Hurricane fabric is a temporary form of hurricane protection that offers an alternative to boarding up windows or installing traditional storm panels. Unlike hurricane screens, which are permanently attached to your home, hurricane fabric is installed over your windows and other openings before a storm.

In terms of effectiveness, hurricane fabric is tested and proven to protect homes from Category 5 hurricanes, which can have winds over 157 miles per hour. When installed properly, it is designed to block the majority of wind and rain and protect against water, debris, and projectile damage.

While the fabric is exceptionally durable, windows can still break if hit directly by flying debris at high velocity. However, it is a good protective measure against an impending storm. For comparison, hurricane fabric is more protective and durable than hurricane window film. While boarding up windows is easier than installing the fabric, it is more labor-intensive and requires storing heavy plywood.

To further increase the chances of your windows surviving a hurricane, you can take additional steps like securing outdoor items, elevating HVAC units, and fortifying your home's foundation.

While brick is sturdy and aesthetically pleasing, it’s also an expensive siding material. Other great siding options to consider include vinyl siding, wood siding, and fiber cement siding. Vinyl siding is likely to be the most affordable option, but wood siding can create a rustic aesthetic, and fiber cement is one of the lowest-maintenance siding options available.

There are many materials to choose from, including picket fencing, wood slats, galvanized metal skirting, dog-ear fence panels, scallop wood fence panels, bamboo screens, and other decorative screens. You can search for materials at local big box stores like Home Depot or scour online home improvement sites. Good search terms to use are fencing, skirting, and privacy panels.

You can start your search for a reputable patio company by finding providers in your area with positive ratings online and few, if any, complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Once you narrow down your search, contact the companies and ask for examples of their past work, as well as a list of references. The examples will show you the quality of the work you can expect and how professional the finished product will be, and contacting previous customers will give you an idea of the service you can expect throughout the process.