Tuesday, August 28, 2012

ISAAC Kisses NEW ORLEANS HELLO - CAT 1 is Not Katrina Strength

The hurricane verdict is in - ISAAC has decided to give New Orleans a big Wet Kiss as a CAT 1 - minimum hurricane compared to the monster Katrina that hit 7 years ago on the day.

The next photo is me, 7 years ago, standing in front of some of Katrina's wreckage. It was an avenging angel of death to thousands of people caught in failing levees and a monstrous size storm - a deadly combination of Mother Nature's Fury and Mankind's houses of straw and wood.


ISAAC will test the NEW $15 billion levee and pumping system built after Katrina overwhelmed their ragtag system that was inadequate for the job of fending off hurricane-force winds and rain. But the question is - How would it do if ISAAC were more like Katrina - a CAT 3 or 4?

I heard of one man who had rebuilt his house in New Orleans with six inch walls of cement and windows that will take 200 mph winds.  Even he did not plan to ride out ISAAC in the home.

Better to shelter further back from hurricane wind-and-water and be safe, then sorry. Get back and "Hunker down" until the fury passes.  New Orleans just closed their massive NEW Flood Gates for the very first time.  This shows the difference it makes when government investment in systems to protect our people and usable property from nature's rages.  Huge amounts of America's trade worth hundreds of billions of dollars leaves the U.S. through the Mississippi River - and its southern most port city, New Orleans, which actually sits BELOW Sea Level (like HOLLAND), so it needs Massive Pumps to stay high and dry.
 
The rising water is the second deadly killer --after tornadic winds breaking cheap windows and blowing apart our houses because no one reinforced the weakest link in our houses of straw, wood and brick.  Then you get the water and mold and months of reconstruction hassle.

Who wants to risk the suicide mission of hanging heavy plywood on 2nd story windows - hanging on the edge of a ladder, putting them up, taking them down, repeat - all the time. Instead of that with Armor Glass Security film which would be there working 24/7, 365 days a year.  Is it obvious which is better? Plywood won't stop burglars or solar heat. Armor Glass security film does. And cuts dangerous UV 99%. Plywood and shutters don't do that.

Do you remember the story of the Three Little Pigs - one built a house of straw; one built a house of wood and a third built his of brick? When the big bad wolf came along, the pigs in houses of straw and wood became the wolf's dinner. The pig in the brick house survived. The rest of us little pigs must upgrade our dwellings to become more robust to withstand Mother nature's extremes (and human intrusion) - now that even the weather has become extreme, from Drought to Hurricanes.

                                         Above Photo: Typhoon Bolaven CAT 4 Hits Korea 

Today Asia, including America's base on Okinawa, Japan, Korea are being hammered by a Katrina Monster of their own. China will be hit by it next (they are called "Typhoons" on that side of the world, but it is a Hurricane CAT 4).  This is a global situation of more intense storms and weather. We have to harden our structures or suffer the same fate as the "Three Little Pigs."

We need to armor what we have, upgrade our building codes to meet the threat - whether its hurricanes or burglars breaking easily through glass windows, causing destruction and heartache and headache that could have been avoided simply by putting a certified security film like Armor glass you your windows.


Our thoughts are for all of those now trapped in New Orleans with whatever protection they have. Let us hope it is enough to survive. No one should delay armoring their little pig houses now... before the next Big Bad Wolf comes calling...


Monday, August 27, 2012

NEW ORLEANS - Center of ISAAC cone

Monday morning update - Now it appears that New Orleans is in the center of the cone of uncertainty for ISAAC, which could reach CAT 2 over the HOT Gulf waters...

More info, click here...

Sunday, August 26, 2012

ISAAC shifts WEST - Possible CAT 2

ISAAC's track has shifted to the WEST...and is expected to reach CAT 2 status by the time it makes landfall on the U.S. Mainland...

For the latest info, click here.

