0112 - Hurricane-Safe Pool Structures, Pool Mechanicals, and Safety November 28-December 4, 2005 | May 29-June 4 Buy Show Video
HI, I'M BOB VILA.
WELCOME TO THE SHOW.
ONCE AGAIN IN
PUNTA GORDA, FLORIDA
WHERE WE'RE ALMOST FINISHED
BUILDING OUR STORM-READY HOUSE,
AND TODAY WE'RE SPENDING
A LOT OF OUR TIME
WITH OUR SWIMMING POOL,
SHOWING YOU ALL THE DETAILS
OF HOW THE POOL IS BUILT,
NOT TO MENTION HOW YOU HEAT IT,
HOW YOU TREAT IT,
AND HOW YOU MAKE IT SAFE.
ALSO, THE BOYS IN THE BACKGROUND
ARE GETTING READY TO INSTALL
WHAT THEY CALL OUR POOL CAGE.
STICK AROUND.
THERE'S LOTS TO SHOW YOU.
OK. OUR SWIMMING POOL
IS NEARLY FINISHED,
AND BOY, WOULD I LOVE
TO JUMP INTO IT.
BUT PERRY HICKOK
IS WITH US--
NICE TO MEET YOU.
AND YOUR COMPANY
BUILDS THESE--THESE
POOL CAGES THEY
CALL THEM, RIGHT?
THAT'S RIGHT.
IS THERE A MORE
FORMAL NAME FOR THEM?
WELL, YOU CALL THEM
SCREEN ENCLOSURES,
BUT MOST COMMONLY
THEY'RE CALLED POOL CAGES.
AND ONE OF THE KEY
THINGS ANY PLACE
THAT YOU GOT
A SWIMMING POOL
IS SAFETY AND KEEPING
YOUNGSTERS AWAY
FROM THE POOL
WHERE THERE MIGHT BE
A TRAGIC ACCIDENT.
NOW, THE CODE REQUIRES
EITHER ONE OF THESE
POOL CAGES,
OR WHAT ARE SOME OF
THE OTHER ALTERNATIVES?
YOU CAN HAVE
A FENCE AROUND A POOL
TO PROTECT IT,
BUT THE POOL CAGE
ALSO SERVES AS A FENCE
TO KEEP ANYONE
FROM ACCIDENTALLY
WALKING INTO THE POOL
AND DROWNING.
EXACTLY, AND HERE ARE
TWO WANDERING MEN
WITH A WHOLE SECTION
OF IT.
THIS IS THE FIRST
SECTION OF OUR ROOF
THAT WE'LL BE PUTTING UP.
WE'VE ALREADY DONE SOME
PRELIMINARY WORK HERE.
NOW, IT'S NOT HEAVY.
IT'S MADE OF ALUMINUM,
AND HOW STURDY
ARE THESE THINGS
WHEN YOU HAVE
A HURRICANE BLOWING?
PRETTY STURDY.
THEY'RE MADE TO 130
MILE AN HOUR WIND LOADS.
IS THAT RIGHT?
THEY'RE ALL ENGINEERED
SO THAT NO MATTER
WHAT SIZE THEY ARE,
THERE'S
COMPENSATIONS MADE
SO THAT THEY WITHSTAND
130 MILE AN HOUR WIND LOAD.
IS IT AN EXTRA-HEAVY
EXTRUSION OF ALUMINUM?
THEY'RE ALL CUSTOM-MADE
FOR THIS INDUSTRY.
OK. NOW, HOW DO YOU--
HOW DO YOU DESIGN IT?
DO YOU HAVE A PLAN
OR A LAYOUT OF THIS?
WE--WE MAKE A PLAN.
WE DRAW A BLUEPRINT
OF THE ACTUAL AREA,
WHICH I DON'T HAVE
IN MY POCKET RIGHT NOW.
THE GUYS HAVE IT.
