Hurricane-Proof Assurance: Selecting Miami-Dade Approved, Energy‑Efficient Impact Windows Over Shutters

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STS Impact Windows and Doors is based in Boca Raton Florida
STS Impact Windows and Doors is located at 1000 Holland Dr Suite 10 Boca Raton FL 33487 United States
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STS Impact Windows and Doors specializes in hurricane protection solutions
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STS Impact Windows and Doors provides impact doors
STS Impact Windows and Doors provides custom storefronts
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STS Impact Windows and Doors provides outstanding customer service
STS Impact Windows and Doors has over 25 years of industry experience
STS Impact Windows and Doors offers a 3 year installation warranty
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People Also Ask about STS Impact Windows and Doors

What does STS Impact Windows and Doors do?

STS Impact Windows and Doors specializes in hurricane protection solutions, offering high-quality impact windows, storm-resistant doors, custom storefronts, and professional roofing services. With expert installation, full transparency, and outstanding customer service, the company ensures homes and businesses stay secure and energy-efficient.

Where is STS Impact Windows and Doors located?

STS Impact Windows and Doors is located at 1000 Holland Dr Suite 10, Boca Raton, FL 33487, United States. The company proudly serves residential and commercial clients across Florida and throughout the United States, delivering reliable storm protection solutions. View their location on Google Maps.

Is STS Impact Windows and Doors a veteran-owned business?

Yes, STS Impact Windows and Doors is a veteran-owned company recognized for its dedication, integrity, and service to the community. This background adds an extra level of trust and reliability for homeowners and businesses seeking storm protection solutions.

What services does STS Impact Windows and Doors provide?

STS Impact Windows and Doors provides a wide range of services including the installation of hurricane impact windows, impact doors, custom commercial storefronts, and roofing services. Each project is backed by expert craftsmanship, a 3-year installation warranty, and over 25 years of industry experience.

Who does STS Impact Windows and Doors serve?

The company proudly serves both residential homeowners and commercial property owners. From protecting family homes to fortifying businesses with hurricane-rated storefronts, STS Impact Windows and Doors delivers customized solutions that ensure safety, durability, and efficiency.

What are the benefits of choosing STS Impact Windows and Doors?

Clients benefit from the company’s focus on quality, reliability, and efficiency. Their impact-resistant windows and doors not only enhance security and hurricane protection but also improve energy efficiency, reduce noise, and increase property value. With a 3-year installation warranty, customers can trust in long-term performance and peace of mind.

What awards has STS Impact Windows and Doors won?

STS Impact Windows and Doors has been recognized with multiple industry honors, including the South Florida Veteran Owned Business Excellence Award, Best Hurricane Protection Provider 2023 Florida, and the Angi’s Super Service Award for Window Installation. These awards highlight their commitment to excellence, customer satisfaction, and industry leadership.

How can I contact STS Impact Windows and Doors?

You can reach STS Impact Windows and Doors by phone at 561-600-1018 or visit their website at stswindows.com. They are open Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm and are available on Facebook and Instagram for updates and project showcases.

Business Name: STS Impact Windows & Doors
Address: 1000 Holland Dr #10, Boca Raton, FL 33487, United States
Phone: (561)-600-1018

Hurricane season shapes life along Florida's coasts. You feel it in the method neighbors track tropical waves, the pre-storm rush to stockpile, and the ritual of hauling ladders to install panels. After 20 years specifying, setting up, and troubleshooting structure envelopes from Secret Largo to Palm Beach, I have actually seen what holds up and what doesn't. When the objective is genuine defense with year-round comfort, Miami-Dade approved, energy‑efficient effect windows surpass shutters in ways that surpass storm day. They alter how a house feels in August, how quiet your living room remains on a Saturday night, and how confident you are when a storm line spins up faster than predicted.

This is a practical look at why lots of South Florida house owners are moving from shutters to cyclone impact-resistant windows, how to check out the standards behind "Miami-Dade approved," what products matter, and how to get the setup right the very first time.

What "Miami-Dade Approved" in fact means

Miami-Dade County's Product Control Division sets among the hardest criteria in the nation for building elements exposed to windborne particles. Approval is not a marketing sticker. It is earned through particular lab tests that mimic genuine cyclone conditions.

