Unique New, Do-it-Yourself Kit Makes Home Windows Virtually Unbreakable,
at a Fraction of the Cost of Professional Installation
First Defense(TM) Home Window System Protects Against Hurricanes, Flying Debris,
Vandalism and More

Homeowners living in the hurricane belt, on golf courses, in areas of potential vandalism or anywhere there's a chance windows can be shattered by various types of impact can now sleep easier at night knowing their windows are safe and virtually unbreakable. And the best part is they don't have to spend thousands of dollars paying a contractor to apply film or, nail up unsightly sheets of plywood.

That's because Glass Strengthening Systems (GSS), a Central Florida company, has introduced the First Defense(TM) Window Protection System, the first-ever do-it-yourself kit for homeowners that makes protecting windows literally as easy as 1-2-3.

GSS, a recognized worldwide leader in developing large scale glass protection solutions, created First Defense using the same highly effective technology and components that have proven themselves in the company's numerous commercial and military applications.

"The System is the world's first completely self-contained window protection kit for home use. It allows homeowners to protect their windows from virtually any type of damage-causing impact at a fraction of the cost of hiring a contractor to do a similar installation," says Mark Gaston, president of GSS.

A resident of Altamonte Springs, Florida, Gaston has seen firsthand the devastation caused by hurricanes and tornadoes, as well as other forms of impact. Last year, he began thinking about how his commercial products would provide the ideal solution for homeowners wary of damage-causing impact. So he developed the First Defense System as a kit for use at home.

The kit is now available via the GSS web site at www.glassstrengthening.com, and the company is now in discussions to make the kit available in major retail sales channels as well. Additional products and materials can be ordered as needed from the web site, as well.

The First Defense System is made in the USA. Each kit is backed by a 10-year warranty. Customer and technical support is available by telephone.

Glass Strengthening Systems is the world leader in glass strengthening technology and products. Until now, First Defense technology was only available via professional contractors for installation.

First Defense Fact Sheet

First Defense(TM) Kit Components Each First Defense kit provides the following materials:
• Special film and a proprietary mounting solution (enough to cover about 250 sq. ft. of flat glass--about a third to half the windows in an average-sized house) Specially-designed tools for applying the film and solution.
• Easy-to-follow instructions that enable anyone to apply a tough, protective, clear shield that will make windows virtually impervious to just about any type of impact that would break most ordinary windows.

First Defense protects windows from an extensive range of impacts, including:
• High winds from hurricanes
• Tornadoes
• Tree branches
• Flying debris
• Hailstorms
• Thunderstorms
• Flying creatures, like birds, bats and others
• Acts of vandalism
• Thrown rocks and bricks
• Wayward balls--baseballs, softballs, golf balls and others
• Frisbees Archery arrows Shooting fireworks, like bottle rockets
• Boomerangs
• BBs shot from guns
• Items launched by slingshots

Customer Benefits of First Defense-Treated Windows Include:
• Unparalleled protection from severe weather, including hurricanes and tornadoes. With First Defense installed, there is no need to put wood over windows to protect them.
• From an aesthetic perspective, there are no unsightly nail or screw holes marking the window frame after the extreme weather has passed.
• Protection from flying debris, hail, wayward balls, rocks, bricks, acts of "breaking-and-entering" vandalism and more.
• Energy savings. First Defense-treated windows reflect 99% of damaging ultraviolet rays.
• It can reduce residential heating bills by up to 8 percent.
• Significant reduction of outside noise--up to 20 decibels. First Defense's high-tech polymer product is recognized by most major insurance companies and power companies for additional discounts.

Points of Differentiation
The product's advantages and unique points of differentiation are many. Among them:
• First Defense provides 99% optical clarity, more than any window product on the market.
• First Defense offers a 95% or greater rate of bonding (compared with 80 to 85% rate offered by other products).
• First Defense-treated windows take 21 days or less to cure (as compared to 90 days or more with other products).

Pricing
Suggested retail price is $700 per kit, which covers 250 sq. ft. , a significant cost savings when compared to the cost of professional installation, which would be in the $2,500 to $3,000 range for the same amount of coverage. Given these benefits, we estimate that the product would pay for itself in about five years.

Copyright © 2006 by John Fries, Pittsburgh, PA.