AND--AND THE SIDES,
THE SPACING
OF THE BEAMS FOR US
ACCORDING TO THE--
AND THAT'S ALL PRE-CUT
AT THE FACTORY, RIGHT?
THAT IS CORRECT.
NOW THIS
IS COOL TO WATCH.
THEY'RE JUST BRINGING
IN THESE PIECES...
THEY BRING IN
THE WALL SECTION
AND THE ROOF SECTION
AND ATTACH THEM TOGETHER,
AND THEY'LL COME DOWN HERE
AND THEY'LL
TAKE THAT FIRST SECTION
AND ATTACH IT TO
THE STRUCTURAL GUTTER.
OK, SO THE STRUCTURAL
GUTTER HAS ALREADY
BEEN PUT IN PLACE
UP THERE, AND WE
CAN SEE IT.
THE STRUCTURAL GUTTER'S
BEEN PUT UP,
AND WE'VE ALSO PUT IN
OUR BEAM CLIPS,
WHERE WE'LL BE ATTACHING
THE BEAMS.
WELL, LET'S GET
OUT OF THE WAY
AND WATCH HOW THEY
GET THIS OTHER SECTION
UP WHERE IT BELONGS.
BOY, THAT'S AMAZING
THAT JUST TWO GUYS
CAN ERECT
ONE OF THESE THINGS
WITHOUT ANY
KIND OF ASSISTANCE
FROM A LITTLE CRANE
OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
TWO GUYS THAT GET
USED TO WORKING TOGETHER
GET THEIR OWN SYSTEM GOING
AND BECOME
VERY EFFICIENT AT IT.
YEAH...
AND SO THEY'VE ALREADY
POSITIONED THESE--
WHAT DO YOU CALL
THESE BRACKETS
OR BRACES
THAT ARE UP THERE?
YEAH, THEY'RE
RECEIVING CHANNELS
WITH EXTRA-HEAVY
REINFORCING ANGLES
ON THE OUTSIDE.
OK. NOW, WHEN YOU DO
HAVE A STORM,
IS THE SCREENING MEANT
TO JUST BLOW AWAY?
NO, THE SCREENING
STAYS IN.
ONCE THE SCREENING
IS PUT INTO THESE
EXTRUSIONS,
IT HOLDS VERY STRONG.
IT DOES. SO GENERALLY
WHEN YOU HAVE FAILURE,
IT'S BECAUSE SOMETHING
BLOWS INTO IT.
WELL, OFTENTIMES,
YOU DO,
BUT IF THE WIND
GETS TO BE SO STRONG
THAT THE STRUCTURE CAN'T
WITHHOLD IT ANYMORE,
GENERALLY THEY IMPLODE
INTO THE POOL AREA.
GOT YOU.
[DRILLING]
ALL RIGHT. SO YOU
BRING IN A WALL SECTION
AND YOU RAISE A ROOF
SECTION UP TO MEET IT.
THERE'S NOT
MUCH WEIGHT INVOLVED
TO ALL OF THIS,
IS THERE?
NOT WITH ALUMINUM
CONSTRUCTION.
THE STRUCTURE
GETS ITS STRENGTH
PARTIALLY FROM THE SHAPES
OF THE METALS THEMSELVES.
FROM THE SHAPES
THAT ARE--
THE DESIGN
OF THE BEAMS.
YEAH, I CAN
UNDERSTAND THAT,
BUT WHAT ABOUT ALL
THE FASTENERS AND STUFF?
YOU'VE GOT SOME OF
THESE HERE TO SHOW ME.
WELL, WE'VE GOT
DIFFERENT FASTENERS.
THESE--THESE TAP CONS
HERE ARE USED
TO FASTEN THE CAGE
DOWN TO THE CONCRETE.
[DRILLING]
AND AT THE CRITICAL POINTS
WHERE THE LOAD-BEARING
COLUMNS ATTACH TO
THE CONCRETE,
THERE'S LARGER ONES.
[DRILLING]
AND THEN WHAT ARE
THESE STRAPS HERE FOR?