First comes big rocket impact. A 9-pound 2x4 is shot at the glass at roughly 34 miles per hour. That simulates roof tiles, branches, or pieces of fencing that fly in the eyewall. After the impact, the exact same unit deals with cyclic pressure loading, thousands of pressurization and depressurization cycles that imitate fast wind gusts over hours. If the glass remains in the frame without letting the envelope breach, it passes. The difference in between "satisfies Florida building code windows" and "Miami-Dade approved windows" frequently lives in these test limits. Miami-Dade is merely stiffer, particularly in High Speed Typhoon Zone requirements, that include Miami-Dade and Broward.

Wind scores differ by opening size and style pressures, denoted as PSF worths. On ocean-facing homes or high-rises, I typically define units ranked at +60/ -80 PSF or greater. Inland or in more secured exposures, rankings in the +45/ -60 PSF variety can suffice, however you size and spec based on the website's wind map, constructing height, and surrounding structures. An expert knows that a corner direct exposure at the second story demands different reinforcement than a heat-strengthened glass sheltered window under a deep porch.

Why impact windows alter the day-to-day experience, not just storm season

Hurricane shutters vs effect windows is not a one-to-one comparison. Shutters can satisfy code, and they're better than nothing. But they ask you to do operate at the worst possible time. When a watch turns to a warning and the projection track tightens, the last thing you want is a ladder, a dead cordless drill, and a missing wing nut.

Impact windows reside in location. You get constant protection, even if a pop-up storm surprises you while you're stuck on US 1. You also get benefits every day of the year.

Noise control is the most underappreciated advantage. Laminated impact glass is basically a sandwich: 2 panes of glass bonded by a durable interlayer, typically PVB interlayer glass or SentryGlas. That interlayer damps noise. On tasks along busy passages like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight paths, I've determined interior noise drops in the 5 to 10 decibel range, in some cases more when coupled with insulated glass units.

Security enhances since laminated glass withstands required entry. A robber can shatter the external lite with a hammer, however the interlayer holds the shards. They satisfy a sticky, persistent membrane instead of a quick path inside. Insurance coverage underwriters understand this, which is why policies frequently use credits for impact windows and doors. In my jobs, premiums typically drop 10 to 25 percent, depending upon the carrier and how many openings are protected.

Energy efficiency is the 3rd pillar. Energy-efficient effect windows with modern low-E effect glass and warm-edge spacers can cut solar heat gain while maintaining visible light. That suggests less cooling demand, particularly on west and south direct exposures where the afternoon sun penalizes interiors. In one Coral Gables retrofit, we changed 1980s single-pane sliders with laminated low-E effect units. Summer afternoon peak load stopped by approximately a lots of cooling, and the home's annual electricity usage fell between 12 and 18 percent. Results vary with shading, attic insulation, and heating and cooling effectiveness, however the instructions is consistent.

Material choices that matter: glass, interlayers, and frames

Laminated impact glass is the heart of the system, however not all laminated products are equal.

Most domestic typhoon windows use a PVB interlayer glass stack, frequently 0.030 to 0.090 inches thick in single or numerous plies. Thicker interlayers improve impact resistance and sound control, but they include weight and expense. For oceanfront or tall openings, you might see SGP (ionoplast) interlayers, which are stiffer and more powerful than PVB, allowing thinner sections to accomplish higher style pressures. For noise-sensitive sites, acoustic PVB formulas tweak the polymer to much better take in sound in the 1,000 to 3,000 Hz variety, where traffic and voices sit.

Tempered glass windows turn up typically in conversations because tempered glass is more powerful in bending than annealed glass. That's true, and tempered lites are typically utilized as the external or inner ply in an effect unit. But tempered alone is not impact-resistant in the hurricane sense. When it stops working, it blows up into little cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening susceptible. The effect efficiency originates from laminated building, not tempering by itself. Lots of systems use a tempered outer lite laminated to a hardened inner lite, or both tempered, however always bonded through a PVB or ionoplast interlayer.

Low-E finishings matter for convenience. A soft-coat low-E tuned for South Florida usually targets a solar heat gain coefficient in the 0.25 to 0.35 variety while keeping visible light transmission around half or higher. Go too short on SHGC and the glass can look gray or green, particularly in larger openings. The sweet spot depends on your façade orientation and shading. On east and west elevations, I often tighten up SHGC and accept a slight tint to manage early morning and afternoon blasts. On north elevations, I favor higher noticeable transmittance for daylighting.