It's amazing to see people scrambling to buy plywood to "board up."  If they had Armor Glass security film on their windows, they wouldn't have to bother with putting it up and then taking it down. Putting heavy plywood on a 2nd floor is like a suicide mission.

And Armor Glass security film is working 24/7 to also keep our solar heat and burglars that plywood isn't going to do...check out our website and contact us for a FREE quote...

Saturday, August 25, 2012

ISAAC - CAT 2 100 mph winds Expected

ISAAC is now predicted to become a 100 mph CAT 2 storm before it hits the US Mainland next week.

Wind speeds and course are bound to change but it looks like it will gain momentum after it passes over Cuba and heads to the U.S.

For the latest report, click here.

Friday, August 24, 2012

ISAAC - Tracking EAST towards Florida Again

Hurricane courses are hard to predict. The latest track shows that it may NOT go west but move back to the EAST, towards Florida's coast, yet still in the HOT Gulf waters...which are in the 90's and that hot water is JET FUEL to hurricanes.

It is possible ISAAC could reach CAT 2 wind speeds if it does stay in the warm Gulf before moving back over the U.S. mainland in 3-4 days. Here is the Storm Central analysis.

In the next day or two we should know with more certainly WHERE ISAAC is going. Stay tuned.

150 Years of Hurricanes - Unique Map

150 Years of Hurricanes on a map.Click here for the link.

"If it looks a little odd at first, it's because this hurricane map offers a unique perspective of the Earth; Antarctica is smack in the middle, and the rest of the planet unfurls around it like the petals of a tulip.
The Americas are on the right, Asia is on the left; the storms plotted on the map grow brighter as their intensity increases."

"In addition, the dearth of storms in the Eastern and Southern Hemispheres is also a product of a lack of data. The United States began to add storms from these regions to the archive beginning only in 1978."

ISAAC Update

As of today, Friday, August 24, here is the projected path of "ISAAC" - Florida is on the "dirty" side - the right hook that gets the most rain and wind. The eye could stay over the Gulf and let the storm build up over the hotter-than-normal Gulf waters before making landfall next week.

Are YOU prepared?  September is our PEAK time for these killers.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

ISAAC Loves FLORIDA

ALL the computer models show ISAAC hitting FLORIDA before moving inland. Either way, Florida will be on its WET, WINDY side - the one with the most punch.

Things could change the next couple days, so stay tuned. We have JOYCE forming up behind ISAAC...and September is our PEAK time for hurricanes.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

ISAAC

Latest track on Weather.com has it shifting slightly LEFT, meaning it could get into the Gulf of Mexico and threaten oil platforms and Texas etc coast...

ISAAC Update - Florida OR Texas Hit Possible


Photo above: Michael Fjetland, CEO of Armor Glass, sitting behind ordinary glass window which has been "armored" by Armor Glass Security Film - after numerous impacts with a hammer.

The latest update on ISAAC has it as a CAT 1 hurricane passing over Cuba - then either hitting Florida Monday OR moving west into the Gulf of Mexico.

The European model, usually very accurate, has it moving into the Gulf of Mexico. But other models have ISAAC moving north over Florida, beginning Monday.

STAY TUNED because we won't know more about its intensity or direction until late this week.

"Subscribe" or "Follow" for updates...

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Here Comes....ISAAC. Could Be Off FLORIDA Sunday...

HERE COMES....ISAAC. As of today, this is the potential storm track. By Sunday it will be over Cuba - with a stop in the U.S. possibly next.

A lot can change in the next few days so STAY TUNED. Click "Follow" for updates...


Monday, August 20, 2012

Judges House Secured

We put our Security Film on a Judge's house today - I won't say WHO or WHERE. But I will say that he has been threatened; people have tried to break into his home.

There is nothing more vulnerable then bare glass.  He was also putting on the "Ultimate" Lock. Smart move also. When they can't get through our film they often resort to breaking the lock. Usually people have a flimsy one with a tiny faceplate that a crowbar will break in seconds.

