Hurricane Protection Association Launches “Get the Number” Campaign

GET THE NUMBER!

Save Your Home!

 

The International Hurricane Protection Association has one simple piece of advice for the homeowner that may be looking to purchase a hurricane protection product to fortify their home:

Insist upon a product approval number!

 

Yes, it’s that simple.  All of the research, engineering, testing and standards compliance considerations have already been done for you.  Product Approval/Evaluation entities, such as the Florida Building Commission, Miami-Dade County, Texas Dept. of Insurance and the International Code Council award an approval/evaluation number to products which have met all of the required standards.  

You do not have to be an engineer or have any special technical knowledge.  You must do one very important thing:

Get the Approval Number!

 

You may encounter slick sales people and ads that will talk about passing this test or that, meeting various standards or telling you that product approvals/evaluations are unimportant.  You’re informed and know better.  You say:

Show Me the Number!

 

Okay, you’ve been given an approval/evaluation number, now what?  You verify it.  All hurricane protection product approvals are publicly available at the websites of the approving agency.  You may wish to visit the approved products page at www.inthpa.com for links to these agencies.

 

One more time:  Before you purchase hurricane protection for the windows, doors and other openings of your home, you’re going to do what?

Get the Number!

Get the Number Press Release

 The International Hurricane Protection Association is a non-profit organization devoted to minimizing the loss of life and the destruction of property associated with hurricanes.

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Article points out perils of Unapproved Hurricane Protection

“You won’t get much help telling the tested products from untested ones”

In an article running in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune  Sunday July 12, 2009 the point is well made that little is being done to protect the consumer from inadequate hurricane protection products.

Leslie Chapman-Henderson, CEO of the non-profit group Federal Alliance for Safe Homes, or FLASH: “The only thing worse than no hurricane protection is the wrong hurricane protection.”

Terence McElroy, spokesman for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services: “Nothing is sanctioned by the state or, to my knowledge, prohibited by the state.  It really is ‘let the buyer beware.”

The article points out that millions of dollars have been spent developing the testing and standards that identify which products work.  Building and consumer safety advocates contend that the state needs to require these standards for any product claiming hurricane protection.

Darius Grimes (IHPA Vice President) and others fear that only the devastating effects of a storm as powerful as Hurricanes Charley or Andrew will prompt serious action.

Read the full article: Storm safety may bring perils

Technorati Tags: Hurricane Protection Products,Testing,Standards,Article