FREEQUENTLY ASK QUESTIONS

Got Questions About Motorized Screens or Pergolas

Florida Living Outdoor has the answer. Below is a list of the most commonly asked question by homeowners in Florida Owners when trying to improve their outdoor spaces. Don't find it here in the FAQ. Talk with FLO. Simply fill out the chat widget.

What is your phone number?

Florida Living Outdoors’s phone number is (321)830-5660. Feel free to call anytime.

How do I schedule an appointment?

You can call the office or schedule a free 20-minute phone consultation online or schedule an appointment at the following calendar link https://floridalivingoutdoor.com/enhance-and-extend-outdoor-spaces/

Where is your office located?

Our office is located outside of Oviedo Florida, but we service the East Coast from New Smyrna Beach to Palm Coast and Central Florida from Oviedo to Mt Dora.

How do I get a quote?

You can call the office or schedule a free 20-minute phone consultation online or schedule an appointment at the following calendar link https://floridalivingoutdoor.com/enhance-and-extend-outdoor-spaces/

How long has Florida Living Outdoor been in business?

The owner of Florida Living Outdoors has been in the Outdoor Service industry for over 23 years.  We are good at what we do.

What does Florida Living Outdoor do?

FL Outdoor specializes in protecting and creating smart and usable outdoor spaces that your family can enjoy.

Do you have a showroom?

No. 99.5% of its business is done in a homeowner’s backyard. We have sample demo kits and brochures to create an understanding of the product. If you move forward, we can order a life-like rendering.

Do the screens come in different shades and colors? 

The housing units come in five colors: black, white, gray, bronze, and beige.  The screen mesh color varies.

What is a rendering:

A rendering is a lifelike photo of your home with the desired product applied. They look real. It cool.

Is there a place where I can see motorized screens?

Yes. I’m sure we can talk to one of our clients and see theirs.

What is in an in-home consultation?

We simply need to schedule a time and one of our estimators will come out and meet with you. They will take detailed measurements and find out your wants, needs, and desires.e.

Are all motorized screens the same? 

No. Motorized Screens serve different functions such as bug, solar, or storm protection.

What makes MagnaTrack so special? 

That is easy.  MagnaTrack uses free-floating inner tracks that release and reattach with opposite pull neodymium magnates. Combined with ballistic fiber the screens can stop a 2” x 4” traveling at fast speed.

What are the five basic components of a motorized screen?

The housing unit, track, and weight bar are the same. 

How important is the screen mesh?

The screen mesh can be as simple as something for bugs or maybe you need a solar screen to block damaging UV rays. They even make screen mesh with ballistic fiber that is meant for high wind load zones.

Do I have to be home for the consultation or estimate?

Yes. You need to be there. These products are highly customizable, and we need to know your wants, needs, and desires.

Can I get a price or quote over the phone?

No. These products are highly customizable, and prices may vary depending on your needs, wants, and desires.

How much does motorized screens and pergolas cost?

The MagnaTrack system is highly customizable.  Every project is different, Openings vary and the sub-strip of the unit is being attached.

How big of an opening can the motorized screen fit into?

MagnaTrack motorized screens can span 30’ and up to 20’ in height.

What is your lead time on motorized screens?

Start to finish currently they are 8 – 10 weeks.

Which is better MagnaTrack or Phantom? 

Well, the simple answer is MagnaTrack Motorized screens. Not because I say so, but because MagnaTrack is not a zipper track-based system.  MagnaTrack Possesses free-floating inner tracks held together by rare earth neodymium magnets.  Simply put, it takes 500 Lbs. of pressure to dislodge the screen for the sidetracks. The competitors are only 30 lbs.  Who needs service calls? 

Do you carry hurricane screens?

Yes. We carry the Defender Series by MagnaTrack.

What type of motorized screens do you carry?

We carry the MagnaTrack Motorized screens Manufactured by Progressive Screens. The track system is the same, but the screen is configured to protect against, bugs, UV-Ray, rain, and storms.

Does the Hurricane Defender have a product approval code?

Yes. The Hurricane Defender has a product approval code.  It has the Florida Product Approval #F30798

Are the Motorized Screens Miami Dade approved?

No. But the MagnaTrack Motorized Screen system meets or exceeds Miami Dade and Florida building code requirements for roll-down hurricane screens. Therefore, it can be installed in Miami-Dade.

Do install screen enclosures around pools or patios

No.  We do not build or install screen enclosures around swimming pools.  We specialize in protecting and creating outdoor spaces with a click of a button.

Do you replace screen pool enclosures or blowout screens.

No. We do not.

Do you repair other company’s motorize screens?

Nope.  We are a MagnaTrack Dealer.  We do not carry Phantom, Horizons, or Fintech.   We carry the number one screen in the world.  MagnaTrack.

What type of pergolas do you carry?

We carry and install Azenco-Outdoors pergolas. They are known for the louver roofs and anti-leak system aka R-blade. They also carry R-shades.

Are the Azenco-Outdoor pergolas Miami Dade approved? 

Not Yet, but we are working on it. It looks like June.

What colors do the pergolas come in?

There are three colors to select from such as black, white, and grayish bronze. 

How big are each pergola zone?

A louver roof zone can go 23 feet long by 15 wide. Solid roof pergolas can cover 22 feet by 22 feet.

HERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN

A hyper-realistic photo of a luxury Florida patio during a thunderstorm. Motorized screens are lowered, blocking wind and rain while the interior remains dry and comfortable. Inside, modern furniture and a glowing fire feature create a calm, inviting atmosphere. The FL Outdoor logo appears subtly on the scene.

The Modern Patio Revolution, Part Three

October 07, 20254 min read

A Different Kind of Storm Story

The storm didn’t just arrive. It attacked.
Rain hammered sideways, bending palms like matchsticks. Neighbors panicked—hauling cushions, dragging grills, chasing umbrellas across driveways.

But not Sarah.

With a single swipe on her phone, walls of protection slid into place around her lanai. Rain hit the screens and stopped cold, breaking into harmless mist. Her patio was dry, her furniture safe, her wine glass steady. Ten feet from chaos, she opened her laptop and joined a Zoom call.

Her neighbors were in survival mode. Sarah was in work mode. That’s the difference one hidden technology makes.

Not “Just a Screen”

“Motorized screen” sounds boring—until you realize it’s the one upgrade that makes every other upgrade usable.

  • Category 5 wind resistance.

  • 95% solar heat blocked before it touches your glass.

  • A mesh that no mosquito, no-see-um, or flying pest can beat.

  • Privacy on command. Views when you want them.

Disappearing walls that appear in seconds. Invisible protection, visible freedom.

It’s not one product solving one problem. It’s one technology solving every problem we outlined in Part Two—at the same time.

The Storm You Don’t See Coming

Florida has endured 80+ hurricanes since 2000 (noaa.gov), but that’s not the real number that matters. The real number is the thousands of ordinary summer storms—the ones that appear with five minutes’ warning and scatter your patio life three times a week.

Storm panels? Great—if you’re home, if you’re strong enough to mount them, if you’re willing to do it 20 times a year. That’s $1,000 annually just in prep labor.

Motorized hurricane-rated screens? One tap. Forty-five seconds. Done.

They don’t just protect you from the big one. They protect you from every one.

The Secret Your Power Company Hates

Here’s the dirty little secret: up to 50% of your cooling load comes from solar heat gain (energy.gov). That patio you love? It’s cooking your AC bill.

Motorized solar screens slam the brakes on that heat before it reaches your home. The result:

  • Indoor temps drop by as much as 15°F.

  • Cooling costs fall 25–40%.

  • That’s $300–600 a year saved. Over 20 years? $6,000–12,000 back in your pocket.

And in winter? Those same screens trap warmth, cutting heat loss. One product that works in both directions.

The Bug Myth Ends Here

You’ve tried the candles. The sprays. The zappers. Admit it—they’re theater.

77% of homeowners say they underuse their patios, and insects are a top reason (icfanet.org).

Motorized insect screens are the first real solution. Mesh tight enough for no-see-ums, open enough for air and light. Suddenly dusk is dinner time, not retreat time. Kids can play. Guests can stay. And you can finally stop burning citronella like incense in a lost cause.

Privacy, Rewritten

Fences make prisons. Hedges take years. Lattice looks like an afterthought.

Motorized screens let you choose:

  • Sanctuary when you want it.

  • Sunset when you don’t.

  • Noise muted, neighbors blocked, dignity restored.

Not hiding—deciding.

From Reactive to Proactive

Most patio “solutions” make you react. Sun comes out, you scramble. Bugs arrive, you spray. Storm hits, you run.

Smart screens anticipate.

  • Wind sensors retract automatically before damage.

  • Sun sensors deploy before glare blinds your dinner.

  • Rain sensors drop screens before the first splash hits your cushions.

Protection, automated. Weather, irrelevant.

The Convenience Multiplier

Every failed protection system shares one flaw: effort.
If it takes ladders, tools, or storage, it won’t get used.

Motorized screens erase effort.

  • One button. Forty-five seconds. Done.

  • No jams. No sagging. No excuses.

Older homeowners keep their independence. Younger families keep their sanity. Everyone keeps their patio.

The Investment Math

Yes, they cost $7,000–$25,000. But here’s what they save:

  • $300–600 a year in energy.

  • $1,000+ a year in storm prep.

  • $600–800 per season in pest control.

  • Thousands in furniture replacement.

  • 60–80% of value added back at resale.

  • Insurance discounts where hurricane ratings apply.

Do the math: most systems pay for themselves in 5–7 years. After that, they’re not an expense—they’re a profit.

The Choice Every Homeowner Faces

Keep playing defense. Keep hauling cushions. Keep canceling dinners. Keep losing evenings to bugs and afternoons to heat.

Or install the one system that solves every single one of those problems at once.

Here’s the truth: homeowners with motorized screens don’t talk about the screens. They talk about their lives.

  • The birthday parties that didn’t move inside.

  • The work calls that stayed professional through storms.

  • The mornings, the evenings, the hours reclaimed.

It’s not about having screens. It’s about finally having control.

The Technology That Changed Sarah’s Tuesday

Sarah wasn’t sipping her wine thinking about ROI. She wasn’t calculating energy savings. She wasn’t bragging about features.

She was living.
On her patio.
In the middle of a Florida thunderstorm.

And that’s the point.

Motorized screens aren’t protection. They’re permission. Permission to actually use the patio you paid for—every day, in every season, against every element.

motorized patio screensbenefits of motorized screens for patioscost of motorized screens vs storm panelsenergy savings with solar motorized screenspatio shade and insect protection
blog author image

Khudakoz

Kip Hudakozs is the world renouned author that writes about the outdoor spaces.

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