1. We have the hurricane panels and need to purchase only the tracks.
2. We the need the hurricane panels only and have existing tracks or mounting hardware on the walls.
3. How do I determine how many hurricane panels I need  per windows and doors?
4. How to determine the length of the panels?
5. Vertical vs. Horizontal mounting of hurricane panels?
6. What is the advantage and disadvantage of using tracks vs. directly mounting the panels to the wall?
7. Do you sell and install the Accordion shutter?  Can you recommend a company?
8. What if we have a window sill or door step which protrude out?
9. What is the best and fastest way to place an order?
10.  How do I cover an arched or circle window?
11. Triangle or circle windows.
12. Do you sell to the Virgin Islands and will you delivery to the shipper?
13. Do you sell track only?
14. Is the product required to have either a Florida Product Approval or a Miami-Dade NOA to sell into Miami-Dade or Broward counties?

1.  We have the hurricane panels and need to purchase only the tracks.

We don’t need to know anything about your window or doors dimensions since you already have the hurricane panel.  Please determine before you call that your hurricane panels will fit our tracks.
Upper tracks U style headers (H,U and Build-Out headers).   Your panel profile must be 2” in height.  Place the hurricane panel flat on the ground and measure the height.  Most hurricane panels today are 2” in height.  Hurricane panels have been manufactured as 1.5”, 1.75” and 2.25”.

2” x 2” studded angle track.  The holes on your hurricane panels must be 6” apart.  If distance of the holes are 6.25”, 12.5” or 13” they will not fit.

F-tracks.  (F, Build-Out, and 2” x 2” F tracks) The f-tracks have a sliding stainless screws which can be adjusted to fit any size hurricane panels.  To order the f-tracks we need to know the distance of the holes and the quantities of hurricane panels per window..

2.  We the need the hurricane panels only and have existing tracks or mounting hardware on the walls.

Upper tracks.  If you have a U style upper track, make sure it has a 2” profile. 

Lower tracks.  If you have a 2” x 2” studded angle make sure the screws are 6” apart.  It the distance is 6.25”, 12.5” or 13” our panels will not fit.

Anchors in wall.  If you have existing hardware in the wall, the distance between anchors must be 6” and/or 12” apart. 
 

·         Things to consider:

• Aways measure the opening of the door or window you want to cover.  This will be slightly greater than the inside measurement of the window or door.

• Always measure from the outside of the opening.

• An opening of less than 36” can use 3 panels.

• If you have a window which is 36”, you may consider using 4 panels to completely cover the opening. 

·         Questions:

• If the window is 36” should I use 4 hurricane panels? 
  You may consider to use 4 panels for extra coverage on each side.

• If the window is 37” should I user 4 hurricane panels?
  Same as above.  However, some customer will select to use only 3 hurricane panels.

• If the window is 38” should I use 4 hurricane panels?
  Yes, we recommend you use 4 panels to completely cover the opening.  You could overlap one of the panels and used it as 3.5 panels.
  Exceptions:
  1.  The opening is obstructed and you only have 42” of space, your only choice may be to use 3 hurricane panels. 
  2.  The window eight is 38.5” and you are planning to install the panels horizontally due to having a windows sill and the window goes to the ceiling, you may only have room to use only 3 hurricane panels (Trapped opening).
  3.  The window or door starts or ends on a wall.  You can start at the open end and work your way to the corner leaving a 1/2" gap. 

• Most sliding glass doors (SGD) and/or French doors are to the even foot in width. (72” x 80”, 96” x 80”, 108” x 80”, 96” 96” etc.  You will need to decide if you want to add an extra panel.  For example, 8 panels (coverage 12" each)  will completely cover a 96" opening we recommend if you have the room to add an extra panel for an additional 5.5" - 6" coverage at each end.
  Determine the exact opening size.
  Do you have any obstruction such as light fixtures, electrical outlet, pipes etc.?
  Do the SGD start in a corner? For example you do not have any wall space on one side.   If so, you may not need to go with the extra hurricane panel.  This would also apply to any other door or window.

• A U-header is designed to be mounted into a ceiling.  The h-headers and Build-out U headers are designed to be mounted on to a wall surface.