THESE ARE GUSSET PLATES.
THEY GO ON THE TOP
OF THE COLUMN
AND ATTACH THE BEAM
TO THE COLUMN ITSELF.
[DRILLING]
OK, AND THEN HOW DO YOU
USE THE STEEL CABLES?
THESE CABLES, ONCE
THE CAGE IS ALMOST DONE,
THIS WILL
BE PUT IN THE CORNER
OF WHERE A BEAM AND
THE ROOF COMES TOGETHER,
AND THIS 3/16-INCH CABLE
IS STRETCHED DOWN
AND TIGHTENED TO GIVE IT
A RIGID STRUCTURE.
SURE. I UNDERSTAND.
BOY, LOOK AT 'EM
BEHIND YOU.
THEY'RE AMAZING.
[DRILLING]
ALL RIGHT. SO THIS IS
THE MOST COMPLICATED
OF THE PANELS.
THIS IS KIND OF
A HIP FORM.
IS THAT WHY YOU HAVEN'T
PUT THE SCREEN ON?
YES. WE WANTED
TO MAKE SURE
IT WAS GONNA BE
A GOOD FIT...
BEFORE WE SCREENED IT.
YOU'RE JUST LEAVING ME
HOLDING THIS HERE, HUH?
[LAUGHS]
I'LL TAKE THAT
FROM YOU.
ALL RIGHT. PERRY,
THANKS A LOT.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE
A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS
LATER ON IN THE SHOW.
OK. VERY GOOD.
WE'LL GET HER
FINISHED UP.
BOB REEVES IS WITH US
FROM BLUE HAVEN POOLS,
AND THE NAPLES
DIVISION, I GUESS,
AND YOU GUYS HAVE DONE
A WONDERFUL JOB
OF GETTING ALL OF THIS
INSTALLED IN A HURRY FOR US.
THANK YOU.
BUT THE KEY THINGS THAT
WE WANT TO LEARN ABOUT:
WHAT'S STATE OF THE ART
POOL EQUIPMENT
FROM THE POINT OF VIEW
OF FILTERING
AND KEEPING IT CLEAN?
WHAT HAVE YOU GOT HERE?
WELL, THIS IS
450-SQUARE-FOOT
MICROBAN FILTER.
IT NOT ONLY HAS
MORE ELEMENTS IN IT
TO FILTER OUT AND KEEP
THE WATER MORE CLEAR,
BUT IT HAS MICROBAN
THAT GIVES US PROTECTION
FROM ANTI-FUNGAL
AND ANTI-MOLD SPORES
GETTING INTO
THE POOL SYSTEM.
SO THIS IS ESSENTIALLY
ONE OF THESE PAPER FILTERS?
YES, IT IS
A CARTRIDGE FILTER.
THERE'S 4 CARTRIDGES
IN HERE.
ALL RIGHT, AND MOST
OTHER FILTERS
ONLY HAVE ONE.
THE CLEANING CYCLE
IS MUCH MORE ELONGATED.
YOU CLEAN IT OUT
ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR
RATHER THAN DO IT
ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
DO THESE FILTERS
HAVE A LONG LIFE?
YES, THEY DO,
AS LONG AS YOU
TAKE CARE OF THEM--
JUST LIKE ANYTHING ELSE.
IF YOU
TAKE CARE OF THEM,
IF YOU TREAT
THEM PROPERLY,
THEY CAN LAST YOU
UP TO 5 YEARS.
EXCELLENT.
AND THEN WHAT ELSE
ARE WE LOOKING AT?
WELL, IF WE GO DOWN HERE TO--
FROM THE FILTRATION SYSTEM,
YOU HAVE THE SANITATION
PART OF THE SWIMMING POOL.
UH-HUH.
ALL RIGHT.
INSIDE THIS FILTER
IS A NATURE2
SANITATION DEVICE.
IT'S A COPPER-SILVER
DEVICE
THAT REQUIRES VERY LITTLE
CHLORINE TO ACTIVATE IT.
