Ballista’s revolutionary StormShear™ hurricane protection system has completed the arduous ASTM and TAS testing protocols, and is approved by the Florida Building Commission for use in the most demanding hurricane environment in the world – Florida’s High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) of Miami-Dade and Broward counties. The StormShear™ is even rated as “Impact Resistant” in the HVHZ, having passed large missile testing, and may be used even in heavy wind-borne-debris areas. The StormShear™ is also approved for use in every other location in Florida (i.e., non-HVHZ) and exceeds the requirements of the less-stringent International Building Code (IBC) used in many other states.
In the stored position, the StormShear can blend into the background of your property.
Simply put, the Ballista StormShear hurricane protection system is engineered to be all but invisible from the inside, and when retracted leaves none of the signature tracks, rails, headers, supports, or other bulky reinforcements needed for competitive designs. The StormShear folds flat and stores in unused space above the window, out of the sightline. (Can you spot the StormShear outside the windows?) Plus, the flat surface on the stored Ballista StormShear system allows for unlimited customization to match the color and texture of the ceiling. The StormShear acheives what old roll-up and accordion designs simply cannot – it blends in beautifully with the design when retracted.
And, the StormShear can be retro-fitted without extensive alterations to the buildings envelope. This is achieved by eliminating the headers, rails and electricity needed on most competitive designs. The only change to the structure is the addition of anchor points to secure the StormShear. The building’s ability to block out moisture and pests is not altered.
StormShear hidden under patio.
Virtually Maintenance Free
StormShear is also virtually maintenance free. The StormShear’s breakthrough is its efficient design that uses only two marine-grade hinges, and no tracks, gears, or rollers.
Outdated roll-up and accordion designs use hundreds of feet of long thin crimped aluminum hinges, plastic rollers, bearings, springs, tracks and other points ripe for mechanical or corrosive failure in coastal environments – just ask any contractor! As a result, to maintain a warranty, the leading metal roll-down and accordion door suppliers require maintenance service every six months to clean and lubricate the many hinges and pivot points of their systems. Accordingly, distributors include tens of thousands of dollars in yearly maintenance charges in their sales proposals to address this need. The Ballista StormShear eliminates this cost, alleviating the ever present maintenance concern. The innovative StormShear design all but eliminates corrosion and mechanical failure from the equation, with an average of only two hinges, on most applications under 100 square feet. Rather than using thin, painted aluminum hinges, the StormShearincorporates marine-grade 1/8 inch, 304 stainless steel hinges, reducing routine maintenance, and its associated costs, by a factor of 10 or more over the competition.
Deploying the StormShear from its hidden pocket is made easy by the light weight honeycomb material.
- Deployed StormShears on balcony.
Ballista proudly and confidently provides a 15-year structural warranty on the StormShear system.
Ask about our new lift-assist options that
reduce lifting weight to under 10lbs!
Lift-Assist offers ease of use without the cost and complexity of motors.