle out over the window, so they shade it year-round and close down for storm protection. They change the look of a whole elevation, which is why they show up on houses where the front of the building matters. Supplied and installed throughout Southwest Florida.

Motorized or manual — which should I get?

Manual is fine on anything you can reach easily and do not mind closing by hand. Motorized makes sense on second-storey openings, wide sliders, and anywhere you would realistically skip closing it because it is a hassle. Motorized systems have a manual override, which matters, because the one thing you can count on in a hurricane is losing power.

Do you manufacture your own shutters or resell another brand?

We manufacture our own accordion and roll-down shutters right here in Cape Coral. That means no waiting on a distributor, and if you need a part three years from now it comes from us. For hurricane screens we are a MagnaTrack dealer — ranked #6 in the country — and we supply and install Bahama shutters and impact windows and doors.

Are your shutters and screens rated for Florida wind loads?

Yes. Everything we install is built for Florida wind loads and permitted to the design pressure required at your address — that number changes depending on where you are and what the opening looks like. Our MagnaTrack screens are built to pass large-missile impact testing; we have footage of a 2×4 fired at one.

How long does an installation take?

Most residential jobs are one to two days on site once the product is built. The longer part is the front end — the site survey, the permit and fabrication. In a quiet hurricane season lead times are genuinely short, which is the best reason to do it now rather than when a storm is three days out and every shutter company in the county is booked.

What areas do you serve?

Cape Coral, Fort Myers, North Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach, Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero, Sanibel, Marco Island, Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte, Lehigh Acres, Pine Island and Matlacha — all of Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties.

Do you offer financing?

Yes. Details are on our financing page, and we will go through the options at the free consultation.

Do you repair shutters you did not install?

Yes — every brand, including ones where the original company is no longer around. Most repairs come down to a track, a wheel, a slat or a motor. Salt air is what kills hurricane hardware, so a shutter that has not moved in a few seasons often just needs service rather than replacement. Best to find that out in June, not the day before a storm. More on our service and maintenance page.

Can I send a video instead of booking a visit?

Yes, and it is usually faster. A short video of the system running is often enough for us to identify the problem the same day, and it means when we do come out we arrive with the right part. Instructions are on our send us a video page.