IT'S 80%
FREE OF CHLORINE.
THAT'S GOOD NEWS.
THAT'S VERY GOOD NEWS.
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE
AVERSIONS TO CHLORINE.
SURE. YEAH.
THERE IS AN IN-LINE
CHLORINATOR HERE
FOR THE TRACE AMOUNTS
OF CHLORINE IT NEEDS
TO ACTIVATE
THE COPPER AND SILVER
IN THE NATURE2
SANITATION DEVICE.
SO, WHAT'S THE BUZZ WORD
IN TERMS OF
THIS TYPE OF SYSTEM?
ALMOST CHLORINE FREE.
VIRTUALLY CHLORINE FREE.
UH-HUH.
WHAT ARE THE ENEMIES
OF THE WATER,
IF YOU WILL?
BACTERIA AND GERMS.
BACTERIA AND GERMS.
AND THIS KILLS THE
BACTERIA AND THE GERMS.
ONCE THEY'LL KILLED,
THEY BECOME A SOLID.
OK, WHEN THE SOLID'S THERE,
YOU GET CLOUDY WATER.
THIS TAKES CARE OF THAT
BY OXIDIZING THOSE SOLIDS
BY USING O3,
WHICH IS OZONE.
IT'S ALMOST TOTALLY
CHEMICALLY-FREE.
IT REDUCES NOT ONLY
THE CHEMICALS GOING
INTO THE POOL,
BUT IT FURTHER REDUCES
THE CHLORINE LEVEL
IN THE POOL.
FABULOUS. AND THEN,
HERE IT IS
KIND OF THE END OF
SUMMER IN FLORIDA,
EVERY DAY'S
IN THE NINETIES,
BUT SOONER OR LATER WHEN
THE SNOWBIRDS COME DOWN,
IT ACTUALLY COOLS DOWN
A LITTLE BIT IN FLORIDA.
HOW DO WE CONTROL
THE TEMPERATURES
IN THE POOL?
HOW DO WE
MAKE IT COMFORTABLE
IN DECEMBER AND JANUARY?
WELL, HERE WE HAVE
THE HEAT PUMP.
IT'S A JANDY HEAT PUMP,
ALL RIGHT?
IT'S A 100,000
BTU HEAT PUMP
WITH TITANIUM HEAT
EXCHANGERS IN IT.
UH-HUH.
IT'S MADE
TO LAST A LONG TIME
BECAUSE PEOPLE
HERE IN FLORIDA
DO USE THEIR POOLS, OK,
AN EXTENDED
PERIOD OF TIME
OVER THE REST
OF THE COUNTRY.
AND WHAT ABOUT
ECONOMY OF OPERATION?
THEY'RE ALL ABOUT
BASICALLY THE SAME.
IT DOES COST MONEY,
OBVIOUSLY--ELECTRIC.
WE'RE FORTUNATE
HERE IN FLORIDA
THAT SOME OF OUR
ELECTRICAL ENERGY COSTS
ARE NOT AS HIGH AS OTHER
PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.
THAT'S FOR SURE.
BUT IT'S ONE OF THE MOST
EFFICIENT UNITS
AVAILABLE ON THE MARKET
FOR RESIDENTIAL POOLS.
GREAT. AND NOW, THE POOL
IS A BEAUTIFUL SHAPE,
AND IT'S
A BEAUTIFUL DEPTH,
AND IT'S JUST ONE OF
THE PRETTIEST POOLS
I'VE EVER SEEN,
BUT WHAT ABOUT AT NIGHT?
DO WE HAVE ANY SPECIAL
KIND OF LIGHTING?
YES, WE DO,
AND THIS POOL HERE,
IT'S A HAYWARD COLORLOGIC
LED LIGHTING SYSTEM.
