About Florida Hurriguard

Florida Hurriguard Storm Panels

Economical Polycarbonate Storm Panels for the DIY'er

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About Florida Hurriguard Storm Panels

Florida Hurriguard is located in Central Florida and is a spin-off of the 2006 Internet-based South Carolina Company Lowcountry Storm Panels. Our company was formed in the summer of 2018 to serve the needs of Florida residents who could not justify the high costs of having their material shipped from South Carolina by trucking companies. We are a stocking distributor of 16mm RDC Multi-Wall Clear polycarbonate material manufactured here in the USA by several polycarbonate extrusion firms and stock multiple sized sheets in our Summerfield Florida warehouse. Summerfield is about half-way between Ocala and Leesburg.

Lowcountry Storm Panels was located in Okatie, SC between Beaufort, SC and Savannah, GA where our products were warehoused. Our company was formed in late 2005 following an extensive search for a better alternative to plywood. After installing polycarbonate storm panels (i.e. polycarbonate hurricane panels) on my own home, I was so impressed with the product that I decided to strike up a business relationship with the manufacturer (Gallina, USA) and become a distributor for the Southeastern US. At 70 and in anticipation of retirement (which has been deferred because of hurricanes Harvey and Irma), I moved our offices to Central Florida in early 2017 and established Florida Hurriguard to serve the needs of homeowners in Central Florida and the nearby coastal communities.

Our business model is constructed on a high-volume (via the Internet), low-margin approach and, while you might also find these products at local retailers, we believe that you will find that our prices will consistently remain competitive.

Our principal marketing efforts are aimed at homeowners with a Do-it-Yourself capability. Whereas the installation of many of the alternative panels in the marketplace requires many specialized (and expensive) mounting devices, polycarbonate panels can easily be attached using common household tools. Once the attachment devices are installed into the structure, the process of actually mounting the panels can easily be done by one person in a matter of minutes. To validate this, I had my wife mount our largest panel (a 6' x7' piece) by herself and she had absolutely no problem doing so. For very large panels the technique is to install 2 short threaded rods about 3" long and slide the panel over those rods to hold the panel up while the rest of the screws are put in. Then, the threaded rods are removed and replaced by screws and VIOLA! it's done.

The essential purpose of any hurricane or storm panel is to prevent the windows from blowing into the home. If the windows fail, the roof is very likely to be blown off by lifting forces from within. Once the roof goes, the sidewalls are typically next. Maintaining the integrity of the building "envelope" (by making a reasonable attempt at keeping the storm on the outside of the home) can mean the difference between having a house and not having a house after a severe storm. Don't wait until a category 5 hurricane is bearing down on you to consider protecting your home.

For additional information on extruded structural polycarbonate sheets, visit www.gallinausa.com.

Update - 10/28/2022 My wife and I have operated our small, but profitable, Internet-based polycarbonate distribution business now for over 16 years. At 76, I may soon begin thinking about selling the business. If you are located in Central Florida and think you might be interested in taking over our operation, please give me a call. Thank you. Bill Hobson

Florida Hurriguard Storm Panels
(Office Location)
8661 SE 173rd Wisteria Street
The Villages FL 32162
(843)227-8887