Here in Florida, everyone understands the significance of impact window and door items that will resist extreme hurricane winds. Today, newly built homes in prone hurricane regions need hurricane windows and doors.
However, most homeowners nowadays don’t know much or are familiar with the benefits of these products. Therefore, when you want to install new impact windows in Tampa, FL, what should you have to know as a customer?
Our experts will help you familiarize yourself with impact window and door items to comprehend their pros and cons. Here are some details to kick you off:
How do Manufacturers make Hurricane Windows?
After Hurricane Andrew destroyed homes in Florida in 1992, the state improved its building code requirements to address the many window failures during that storm. So, they needed some help, and the car industry needed glass solutions that were impact-resistant, which was their Godsend.
Manufacturers responded quickly by making hurricane-resistant windows. These windows had reinforced frames and tempered laminated glass. What type of glass is that?
Types of Impact Window Glass
Tempered glass is more than five times stronger than regular glass. The manufacturers make it by heating and cooling the glass afterward to room temperature. An incredible advantage of tempered glass is when breakage happens, it breaks into many small harmless pebbles that fall all over.
Thus, it is likewise named safety glass. Laminated glass is made by joining two pieces of glass and a layer of vinyl, which bonds the two pieces together. As a result, when the glass breaks, the glass won’t shatter and fall to the ground in many parts. Instead, the vinyl interlayer will hold the broken glass in its original shape.
Tempered-covered glass is a hybrid of tempered and laminated glass. It combines tempered glass’s strength and safety with laminated glass’s impact resistance.
Pros of Hurricane Windows
You may imagine that the essential advantage of impact windows is preventing water and debris from entering and destroying a home. Although that is true, the best benefit of hurricane windows is structural.
Most destroyed houses in a storm are the result of unexpected pressure changes caused by the home’s windows and doors failing and a blowout.
The quick increase in air pressure can collapse the house, blowing the rooftop off and collapsing the walls. Different pros of impact windows include:
- There is no visual sign that you have installed a hurricane-rated window.
- They are energy-efficient.
- Impact windows lower sound pollution like cars and people.
- Impact windows can prevent burglar attacks thanks to tempered laminated glass. A criminal will fail if they attempt to enter your home through your impact windows and doors.
- You can probably lower your insurance rates by hiring an expert impact window company to install impact windows.
Cons of Hurricane Windows
The pros of impact windows appear endless when you live in a hurricane-prone region. However, that doesn’t mean the cons don’t exist. They do, and they matter. As you assess whether it’s the right time to upgrade your home’s storm security, consider the following points.
- Making an impact window costs more than making a standard regular window, which can add some dollars to the construction cost and project.
- Some low-quality hurricane windows will begin to yellow, making visibility difficult through the window.
- Even though impact windows can prevent hurricane winds from entering a home, no window or glass is destruction-proof.
Impact Window Installation
A reliable window company should install your impact windows and doors so they will perform under the extreme conditions you will encounter. Unfortunately, few contractors can install the many impact windows and doors available.
They probably lack the knowledge or training to install a specific maker’s hurricane-rated window system.
Ensure your installer can properly install the windows to prevent future warranty voidance issues. The cost of hurricane impact windows in Florida is worth twofold when a hurricane hits your neighborhood.
Our Impact Window Company Offers No-Cost Consultation
Homeowners who install the best impact windows in Florida will rest much better knowing their house is ready for anything Mother Nature throws its way, even a criminal.
The pros of purchasing and installing hurricane windows are worth every penny. If you’re still unsure, call us or stop by our showroom in the Clearwater area.