The judge said that two or three nearby houses had been broken into recently in the same neighborhood (NICE neighborhood I CAN say). That same story is EVERYWHERE.

That is what happens when wealth becomes so concentrated and jobs so scarce by the lack of investment in infrastructure etc.  When people have no access to a job and money, they resort to taking others - and that means going to the most affluent.

Or going after someone who ruled against you in the past.

Security is here to stay, until such time as hurricanes no longer form, burglars no longer need to take other peoples' stuff and the sun no longer blows triple digit heat our way...

There is only one product that tackles all three jobs: Armor Glass Security Film, in both Clear and Solar+Security choices.

The quote is FREE so what is holding you back from contacting us?  Is Delay ok? Is time on your side. Unfortunately, no...

Saturday, August 18, 2012

HELENE - The Storm From NOWHERE. Could Hit Texas

Out of NOWHERE came HELENE. It's now hugging the Mexican coast but it has a chance of reforming over the Gulf of Mexico where steering currents may bring it towards TEXAS next week.

WATCH this one. It may be a Rainmaker, or something more dangerous.

http://blog.chron.com/sciguy/2012/08/what-a-possibly-re-forming-tropical-depression-means-for-texas/

HELENE is another example of "pop up" storms - storms that can grow from nothing to a HURRICANE in less than 24 hours. Remember Humberto?  That's what it did.

It shows that the old fashioned "boarding up" is a relic of the past. We don't often get much warning of where a storm will land. Armor Glass security film is working 24/7 once installed. No need to "board up" or run around like crazy trying to find boards and people to install them when everyone else is trying to find food, water and/or leave town...

And when its not hurricane season it is still protecting your house from break-ins and solar heat!

Stay tuned!

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Is a 2 ply Tire as Good as a 4 ply? Watch out! THICKER IS BETTER...

Is a 2 ply Tire as Good as a 4 ply? No.

So is a 4 mil film as good as a 8 mil film? NO.  But that is what is happening out there - our competitor companies are pushing 4 mil film on people claiming it "is just as good" as 8 mil. No way.

If you believe that I have a bridge for sale in Brooklyn. It's bogus. With window film THICKER IS BETTER.  When someone is beating on your glass or a storm is throwing windborne debris at it, then you want the maximum protection.

We only sell certified security window film. The minimum thickness that passed the Large Missile Impact test is 8 Mil (our films go up to 14 mil but you don't need to go that far).  A 4 mil film will NOT pass that test. 

One more caveat: Some of our competitors are NOT telling people who have tempered glass (such as glass doors etc) that putting security window film alone is NOT ENOUGH. Tempered glass is like your care windows - when struck it will break into little pieces for safety reasons.

That means that it will detach from the window frame UNLESS IT IS BONDED TO THE FRAME WITH DOW 995 or GE Silpruf structural sealant.  Without that bonding the tempered glass will fall out of the frame (with the film still holding the glass). This bonding is not required on plate glass but is on tempered glass.  You can tell if a window is tempered if it has an etching in one corner of the glass - plate glass will not have any etching whatsover.  Plate glass tends to hold itself together when struck when film has been applied.

So, bottom line, compare "apples to apples" when evaluating competing quotes. Companies quote 4 mil to "under bid" companies like ours which only quotes 8 mil certified film. So you may save a few bucks if you go with them but you are NOT getting better film. Nor are you getting safety compared to our 8 Mil...

In window film, THICKER IS BETTER, just like with car tires.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Hurricanes - 50% Stronger When Passing Over Fresh Water

"About 60 percent of the world’s population resides in areas that are prone to hurricanes or cyclones; researchers find that if a hurricane’s path carries it over large areas of fresh water, it will potentially intensify 50 percent faster than those that do not pass over such regions, meaning it has greater potential to become a stronger storm and be more devastating...."