IT CHANGES
5 DIFFERENT COLORS,
AND YOU CAN
STOP IT ON A COLOR
OR CHANGE
THEM AUTOMATICALLY,
AND IT HAS LIGHT SHOWS--
IT HAS 7 DIFFERENT
LIGHT SHOWS--
VOODOO MAGIC,
FOURTH OF JULY--
PEOPLE CAN SWITCH ON
THESE LIGHT SHOWS
AND THERE'S ABOUT
1,500 DIFFERENT LIGHTS
GOING OFF
AT THE SAME TIME.
UNBELIEVABLE.
BOB, GREAT JOB.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
YOU'RE QUITE WELCOME.
IT'S A REAL NICE POOL.
THANK YOU.
[DRILLING]
THAT IS ONE NIFTY TOOL.
WE'RE DRILLING HOLES
IN OUR POOL DECK FOR
ONE VERY IMPORTANT REASON,
AND BILL JASPER IS HERE
FROM THE BABY BARRIER
POOL FENCE COMPANY
TO EXPLAIN WHAT THIS
IS ALL ABOUT,
BUT LET'S COME OVER HERE.
WE HAVE SUCH
A BEAUTIFUL POOL.
AND WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL
POOL CAGE AS THEY CALL 'EM.
A LANAI.
BUT ONE OF THE KEY THINGS
THAT WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT
IS PROTECTING THIS POOL
FROM CHILD VICTIMS.
Bill: YES, BOB.
THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH
FOR CHILDREN UNDER 5
IS DROWNING IN THE
BACKYARD SWIMMING POOL.
NOT IN
THE ATLANTIC OCEAN,
NOT IN THE PACIFIC.
IN THE BACKYARD
SWIMMING POOL.
AND HAVING A POOL COVER
IS NOT NECESSARILY
THE SOLUTION, IS IT?
NO, SIR. NO, SIR.
PRIMARILY A POOL COVER
IS FOR DEBRIS.
YEAH, TO KEEP
THE POOL CLEAN.
NOT FOR CHILDREN.
NOT TO KEEP
THE POOL SAFE.
THEY CAN SLIDE IN
ON THE SIDE,
AND THEY ALSO CAN
WALK DOWN IN
OR CRAWL DOWN
INTO THE CENTER
WHICH WILL GATHER WATER.
THEY CAN DROWN IN INCHES.
SO YOU CAN YOUR COMPANY
ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE
A LONG TIME AGO.
WHEN DID YOU START
MAKING THESE?
THE COMPANY WAS STARTED
RIGHT HERE IN PUNTA GORDA.
OK. AND IT'S ESSENTIALLY
THE SIMPLEST CONCEPT
IN THE WORLD,
BUT LET'S LOOK CLOSELY
AT HOW IT'S FABRICATED.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY,
THESE VERTICALS
GO INTO THE HOLES THAT
WE WERE JUST DRILLING.
WE USE THE STRONGEST POLE
IN THE INDUSTRY.
THEY'RE O65
AS FAR AS THE WIDTH.
THE POLE?
THE POLE ITSELF.
WHAT IS IT
MADE OUT OF?
ALUMINUM.
IT ALSO HAS A 7-INCH
INSERT IN THE BOTTOM
FOR EXTRA STRENGTH.
A STEEL INSERT?
A STEEL INSERT.
AND IN THE STATE
OF FLORIDA,
THE REQUIREMENT IS,
AT 36 INCHES OFF THE DECK,
WHICH IS
APPROXIMATELY HERE, BOB,
IT MUST WITHSTAND
53 POUNDS OF PRESSURE.
OF PRESSURE
AGAINST IT.
OUR POLES WILL WITHSTAND
80 POUNDS OF PRESSURE.
SO WE'RE WELL OVER
THE CODE OF THE STATE
OF FLORIDA.
AND THESE HOOKS ARE
NOT JUST ORDINARY HOOKS.
NO. THEY'RE SAFETY
HOOK AND EYES.
RIGHT.
IN OTHER WORDS, IT MAKES
IT VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE
FOR THE
CHILD--
THEY, NUMBER ONE,
HAVE TO BE UP THIS HIGH
BECAUSE THEY'RE
THIS FAR OFF THE DECK.