Frames are the other half of the story. Aluminum frames control here because they manage big openings and won't swell. Thermal breaks and enhanced glazing gaskets have narrowed the energy space with vinyl. Top quality vinyl impact frames, when enhanced effectively, can perform well for standard-sized openings and have much better insulating values, but I avoid them for extremely wide sliders or high storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad units look beautiful in older Mediterranean Revival homes, but they demand careful maintenance and wise flashing. The Florida sun ruins inexpensive vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum surfaces rapidly. Look for powder-coated finishes rated for coastal direct exposure, and demand written warranty details in salt-air environments.

The covert hero: installation that respects the load path

Window setup can make or break performance. A costly system installed like a handyman swap-out will not pass a storm's tension test. The load path is the crux. Effect forces need to travel from the glass through the frame, to the anchors, into the substrate, and after that into the structure's framing or masonry.

In cinder block construction, you want stainless or hot-dipped galvanized anchors embedded into strong product. Hollow cells should be grouted or you require to strike the bond beam. Tapcons in soft, unfilled block are a failure waiting to take place. In wood-framed homes, structural screws need to bite into strong trimmers, not simply sheathing. Shimming and plumb positioning matter so the locks engage cleanly and the weatherstripping compresses evenly.

The sealant joint is not simply visual. An appropriately sized backer rod and high-quality polyurethane or silyl-modified polymer sealant create a resilient, versatile seal that deals with thermal expansion. Too small a bead and it tears under movement. Too big and it remedies improperly. On seaside jobs, I never combine different metals without a barrier, and I constantly specify corrosion-resistant fasteners. Ten years later on, you will see who took shortcuts.

Flashing is the other non-negotiable. Pan flashing at sills, self-adhered membranes at jambs and heads, and integration with the water-resistive barrier are essential. If you rely on sealant alone, water will find its way in. That moisture might disappoint up as a drip. It may rot a sill plate gradually, then betray itself as a buckling flooring or a musty odor 2 typhoon seasons later.

Shutters in the real world, and where they still make sense

I have absolutely nothing versus properly designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are maintained and lubed, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even removable panels kept thoroughly can protect homes successfully. They also assist in particular cases.

Second homes or seasonal leasings where budget is tight often lean on shutters to satisfy the Florida building regulations windows requirement for secured openings. On specialized openings like a lanai that is seldom used in summertime, a tidy motorized roll-down can be reasonable, particularly if pairing with effect windows and doors somewhere else worries the spending plan. For property owners who prepare to move within a year, shutters can be a short bridge to compliance before a sale.

But shutters bring trade-offs. They darken the house when released, and they require action at specifically the time you are handling insurance coverage papers, gas cans, and family logistics. During Hurricane Irma, I saw a next-door neighbor attempt to mount steel panels hours before landfall. The ladder sank in saturated soil, a panel slipped, and we invested the next hour in the urgent care waiting space. He made it through with stitches. His living-room window did not. Shutters also rattle and can vibrate under continual winds, often loosening fasteners with time if not maintained.

For long-term owners who wish to set it and forget it, effect windows provide hurricane evidence windows coverage while maintaining daytime and view. The benefit grows important once you've experienced one storm season with no preparation beyond locking the sash.

The energy story: how glass requirements translate to comfort and bills

South Florida homes fight two battles: hidden load from humidity and practical load from direct solar heat gain. Effect glass upgrades can assist both if specified intelligently.

Low-E effect glass utilizes microscopically thin metallic layers to reflect infrared energy while letting visible light through. With the best covering stacks, you can obstruct a large part of radiant heat and UV. UV blockage in laminated systems comes largely from the interlayer itself, which usually filters 95 to 99 percent of UV, minimizing fading of materials and floor covering. Add the low-E, and you suppress the solar heat that drives your air conditioner crazy midafternoon.

I evaluate glass specs with 3 numbers: U-factor, SHGC, and VT. While U-factor matters more up north, it still helps here by lowering nighttime heat flow and keeping the interior glass temperature level closer to room temperature, which decreases condensation danger. SHGC drives how much solar heat goes into. VT influences how intense the interior feels. Balance is key. Some house owners desire the crisp, clear look of greater VT, even if it means accepting a few degrees more heat in late afternoon, due to the fact that their landscaping and roofing system overhangs currently do some shading. Others prefer a stronger tint for glare control on waterside lots that reflect harsh light.

