Florida's Largest Home Show

This weekend is the "Florida's Largest Spring Home Show" at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa, Florida. It runs from Friday March 7 thru Sunday March 9, 2008.

I'm heading there to check out hurricane protection products. Seeing the actual product is much better than just looking at it in a brochure or online. When choosing a shutter or other type of covering for your windows, there are several things to consider. Some products are permanently installed, like impact-resistant glass, Bahama shutters or roll-down shutters. These types of protection can be quite costly, but with little or no effort to use.

Other types of shutter or panel systems have to be installed each time a hurricane approaches.This can become difficult if you decide to wait until a storm is bearing down on you. Carrying anything resembling a sail in strong wind can be dangerous to the point of you becoming airborne. It can also be frustrating when the hurricane decides to change directions. That means you will have to go back outside and take them down. This situation could occur several times during a typical hurricane season. If you just leave the shutters up all season, sitting in the dark can be quite depressing. You might get some extra sleep, but leaving them over the windows could be fatal. If somehow a fire started indoors, you would be lucky to get out in time, possibly having to go through the flames to escape.

Next week, I will present an update as to what products were displayed: the good, the bad, and the costly. I'll be taking pictures, gathering fliers, and website information to pass on to you.