BUT THEY'VE GOT TO PULL
ON HERE, ON THIS LATCH
AND LIFT UP
AT THE SAME TIME.
WHICH A 2-YEAR-OLD,
3-YEAR-OLD, 4-YEAR-OLD
CAN'T DO THAT.
SIMPLY CANNOT. YEAH.
AND THEN WHAT ABOUT
THE ACTUAL MESH HERE
THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT?
THE MESH IS
A PVC-COATED MESH,
WHICH ALSO HAS TO
WITHSTAND CERTAIN
RESTRAINTS
FROM THE STANDPOINT
OF TENSILE STRENGTH,
TEAR STRENGTH.
ONCE YOU HAVE
A HOLE IN THIS,
IT CAN'T RIP OUT,
YOU KNOW,
AND IT'S
A PVC-COATED MESH.
THE STRONGEST
AND THE BEST
IN THE INDUSTRY.
AND SO WHAT
WE'RE DOING HERE
IN TERMS OF
OUR INSTALLATION
IS FOLLOWING THE CONTOUR
OF THE POOL, RIGHT?
THAT'S CORRECT.
DAVID IS INSTALLING
THE FENCE.
AND ONE OF
THE GREAT THINGS
ABOUT OUR FENCE--
IT IS TEMPORARY.
IF YOU WANT TO HAVE
AN ADULT PARTY,
THE KIDS ARE AT
SOMEONE ELSE'S HOME,
YOU CAN REMOVE THIS
OR INSTALL IT IN
A MATTER OF MINUTES.
YEAH. AND IN FLORIDA,
MANY OF THE SITUATIONS
ARE GRANDPARENTS...
ABSOLUTELY.
WHO JUST HAVE TODDLERS
VISITING FOR HOLIDAY
WEEKENDS OR WHATEVER.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT CAN BE PUT UP
AND TAKEN DOWN AS NEEDED.
YOU NEED A HAND
WITH THAT?
DOING OK.
OK. THAT'S SO SIMPLE.
NOW, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE COST
OF THIS PARTICULAR JOB?
IT WOULD RANGE BECAUSE
WE HAVE 4 DIFFERENT
KINDS OF MESHES,
BUT IT WOULD RANGE...
HERE IN FLORIDA,
WE NORMALLY ONLY HAVE
50 TO 60 FEET OF MESH,
WHEREAS IN BOSTON
OR NEW YORK,
WE'LL HAVE 100 FOOT,
WHICH IS
THE AVERAGE POOL
GOING AROUND,
BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE
THESE CAGES UP NORTH.
TYPICALLY THE PRICE
TO THE CUSTOMER
WILL BE SOMEWHERE
BETWEEN $1,500
AND $2,000 INSTALLED.
INSTALLED.
COMPLETELY INSTALLED
WITH A 10-YEAR WARRANTY
ON OUR PRODUCT.
CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY...
NEXT TIME ON "BOB VILA,"
OUR STORM-READY HOUSE
IN PUNTA GORDA, FLORIDA,
IS NEARLY COMPLETE
AND WE'LL SPEND THE WHOLE SHOW
TAKING A CLOSE LOOK
AT HOW THE SWIMMING POOL
CAME TOGETHER.
WE'LL LOOK AT
THE MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
FOR HEATING IT
AND KEEPING IT CLEAN
AND ALSO A NUMBER
OF SAFETY FEATURES
FOR KEEPING THE KIDS OUT
WHEN THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED
TO BE IN THERE.
AND FINALLY,
WE'RE GONNA BUILD THE POOL CAGE,
A BEAUTIFUL LANAI-LIKE ENCLOSURE
THAT KEEPS ALL THE BUGS
OUT OF THE WAY.
DON'T MISS IT.
