code: public Float convertStringToFloat(String value) {
          Float result;
          try {
              result = Float.valueOf(value);
          } catch (NumberFormatException e) {
              result = DEFAULT_FLOAT_VALUE;
          }
          return result;
      }
docs: Convert the given value to a {@link Float}. If the value is not in a
  valid numeric format, then a default value is returned.
  
  @param value The value to convert
  
  @return The converted numeric value
  
  @see #isFloat(String)
  @see Float#valueOf(String)