Here is the link:

"Hurricanes, called typhoons in the Pacific region and cyclones in the Indian region, are some of the most devastating natural hazards on Earth. A single storm, Cyclone Nargis in 2008, killed more than 138,000 people in Burma and caused $10 billion in damages."

Monday, August 13, 2012

Burglary Surge in Houston - How to Prevent and Save $


Above photo: A glass door protected with Armor Glass security film is still intact after being struck repeatedly by a burglar trying to break into it. The owner is the photographer silhouetted in the photo.

The Houston Chronicle posted a story  today about a surge in burglaries in Houston.  It was a picture of what has been going on nationally because of the economic downturn.

What it didn't discuss was solutions, other than having more police on the streets. But let's face it, police can respond after the fact but its hard to prevent someone from breaking into a home or office by relying on police.

Armor Glass security film does provide that preventative solution. As we have stated before, we installed it on a lady's house last year. Five (5) days later someone tried to break in,and failed. There have been several other clients of ours that have been hit by break ins. In each case they tell us that the burglars didn't break through our film.

In some cases the door itself broke while the film was still holding - or they took a crowbar and broke the lock.  In each case, entry was delayed, giving the alarm time to summon police - since burglars usually spend less than 3 minutes inside a house before running away. Three minutes spent trying to break in gives the police a chance to catch them while protecting the owner's property.

The bonus is that the film will also cut over 50% of the solar heat getting into the house (up to 79%) to keep you cooler and cut your energy bills - enough to pay for itself over time. One homeowner recently told me that her electric bills were running $1,300 a month and after installing our security film, she is saving $250/month on power! That is enough to pay for itself on her house in just three (3) years!

Check out our videos at our website and contact us for a FREE quote at www.ArmorGlass.com

Friday, August 10, 2012

Tropical Depression 7 - update

A new Atlantic Tropical Depression # 7 has formed; however, it may not develop due to a mass of dry air to its north. Here are the computer models of its potential tracks.

The Hurricane advisers have INCREASED their prediction for hurricanes this season. so don't let your guard down...

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Hurricane Season Expected to be "BUSY"...

Hurricane forecasters say "Don't let your guard down" - they expect the rest of the season to be "busy."

"Forecasters said warmer-than-normal sea surface temperatures and wind patterns that favor storm formation mean chances are higher for an above-normal season, while the expected development of the El Nino pattern over the Pacific may suppress storms later in the season's peak period."

Our recommendation: Get your hurricane protection in place NOW. Once a storm is coming, its really too late...Contact us for a Free Quote.

Monday, August 6, 2012

Ernesto, Florence Threats Ebbing

Latest reports are that Ernesto will hit somewhere in Central America or southern Mexico. The U.S. does NOT appear to be a target.

And Florence also appears to be dying out.

But keep watching - we don't reach the "peak" of the season until mid-September. We have a LONG way to go before hurricane season is over...

Saturday, August 4, 2012

How Hurricanes Destroy Houses...

Top: unprotected glass on a high rise condo that broke during Hurricane IKE 2008 - inside received water damage, etc (all the way down to the first floor).
Above: Ordinary single pane glass with Armor Glass security film coating will take a beating with a hammer and still keep out water and wind...
Above: Even commercial buildings lose windows from debris strikes during hurricanes, costing millions in damages from water, etc.

Since it appears that ERNESTO will soon be a hurricane bearing down on the Gulf of Mexico, its time for an explanation of how hurricanes destroy buildings.

After four hurricanes struck Florida in 2004 a study was launched called "Project Safe Windows."  They were amazed that some houses remained intact while others next to them were completely destroyed.  Why?

The answer was simple: Windborne debris.  With hurricane force winds you also get flying debris. Glass can flex up to a point, but it will break if it passes its tensile strength, usually when a piece of debris - gravel or a tree limb -- hits it.

Buildings are designed to withstand EXTERNAL pressure, not internal. Once the wind gets inside, it tries to find a way OUT.  The easy way is for it to UPLIFT the ROOF. It basically blows the house apart. Tornadoes do the same. One Conoco Phillips engineer (whose house we did) told me that he calculated that a hole in your window was enough to produce 50,000 lbs of UPLIFT on the roof!