Half hurricane panels. 
The standard full panel has a coverage of 12" with 3 holes at the bottom and/or the top.  The half panels have a coverage of 6" and only have 2 holes at the bottom and/or top.  The half hurricane panels are only available in the aluminum .050 panel.  Since the full panel has a symmetrical shape, a fulll hurricane panels can be overlapped to form a half hurricane panels.  The price of the half hurricane panel (6”) is the same as the full hurricane panel (12”).  To determine the coverage of using a half/overlapped hurricane panels is the same as above.

3.5 hurricane panels x 12” = 42” of coverage.  In addition of 1.5” you will get coverage of 43.5”.  The track for 3.5 panels will be 45” (3.5 panels * 12” = 42” + additional 3” = 45”).  You can apply this formula to any quantity of tracks.  As a side note, if you have hurricane panels which have holes every 6.25” and would like to purchase our F-tracks or h-headers a 3 hurricane panel track would be cut at 40.5”. (3 panels x 12.5” = 37.5” + 3” = 40.5”).

4.  How to determine the length of the panels?

Definition:  Direct mount:  Directly mounting panels to the wall without using tracks, Anchors are placed into the wall every 6” and/or 12” apart.

When directly mounting panel to wall it is recommend to add 6” – 10” to opening height.  The holes on the panels are 1” from each end.  For example if you add 8” to the opening height, the anchors will be place 3” above and below the opening.  When installing the anchors for a direct mount, the distance between the anchors on the top and bottom/side to side will be 2” less than the length of the hurricane panel.  For example a 58” hurricane panel the anchors will be 56” apart (58” – 2”).

·         Questions

• If you have trim or border around the window and you know where you want the anchors to be place, measure the distance between the anchors and then add 2”.

• For example, in you have a 6” stucco border and you window is 51”.  To stay within the border the panels can’t be longer than 6” + 51 + 6” = 63”.  You may decide you want the anchor to be in the center of the trim (3” up and 3” down).  The distance between the anchors would be 3” + 51” + 3”= 57”, so you would need a 59” panel.  We carry 58” and 62” hurricane panels in stock in our Miami warehouse.  You could either use the 58” or custom order the 59”.

• Similar example with wood trim of 3.5”.  The maximum panel length would be 51” + 7” = 58”.  Center of trim would be 1.75” up and down.  The distance between anchors would be 51” + 3.5” = 54.5”.   The panel length you should order would be 56.5”.

• In some cases on wood structure building you make need to stay closer to the opening edges to ensure your anchors go into solid wood.  These openings may only have a 2” x 4” header above and below the window.  You may decide you only want to add 5” to the height of your opening to determine the panel length.
   

Definition:  Track mount:  Hurricane panel tracks are mounted above and below or side to side of opening.  With a U-header style track at the top, the hurricane panels go into the track without any fasteners required.  The depth of the U- channel is approximately 2”.

When using hurricane tracks it is recommend to add 6” – 8” to opening height.
 

Hurricane panels can be mounted horizontally across the opening with anchors or tracks on each side or vertically with anchors or tracks on the top and bottom.  The cost of the hurricane panels are similar regardless on the mounting style.  Most applications which use horizontal mounting are the results of a window sill or door step which protrudes out or limitation of installing a track above the window.

8.  What if we have a window sill or door step which protrude out?

When you have a window sill, it is recommend to install the panels horizontally over the window sill.  Another option would require a U-header /F-track build-out (1”, 2” or 3”) above and below the window.  However, when using build-out tracks, the sides are exposed according to the size of the build-out.  An angle could be installed on the side to close off the ends.  If you decide you want to use the build-out tracks you must include the height of the sill when calculating the length of the panel. 

If the sill does not a deep slop, you could consider using a reverse 2" x 2" studded angle on top of the sill or step.  With the reverse angle the studs are pressed backwards in the track with the 2" leg of the track going back towards the door or window to allow anchoring.  Using the reverse track may also require notching out the corners of the track at each end.

10.  How do I cover an arched or circle window?

11.  Triangle or circle windows.

If you have a triangle window or circle window which can’t be squared off due to the angle of the roof, you could consider installing a U or h header about the open at similar angle to the roof.  The panel length is determined by the highest peak.  The panels will have to be on the job site to the appropriate angle to fit into the tracks.

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