Do I Need a Pool Screen Enclosure in Tampa?

Tampa Homes and the Case for a Screened Pool

Tampa has been the seat of Hillsborough County since 1834 and became a city in 1855, but its modern growth started in the 1880s. Henry B. Plant’s South Florida Railroad reached town in 1884, and Plant opened his Tampa Bay Hotel on the Hillsborough River in 1891; the building now serves as the main hall of the University of Tampa. In 1886, Vicente Martinez Ybor began producing cigars in what became Ybor City, and Tampa earned the nickname “Cigar City.” By the 2020 census, the city had 384,959 residents, the third-largest population in Florida.

Tampa’s neighborhoods range from historic districts near downtown to newer subdivisions, but they share the same Gulf Coast conditions: long humid summers, near-daily wet-season storms, and a hurricane season that tests every outdoor structure. A screen enclosure keeps a Tampa pool clean, bug-free, and usable through all of it.

• Keeps mosquitoes off the pool deck through Tampa’s long wet season.
• Blocks oak leaves, palm debris, and storm litter from the water.
• Serves as a code-compliant pool safety barrier.
• Cuts weekly cleaning time and chemical costs.
• Filters direct sun on the patio and pool deck.
• Adds screened living space that can be used most of the year.

CRA’s Tampa-Area Office in Hillsborough County

CRA serves Tampa from its Hillsborough County office in Valrico, one of the company’s three Florida locations along with the corporate office in North Venice and a Fort Myers branch. Tampa homeowners work with a local team for consultation, measurement, and installation, backed by the same in-house design, engineering, and permitting staff that handles every CRA project. CRA is also a member of the Greater Brandon and Riverview chambers of commerce, both in eastern Hillsborough County.

• Hillsborough County office in Valrico serving Tampa and the surrounding area.
• Member of the Greater Brandon and Riverview chambers of commerce.
• Toll-free line: 855-272-2243.

Licensing, Patents, and Product Approvals

Commercial Residential Aluminum has been in business since 1992 and holds Florida State contractor licenses SCC056736, CGC058897, and CBC1270440. Its enclosures are built on the ChannelLock Self-Mating Beam, protected by nine U.S. patents and tested and approved as 40% stronger than industry-standard beams. The beam carries Florida Product Approval FL#19700 from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), and CRA’s products carry either a Florida Building Approval certification or a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA).

• Florida State Licensed Contractor, Lic. SCC056736, CGC058897, and CBC1270440.
• Nine U.S. patents on ChannelLock SMB and four on the ScenicView screening system.
• Florida Product Approval FL#19700; products carry Florida approval or a Miami-Dade NOA.

Awards, Recognition, and Industry Memberships

CRA’s recognition goes back well over a decade. The company won a Building of America Gold Medal in 2010 for customer service and production quality on the walkway covers it built for the Jordan School Restoration Project. It is an Accredited Better Business Bureau member with an A+ rating, a member of the Florida Aluminum Association, and a member of the National Association of Home Builders, where it participates on the Sales and Marketing Council.

• Building of America Gold Medal Winner, 2010.
• BBB Accredited with an A+ rating.
• Florida Aluminum Association and NAHB member.
• Community Associations Institute member and Young Builders Network participant.

CRA’s Full Product and Service Line in Tampa

Tampa homeowners can handle nearly every exterior aluminum project through CRA. The residential line covers new construction and replacement work, and the company also installs MagnaTrack retractable hurricane screens, which are rated for Category 5 hurricane protection and roll out of sight when the weather clears.

Commercial Aluminum Work in Hillsborough County

CRA’s customer base runs from individual homeowners to national homebuilders and commercial developers. The company’s management team brings more than 80 years of combined commercial aluminum experience and has worked on more than two million square feet of projects across more than 500 private and government properties. Commercial products include screen enclosures, bus stop shelters, Bahama shutter awnings, sunshades, carports, and aluminum fencing.

Conclusion

Tampa grew on railroads, cigars, and the waterfront, and its homes still face the full force of Gulf Coast weather. CRA’s Hillsborough County team pairs patented, DBPR-approved framing with a full line of enclosures, hurricane screens, and repairs. Request a free quote from CRA for your Tampa project, or call 855-272-2243.

FAQs

1: Where is CRA’s Tampa-area office? 

CRA’s Tampa-area office is in Valrico, in eastern Hillsborough County. It is one of three CRA locations in Florida, with the corporate office in North Venice and a branch in Fort Myers serving Southwest Florida.

2: Does CRA serve neighborhoods outside Tampa city limits? 

Yes. CRA’s Hillsborough County service area includes Tampa, Plant City, and Temple Terrace, and the company’s broader service list also names Brandon and Riverview. Homeowners outside those communities can call CRA to confirm coverage at a specific address.

3: Can CRA repair a pool cage that was damaged during the 2024 hurricane season? 

Yes. CRA handles pool cage repair, rescreening, and storm damage restoration. If the frame is still sound, a repair or rescreen is usually less costly than a new build. If the frame has failed, CRA can replace it with an enclosure built on its ChannelLock beam.

4: Are MagnaTrack hurricane screens available in Tampa? 

Yes. Tampa is on CRA’s MagnaTrack installation list. The Defender System is rated for Category 5 hurricane protection, and the same housing can hold solar or insect screens for everyday use on a lanai, patio, or pool enclosure.

5: Does CRA offer financing for Tampa projects? 

Yes. CRA offers flexible financing through Synchrony, and Tampa homeowners can pre-qualify or apply before starting a project. Terms depend on Synchrony’s approval.

6: How does CRA’s beam compare to the beam on an older Tampa enclosure? 

Most older enclosures use an industry-standard lap beam. Third-party testing exposed a critical failure point in that design, and CRA’s ChannelLock SMB was engineered to address it. The ChannelLock beam is tested and approved as 40% stronger and is the only beam currently carrying Florida Product Approval.