Founder of:

For questions about Storm Stoppers, or to schedule a Tune Up Service on your existing Storm Stoppers,

please call our Orlando office at 407-423-5959 or Toll Free at 877-575-7788.

With the Invention of Storm Stoppers^® in 2004, Affordable Safe,

Simple & Self-Installed Hurricane Protection was born!

In 2004, Storm Stoppers^® pioneered the unique combination of a special Lab Impact Tested Translucent Corrugated Plastic with 3M Dual Lock™ high tensile strength** plastic fasteners for hurricane protection. 3M Dual Lock™ fasteners are a high tensile strength matable fastener consisting of thousands of tiny, interlocking, mushroom-shaped, adhesive backed plastic fasteners. Up to the time of the invention of Storm Stoppers^®, Dual Lock™ had been in use by 3M since the early 1980’s and corrugated plastic had been used in the packaging and graphic arts industries since the 1970s.

** Hi tensile strength plastic 3M Dual Lock™ fasteners should not be confused with low tensile strength fabric “hook and loop” products like Velcro and 3M Scotchmate.

THE Storm Stoppers^® STORY:

Storm Stoppers^® were invented in September of 2004 by Orlando entrepreneur John D. Smith. Mr. Smith invented and patented several collegiate products and started marketing them in 1999. One of the products was called Collegiate Hubcaps and had colorful Officially Licensed Collegiate Logos (such as Florida Gators and University of Georgia Bulldogs) screen printed onto PVC hubcaps for cars, pickup trucks, vans and golf cars' wheels. These hubcaps were secured to the wheels with 3M Dual Lock™ fasteners. Smith had racetrack tested his Collegiate Hubcaps on Dale Earnhardt’s #3 Racecar at the Walt Disney World Speedway to speeds over 140 mph, so he knew that 3M Dual Lock was a strong yet removable fastening system. Smith also invented a Collegiate FanWave, which was made out of 1/8" thick, white corrugated plastic. At its peak, Smith's company had over 20 colleges licensed and in 2002 Smith was interviewed on CNBC Squawk Box by CNBC’s Mike Hegedus.

In the fall of 2004, the State of Florida was hit by several major hurricanes. Several of them passed over Central Florida, which was unprecedented. Hurricane Charley, which hit Orlando Friday August 13, 2004, was a Category 4 storm when it hit Punta Gorda on Florida’s Southwest coast. By the time it had travelled to Orlando, it was a strong Category 2 hurricane. Hurricane Charley did extensive damage to the Central Florida area. Several weeks later, Category 3 Hurricane Frances approached Florida’s East coast, on a track that would take it right over Orlando.

Stymied by the lack of plywood available, Smith decided to invent his own hurricane protection. Using the 1/8 inch-thick corrugated plastic from his Clever Fan Waves, Smith secured it to his home's window frames with the 3M Dual Lock™ fasteners from his Collegiate Hubcaps. The new invention worked, protecting Smith’s home from flying debris during Hurricane Frances.

Shortly after Hurricane Frances hit Orlando, Hurricane Ivan was approaching the west coast of Florida, on a similar track like Hurricane Charley. Orlando TV stations were reporting that no plywood was available. In a Public Service Announcement-type message to help Orlando homeowners who could not find plywood, let alone lift or install it, Smith called reporter Bill Shafer at Orlando's WESH Channel 2 NBC Affiliate and told him about his "plywood alternative" invention.

On Thursday September 10, 2004, Reporter Shafer did a feature story on Smith's invention, interviewing Smith at his Orlando home. Shafer's story aired many times and was picked up via wire by other TV stations around the State of Florida. Smith's phones rang off the hook with customer demand, and a new industry - The Plywood Alternative^® Industry -- was born. (It is worth noting that although Smith was a 3M Dual Lock distributor, he didn’t even stock the 1/8” plastic---customers at the time were referred to area plastic companies.)


In October of 2004 and December of 2005, Storm Stoppers^® successfully passed ASTM E 1886 and ASTM E 1996 Large Missile Impact Tests for Original 3/8” Storm Stoppers^®. Read it here: plywoodalternative.com/original. Although not on our website, Storm Stoppers^® also offers a Super 1/2" Storm Stoppers^® product for the higher Wind Zones 3 & 4 (windborne debris in winds above 130 mph). This product was impact tested in December of 2005 and is available to oceanfront residents of the higher wind zones.

HURRICANE-FORCE WIND TESTING:

In October of 2005, Storm Stoppers^® were “Wind Tested” on dozens of customers’ homes in South Florida during Category 3 Hurricane Wilma. Since then, Storm Stoppers^® have been Wind Tested in several additional hurricanes, including Hurricane Gustav (Category 2) which hit Louisiana in 2008 and Hurricane Ike (Category 2) which hit Texas in 2008.

Customers praise the simplicity of installation as well as Storm Stoppers^® performance during major hurricanes. "I did all of the prep work and the installation. So if any woman ever has any doubts about installing them herself, you can give them my name. It was easy," says customer Kim Litton of Myrtle Beach, SC. "I'm 70 years old and I wanted hurricane protection my wife could easily put up if I wasn't around," says Kenneth King of Oak Island, Texas. (Mr. King’s home was the only one, out of 22, left standing after Hurricane Ike in 2008).

Click Here to read Mr. King’s testimonial

To get a DIY quote on Original 3/8” Storm Stoppers, click here
 

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Copyright © 2004 Storm Stoppers^® - Patents Pending