Avoid the breach of your buildings weakest link, its windows, avoid losing your house (assuming you are not in a water surge area).  That why Armor Glass security film fills an important purpose that until now was done by plywood, an outdated technology that makes little sense - ever try carrying a heavy piece of it up a ladder in a wind?

(More Details in our forthcoming book).

Hurricane Ernesto - Chased by Depression # 6

Here is the latest projections for Hurricane Ernesto - definitely  in the Gulf of Mexico.

It is being chased by Depression # 6 on a parallel course.  It is still too early to determine the final landing spot of either storm, but that will become clear sometime late next week.

Stay tuned!

Friday, August 3, 2012

Latest on "ERNESTO's" Possible Track - How to Prepare

This is the latest possible track of what will become Hurricane ERNESTO. Right now it is expected to be a CAT 1 (IKE was a CAT 1 when it hit Houston in Sept. 2008). 

It's still EARLY but somewhere in the GULF OF MEXICO seems to be the likely landing point.

The BIG Question: Will it get BIGGER when it hits the warmer GULF waters?  We'll know more next Wednesday.

Stay tuned. In the meantime, PREPARE. Here are some tips:

1) Boarding up windows, especially on a second floor is a SUICIDE MISSION. Do you still ride a horse to work?  You REALLY want to hoist HEAVY Plywood up a ladder in a stiff wind? (If so, I want to be a named beneficiary on your life insurance policy!) Then why not have Armor Glass 24/7 protection on your windows instead? No holes in your brick or stucco either..And it provides burglar protection if you leave your house for a safer place.

2)  Get your water and food supplies NOW (don't wait for the rush).

3) Get a radio that runs on either solar or a hand crank.

4)  Call 713 -213 5080 and find out when you can get a FREE quote to protect your home and save money on your energy bills at the same time. It's unlikely we can do anything at this late date, but there will be more storms this year, and next year, and for six months of EVERY year. Hurricane season is an ANNUAL event...


Thursday, August 2, 2012

It's now Tropical Storm Ernesto

From a depression it is now "Tropical Storm" Ernesto...stay tuned.

http://www.foxnews.com/weather/2012/08/02/tropical-storm-ernesto-forms-in-atlantic/

ERCOT Wants Us to Curb Energy Use - Here is Solution

We just got an email advising us to curb our energy use. Here it is:

"Due to extremely high temperatures across Texas, we are asking our customers to help conserve energy, especially during the hours of 3 and 7 pm, for the remainder of this week. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) reminds customers to use power wisely - while there is sufficient generation to serve today's electric use, new peaks were reached in July for load on the grid and temperatures continue to rise.

Please reduce your energy consumption between 3 and 7pm daily and help reduce the strain on the electric grid"

Well ERCOT, we already are curbing our use. How? By having Armor Glass Solar-Security film on our windows. While protecting from a burglar break in and hurricane force winds, the film also cuts over 50% of the solar heat entering our house. That means the air conditioning has half the heat to cool.

If EVERYONE in Texas had the same protection, we would not face these power issues AND people would have more protection from break ins and future hurricanes/tornadoes.

Technology is a COOL thing, IF you have it. Check us out at www.ArmorGlass.com and get a Free quote...

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Hurricane "Ernesto" by Monday. Target: Gulf of Mexico

Weather experts predict this is the path of "Tropical Depression #5" which should become Hurricane ERNESTO by Monday, August 6.

Those of you who didn't prepare, well, good luck. The next two months is the peak of our hurricane season. This baby seems to be aiming for the Gulf Of Mexico.

It's too early to know where it will end up, so keep tuned to this blog for updates.

I can't guarantee we can do anything before it hits (its our busy time) but if you want consideration or a quote, contact us.  We have a LONG way to go before the season ends November 1...