In practical terms, going from clear single-pane sliders to modern low-E laminated double-glazed systems can minimize peak solar gains by 30 to 50 percent on the most exposed sides. Couple that with tuned overhangs, light-colored exterior surfaces, and an appropriately sized variable-speed a/c, and you begin to develop strength. If the grid decreases and you change to a generator, a lower cooling load means a smaller generator and fewer gallons of fuel.

Reading labels and approvals without getting lost in alphabet soup

Miami-Dade Notice of Approval, or NOA, is the file you request for. It details the approved configurations, sizes, anchors, and pressures tested. It is inadequate to hear "these are Miami-Dade authorized windows" in a showroom. Validate the NOA matches the exact design and choices you are buying, including the glazing makeup and hardware. If you remain in Broward or Miami-Dade, your permitting workplace will want this paper trail.

Statewide, the Florida Item Approval system offers FL numbers that reveal code compliance. In the rest of the state outside the High Velocity Hurricane Zone, Florida building code windows can count on Florida Item Approval without Miami-Dade particular NOAs. Lots of leading manufacturers carry both. Where spending plans permit, I prefer NOA items even outside the zone due to the fact that the screening is stiffer.

NFRC labels manage energy metrics. They will not tell you effect efficiency, but they show U-factor, SHGC, VT, and air leak. Go for air leakage at or listed below 0.3 cfm/ft TWO. Tighter is much better for humidity control, however make certain your home still has actually balanced ventilation. Sealing the envelope and disregarding fresh air is a recipe for indoor air quality complaints.

Dollars and sense: what to expect on cost, cost savings, and resale

Impact windows cost more upfront than shutters. There's no spin around that. Installed costs differ with size, shape, surface, and gain access to. On simple single-family homes, per-opening costs typically land in between 1,200 and 3,000 dollars aesthetics curb appeal storm protection for basic sizes. Big multi-panel sliders, customized arches, and coastal-grade surfaces raise the numbers quickly.

Where you recover value:

• Insurance credits accumulate, often 10 to 25 percent off premiums when all openings are protected.
• Energy savings, usually 8 to 20 percent on yearly cooling costs in older homes after a complete window upgrade paired with sealing and attic improvements.
• Resale appeal, particularly in markets where buyers expect impact windows and doors as a baseline. A home with accordion shutters competes, however a home with storm effect windows shows much better, feels quieter, and usually evaluates stronger.

If you prepare to own the residential or commercial property for five years or more, the math often tilts in favor of effect windows, particularly when you factor the intangible of peace of mind. If you plan to offer within a year and require to show compliance rapidly, shutters might make more short-term sense. Context matters.

Details that separate excellent systems from excellent ones

I focus on hardware and accessories. Multi-point locks on casements and awnings improve seal compression and security. For sliders, robust tandem rollers in stainless real estates move smoother and last longer on sandy patios. Look at the sill design on moving doors. Weep systems need to be crafted to drain pipes heavy rainfall without letting wind-driven water blow back in. Ask to see a cutaway sample in the showroom.

Tint colors and reflectivity are more than fashion. Reflective movies can run afoul of neighborhood associations or produce mirror-like glare towards neighboring homes. In coastal ecosystems, extremely reflective glass can confuse birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Local pros know which coatings balance performance with compliance.

Color stability is a big offer. Dark bronze or black frames look wonderful on modern homes, but in Florida sun inexpensive finishes chalk and fade. AAMA 2605-rated finishings provide the best color retention and chalk resistance. I specify them for seaside direct exposures whenever spending plans allow.

Special cases: historical homes, apartments, and tricky openings

Historic districts frequently require profiles that imitate old wood sash sightlines. There are impact-rated windows that fit these requirements, however lead times extend and costs climb. Expect additional review by architectural boards, and line up a professional knowledgeable about these submissions.

Condos have another layer of governance. Associations sometimes specify a narrow list of approved products for harmony. They likewise care about sound control in between units. If your building sits straight on Collins Avenue or faces a busy beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated choices. Deal with building management on staging and lift access. Weekend work windows and limited parking can include days and dollars.

