![]() (assuming your screen is NOT engineered for screens to be cut out) As screen ages, spending all its life under UV Rays, rain, and wind, the fiberglass fabric can quickly break down and lose its rating. You will need to make a public records request at your local building department for the engineered plans that were submitted with the permit for screen enclosure. Find out what it was engineered for isn’t too easy. If this is the case, your screen should be cut out to prevent more costly structural damage. Some enclosures in Florida, many builders grade, were engineered for the screen mesh to be removed when winds reach hurricane speed. There’s a common tale that screens should be cut out when a storm is coming. Find Out If Screens Should Be Cut Out (and what the enclosures).This structure wouldn’t last long in a tropical storm. Let’s test and see if your pool cage it is still rated for 150 mph winds! Check This Out! On this enclosure the fasteners have corroded to the point of breaking and the enclosure has bent a slight bit and separated the sidewall from the concrete. Here are the things that frequently deteriorate on your screen enclosure that must be addressed to ensure the safety of your home, and be proactive about hurricane preparedness. Once those fasteners start rusting, which can be as soon as a couple months, is the enclosure still rated for its original windspeed? Probably not. Think about this, your enclosure is engineered for a certain wind speed when it is in a ‘maintained’ condition – that assumes no rust or corrosion to the fasteners. However, with exposure to the naturally occurring elements such as the sun, wind, rain, and time, most likely, your patio is not ready for hurricane season. Most parts of Florida, in recent years are consistent with a 150 mph rating. Yes, when it was new, it had to be rated according to the wind code in effect at the time. Homeowners feel a false sense of confidence assuming their screen enclosures are still up to par, when in essence, they are far from that. When a hurricane does hit, what is the first thing in your home that usually goes? Your screen enclosure! Although it may have once been rated to resist winds as high as 150 mile per hour, odds are likely that it is probably not anymore. There are not many laws when it comes to nature. Although there is a “season” these awesome storms can occur at any time. The best course of action is to be prepared. These powerful storms can be an extremely destructive force of nature. Hurricane season is here! When sustained winds reach 74 miles per hour, it is by definition classified as a hurricane. ![]()
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