NEXT TIME ON "BOB VILA,"
OUR STORM-READY HOUSE
ON PUNTA GORDA, FLORIDA,
IS NEARLY COMPLETE
AND WE'LL SPEND THE WHOLE SHOW
TAKING A CLOSE LOOK
AT HOW THE SWIMMING POOL
CAME TOGETHER.
AND WE'LL SHOW YOU
THE ARMOR SCREEN,
A NEW TYPE OF PROTECTION
FOR AN OPEN PORCH AREA.
DON'T MISS IT.
NEXT TIME ON "BOB VILA,"
THE STORM-READY HOUSE
IS NEARLY FINISHED
AND WE'LL BE TAKING A PLUNGE
IN THE POOL.
DON'T MISS IT.
ANOTHER OPTION FOR MAKING
YOUR HOME STORM-READY IS,
WELL, TED GOWER'S
GONNA TELL US ABOUT IT.
IT'S CALLED ARMOR SCREEN.
IT'S CALLED
ARMOR SCREEN.
YES, IT'S HURRICANE
PROTECTION.
IT'S DESIGNED
TO STOP WIND, RAIN,
ALL THE DEBRIS.
IT'S JUST A FABRIC.
IT'S A VERY STRONG
FABRIC.
IT'S A
GEO-SYNTHETIC TEXTILE
THAT'S DESIGNED TO TAKE
SERIOUS ABUSE.
BUT IF YOU GOT
A 100-MILE-AN-HOUR WIND
COMING AT YOU,
ISN'T THIS
JUST GONNA BLOW?
NO, IT'S NOT.
A 100-MILE-AN-HOUR WIND
WOULD ALLOW
A LITTLE TINY BREEZE
TO COME THROUGH,
ACTUALLY 3 MILE AN HOUR
TO COME THROUGH.
IT CAN REDUCE
A 100-MILE-AN-HOUR WIND
TO 3 MILES AN HOUR
ON THE OTHER SIDE?
THAT'S CORRECT.
AND IF RAIN HITS IT,
THE SURFACE TENSION
SHEETS IT UP SOLID
SO THE WIND STOPS
COMPLETELY.
REALLY?
IT'S TERRIFIC.
SO IT'S NOT JUST
A PRODUCT TO BE USED
IN A LANAI
LIKE WE'RE DOING HERE?
NO. IT CAN BE
ON DOORS, WINDOWS,
WHEREVER YOU WANT
TO DO IT.
THE APPLICATION
ON THE LANAI
TURNS THIS LANAI
INTO A HURRICANE SHELTER
IN THE EVENT
OF A STORM.
WOW. SO, WE'VE GOT
1, 2, 3, 4,
5 OPENINGS
AND HOW DO YOU
SECURE THEM,
HOW DO YOU
ATTACH THEM?
UH, WE HAVE BOLTS
AND CLIPS AT THE TOP.
AND AT THE SIDE...
WE HAVE A CLIP.
SO YOU CAN
DOUBLE SNAP IT
AND THEN YOU BATTEN
IT DOWN LIKE THAT.
THE REASON FOR
BACK THROUGH LIKE THIS
IS THERE'S
TREMENDOUS BATTERING
FROM THE WIND,
AND THAT FINAL LOCKING THING
STOPS IT FROM MOVING.
ALL RIGHT,
YOU CAN ALSO TIE IT DOWN
THROUGH
A REGULAR EYEBOLT.
AN EYEBOLT IS
A DIFFERENT METHOD
OF FASTENING.
YEAH. AND THEN
DOWN ON THE GROUND--
WHEN YOU'RE
NOT USING IT,
THE EYEBOLTS COME OUT
AND YOU JUST PLUG IT?
WE HAVE SIDEWALK BOLTS
THAT WE PUT IN, YES.
OK, NOW, THIS IS
VERY INTERESTING
AS AN ALTERNATIVE
TO PLYWOOD, RIGHT?
YES. IT'S AN ALTERNATIVE
TO ABSOLUTELY ANY OTHER KIND
OF HURRICANE PROTECTION.