Large openings, like a 16-foot-wide slider, need unique attention in design pressure, deflection, and operating hardware. Not every system that looks durable in a showroom satisfies the wind loads on a ninth-floor balcony. Do not count on brochure optimum sizes. Utilize the NOA tables that correspond to your website's zone, positive and unfavorable pressures, and mullion combinations if any.

What a tidy project looks like from survey to final inspection

The best tasks begin with a measured survey and direct exposure analysis. You map each opening, keep in mind the substrate, and determine any framing irregularities or settlement cracks. During proposition, the contractor reveals you the NOA and the Florida Product Approval, lists anchor types, and discusses how each opening will be flashed and sealed. They prepare for stucco or drywall repair work, not pretend no damage will occur.

On install day, they get rid of one opening at a time to keep your house safe and secure. They protect floors, draw back window treatments, and cap sprinklers. Old frames come out with care to preserve interior surfaces. New systems get dry-fit, shimmed, and anchored per the schedule. The crew checks squareness and diagonals before setting sealant. They picture anchors for the license file, specifically if they will be concealed. After glazing, they water-test with a regulated spray to confirm drainage paths and seals. The inspector sees a neat jobsite, clear labels, and paperwork in order.

Six months later on, your windows still close with 2 fingers, locks bite efficiently, and there is no secret rattle throughout thunderstorms. You did not need to call for a roller change after the very first week. That is the standard.

Frequently misinterpreted points that cost house owners later

Impact score does not equivalent breakproof. Laminated glass can crack under serious impacts, but it needs to remain in the frame and hold together. After a storm that sends particles into the glass, you might see star cracks or spidering. The window did its job. Replace the sash or IGU after the event.

Window movies do not convert non-impact windows into cyclone impact-resistant windows. They can add shatter resistance, but they do not substitute for a tested, anchored system. Your insurance provider and building department will not count films as safeguarded openings.

Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient impact windows minimize air leakage. That's fantastic, however it increases the significance of a correctly sized a/c with excellent dehumidification. If your system is extra-large, the thermostat pleases rapidly and stops working to pull enough moisture from the air. Ask your a/c pro to check practical heat ratio, airflow, and run time. You desire constant, longer cycles, not short bursts.

Maintenance is uncomplicated but not optional. Clean weep holes on sliders, wash salt spray from frames, and oil hardware every year with a silicone-based product that will not gum up in heat. Little routines extend lifespan.

When shutters still belong in the conversation

There are legitimate factors to blend solutions. A pair of seldom utilized garage windows can keep detachable panels to shave budget. A deep-set deck with very little sun direct exposure may do fine with accordion shutters if you focus on other upgrades like a brand-new roof deck attachment or a fortified garage door. Shutters can likewise protect outside kitchen areas or cabana openings where grease and smoke would age expensive hardware prematurely.

If you pick shutters, invest in quality. Stainless fasteners, smooth tracks, and motors with handbook bypasses for roll-downs make a difference. Designate obligation for implementation and practice as soon as beyond a storm watch. Inventory your hardware. The day you need 32 wing nuts is not the early morning you wish to find you have 29.

The bottom line: peace of mind you can feel on a peaceful Tuesday

Impact windows are not just about surviving the huge one. They improve daily living. The living-room stays cooler and quieter. The air conditioner cycles calmly rather of racing at 4 p.m. You sleep without freight trains of wind sound when a squall line passes at 2 a.m. When a cyclone threatens, your preparation list gets shorter. You lock the sashes, set storm mode on the alarm, and concentrate on people rather than panels.

For a lot of my customers, that intangible is the deciding factor. They understand storms will come. They also know life in South Florida is too great to live inside a fortress that just awakens in August. Miami-Dade approved windows give you both: a clear view of Biscayne Bay on a breezy February early morning and peaceful self-confidence when the spaghetti designs point our way in September.

If you are weighing the choice, begin with a site-specific evaluation. Match your direct exposures to create pressures, pick the right laminated glass stack for wind and heat, choose frames that fit the architecture and conditions, and hire a crew that respects the load path. Done right, energy‑efficient impact windows provide what shutters can not: protection that never ever requests for a ladder and a better home every day of the year.