Southwest Florida homeowners know the drill: a storm rolls through, and the next morning you’re looking at torn, sagging, or completely missing screen panels on your pool cage or lanai. Here’s what actually matters in the days right after, and what can wait.
First, document it. Take photos of the damage before you touch anything (torn panels, bent frame sections, debris still caught in the screening). This matters for insurance claims and gives any contractor you call a clearer picture before they even arrive.
Second, don’t assume it’s just the screens. Storm damage often goes deeper than what’s immediately visible. Wind can stress or bend the aluminum frame and support structure even when the screening itself looks like the only casualty. A reputable contractor will check the frame, not just measure for new screen material. This is exactly the kind of thing that gets missed by a fast, cheap repair and then resurfaces as a bigger, more expensive problem later.
Third, call sooner rather than later. After a major storm, screen repair companies across the region get flooded with calls, and response times stretch out. The homeowners who get repairs done fastest are usually the ones who called within the first few days, before the backlog builds. If your pool cage is compromised, an open enclosure also means more debris, insects, and weather exposure to your pool and lanai furniture in the meantime. This is exactly why we offer a Hurricane Ready Package starting at $149: it includes removal of selected panels and doors ahead of a storm to relieve wind pressure, and reinstallation once it’s passed. Customers enrolled get a spot on our priority list for post-storm service, plus $50 off their first repair if one’s needed. If the storm misses you this season, that’s not wasted money either. You get 15% off the same package next year. The one catch worth knowing: enrollment closes 5 days before a named storm, so this is something to line up before hurricane season is bearing down on you, not after.
Fourth, get an honest assessment of what’s repairable versus what needs full replacement. Not every storm-damaged panel needs replacing. Sometimes it’s just a handful of sections. Other times, if your screening was already older, the storm just accelerates a rescreen you were going to need anyway.
Fifth, and this matters more after a storm than almost any other time, verify that whoever you’re hiring is actually licensed, and don’t just take their word for it. Storm season brings out a wave of out-of-town crews and unlicensed “contractors” going door to door looking for fast cash from homeowners who just want their pool cage fixed. Florida is a sunny place for shady contractors, and post-storm chaos is exactly when they show up. Ask for a license number and look it up yourself through the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation before anyone touches your property. A legitimate contractor won’t hesitate or act put out by the question.
We serve Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, Englewood, North Port, and Rotonda West, and we prioritize storm-damage calls because we know an open pool cage isn’t something you want to live with longer than necessary. If a storm just came through, give us a call. We’ll tell you honestly what we’re seeing, and we’ll show you our license before you even have to ask.
See also: Storm Damage Isn’t Always Obvious: Hidden Structural Issues After a Hurricane
Related: Screen Enclosure Repair