YEAH, 'CAUSE HERE
WE'RE LOOKING AT IT
IN AN UNUSUAL
SITUATION IN THE LANAI,
BUT SO MANY PEOPLE
HAVE OLDER FLORIDA HOMES
WITH LITTLE
3 x 5-FOOT WINDOWS
THAT THEY HAVE TO GOT OUT
IN A HURRY AND GET PLYWOOD OF,
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE
CAN'T DO THAT.
IF YOU PUT THIS
OVER ANY OTHER PART
OF THE HOUSE,
THE HOUSE IS
HURRICANE RATED.
FOR ALL OF FLORIDA,
WITH THE EXCEPTION
OF MIAMI, DADE,
WHICH IS
A LITTLE DIFFERENT
STANDARD.
WHAT ABOUT THE COST,
THOUGH?
IT LOOKS EXPENSIVE.
JUST SLIGHTLY UNDER $200
FOR A 3 x 5 WINDOW.
SO YOU'RE APPROXIMATING,
BUT A COUPLE HUNDRED BUCKS
FOR AN AVERAGE-SIZE
WINDOW?
THAT SOUND GOOD, YEAH.
IT'S A GREAT ALTERNATIVE.
THANKS A LOT, TED.
THANK YOU, BOB.
AND THE LANAI IS 99% COMPLETED,
AND IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE
THAT IT STARTED OUT WITH ALL
THOSE PIECES ON THE GROUND
AND IT SO QUICKLY
COMES TOGETHER.
ONE THING THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN
IS THE ADDITIONAL CROSS-BRACING
THAT'S DONE
ON EACH ONE OF THESE PANELS
WITH STAINLESS STEEL SCREWS
AND ALUMINUM GUSSETS THAT ARE
RIVETED ON UP THERE AT THE TOP.
BUT LET'S CHECK IN
WITH ERIC OVER HERE
WHO IS DOING ONE OF
THE FINISHING TOUCHES.
ERIC, DO YOU ALWAYS
HAVE TO DO THE SCREENS
FOR THE DOORS
OUT IN THE FIELD?
YES, WE DO.
WE BRING THE DOORS OUT
SEPARATELY.
WE HANG THEM ALL.
IT'S ONE OF THE LAST
THINGS WE DO DO.
AND JUST TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE DOOR
HANGS RIGHT.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF VIEWERS
WHO HAVE TO REDO THIS
ON A KIND
OF REGULAR BASIS,
SO WHAT ARE SOME TIPS?
TIPS?
BASICALLY, KEEPING
YOUR SCREEN SQUARE
IS ABOUT THE MOST
IMPORTANT ASPECT OF IT.
IF YOU REALLY PHYSICALLY
LOOK AT THE SCREEN,
THERE ARE LITTLE SQUARES
TO THEM,
AND KEEPING THEM
SQUARE WITH THE METAL
IS EVERYTHING.
YEAH, AND THEN GETTING
A PIECE THAT'S GOT
ENOUGH SELVAGE
SO THAT YOU GOT ROOM
TO WORK IT.
LET'S WATCH YOU DO IT.
THE SPLINNING TOOL
IS THE KEY.
AND YOU'VE GOT ONE
THAT'S A COMBINATION
UTILITY KNIFE...
AND ROLLER.
AND ROLLER.
AND SO KEEP IT SQUARE.
KEEP IT SQUARE
AND TIGHT,
AND AS LONG AS
YOU'RE STRAIGHT,
YOU SHOULDN'T
HAVE ANY BUBBLES
TO YOUR SCREEN.
AND WHEN YOU DON'T
HAVE ANY BUBBLES,
THAT MEANS YOUR SCREEN
IS TIGHT,
WHICH MEANS THE WIND
WILL NOT....
PULL IT OUT AS EASILY.
THANKS, ERIC.
NICE JOB.
WE'RE OUT OF TIME.
I'M BOB VILA.
THANKS FOR JOINING US.
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