STS Impact Windows, Doors & Roofing is a veteran-owned company based in South Florida that specializes in premium hurricane protection solutions, including impact windows, doors, custom storefronts, and roofing. Combining over 25 years of industry experience with military precision, STS provides expert installation, full transparency, and outstanding customer service, backed by a leading 3-year installation warranty. Their comprehensive services ensure security and peace of mind for both residential and commercial clients, with a strong focus on quality, reliability, and efficiency.
View on Google MapsSTS 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 way next-door neighbors track tropical waves, the pre-storm rush to stock up, and the ritual of hauling ladders to mount panels. After twenty years defining, installing, and fixing structure envelopes from Secret Largo to Palm Beach, I've seen what holds up and what doesn't. When the goal is real security with year-round comfort, Miami-Dade authorized, energy‑efficient effect windows outperform shutters in manner ins which exceed storm day. They change how a home feels in August, how quiet your living room stays on a Saturday night, and how confident you are when a storm line spins up quicker than predicted.
This is a practical take a look at why numerous South Florida homeowners are moving from shutters to hurricane impact-resistant windows, how to read the standards behind "Miami-Dade approved," what materials matter, and how to get the installation right the very first time.
Miami-Dade County's Item Control Division sets one of the toughest standards in the nation for building elements exposed to windborne particles. Approval is not a marketing sticker label. It is earned through specific lab tests that imitate real cyclone conditions.
First comes large missile effect. A 9-pound 2x4 is contended the glass at approximately 34 miles per hour. That simulates roofing tiles, branches, or pieces of fencing that fly in the eyewall. After the effect, the same system faces cyclic pressure loading, thousands of pressurization and depressurization cycles that mimic quick wind gusts over hours. If the glass remains in the frame without letting the envelope breach, it passes. The distinction in between "fulfills Florida building code windows" and "Miami-Dade approved windows" frequently lives in these test limits. Miami-Dade is just stiffer, especially in High Speed Hurricane Zone requirements, that include Miami-Dade and Broward.
Wind rankings vary by opening size and design pressures, signified as PSF values. On ocean-facing properties or high-rises, I often specify systems rated at +60/ -80 PSF or greater. Inland or in more safeguarded exposures, scores in the +45/ -60 PSF range can be adequate, but you size and specification based on the site's wind map, building height, and surrounding structures. An expert knows that a corner direct exposure at the second story demands different support than a sheltered window under a deep porch.
Hurricane shutters vs impact windows is not a one-to-one contrast. Shutters can meet code, and they're much better than absolutely nothing. But they ask you to do work at the worst possible time. When a watch turns to a warning and the forecast track tightens up, the last thing you desire is a ladder, a dead cordless drill, and a missing wing nut.
Impact windows live in place. You get continuous defense, 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 essentially a sandwich: 2 panes of glass bonded by a resistant interlayer, usually PVB interlayer glass or SentryGlas. That interlayer damps sound. On tasks along hectic passages like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight courses, I have actually determined interior sound drops in the 5 to 10 decibel range, often more when paired with insulated glass units.
Security enhances due to the fact that laminated glass withstands required entry. A robber can shatter the external lite with a hammer, but the interlayer holds the fragments. They satisfy a sticky, stubborn membrane rather of a quick course inside. Insurance coverage underwriters know this, which is why policies typically use credits for effect doors and windows. In my jobs, premiums typically drop 10 to 25 percent, depending upon the carrier and the number of openings are protected.
Energy performance is the 3rd pillar. Energy-efficient impact windows with modern-day low-E effect glass and warm-edge spacers can cut solar heat gain while maintaining noticeable light. That means less a/c demand, specifically on west and south exposures where the afternoon sun penalizes interiors. In one Coral Gables retrofit, we changed 1980s single-pane sliders with laminated low-E effect systems. Summer season afternoon peak load come by roughly a lots of cooling, and the home's yearly electrical energy use fell between 12 and 18 percent. Outcomes vary with shading, attic insulation, and heating and cooling effectiveness, however the direction is consistent.
Laminated impact glass is the heart of the system, however not all laminated products are equal.
Most residential hurricane windows utilize a PVB interlayer glass stack, typically 0.030 to 0.090 inches thick in single or numerous plies. Thicker interlayers improve impact resistance and sound control, however they include weight and cost. For oceanfront or high openings, you might see SGP (ionoplast) interlayers, which are stiffer and more powerful than PVB, enabling thinner areas to attain greater style pressures. For noise-sensitive sites, acoustic PVB solutions fine-tune the polymer to better take in sound in the 1,000 to 3,000 Hz variety, where traffic and voices sit.
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Tempered glass windows show up often in discussions since tempered glass is stronger 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 typhoon sense. When it stops working, it blows up into small cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening susceptible. The effect efficiency comes from laminated building and construction, not tempering by itself. Lots of systems utilize a tempered outer lite laminated to an annealed inner lite, or both tempered, but constantly bonded through a PVB or ionoplast interlayer.
Low-E finishings matter for convenience. A soft-coat low-E tuned for South Florida generally targets a solar heat gain coefficient in the 0.25 to 0.35 range while keeping noticeable light transmission around 50 percent or greater. Go too short on SHGC and the glass can look gray or green, especially in bigger openings. The sweet spot depends on your exterior orientation and shading. On east and west elevations, I frequently tighten up SHGC and accept a minor tint to handle morning and afternoon blasts. On north elevations, I lean toward higher visible transmittance for daylighting.
Frames are the other half of the story. Aluminum frames dominate here since they deal with large openings and will not swell. Thermal breaks and enhanced glazing gaskets have narrowed hurricane impact-resistant windows the energy gap with vinyl. Premium vinyl effect frames, when strengthened effectively, can carry out well for standard-sized openings and have much better insulating worths, however I prevent them for really large sliders or high storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad units look gorgeous in older Mediterranean Revival homes, however they require careful maintenance and clever flashing. The Florida sun destroys inexpensive vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum surfaces rapidly. Search for powder-coated finishes rated for coastal direct exposure, and request composed guarantee information in salt-air environments.
Window setup can make or break efficiency. An expensive system installed like a handyman swap-out will not pass a storm's tension test. The load course is the core. Impact forces have 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 building and construction, you desire stainless or hot-dipped galvanized anchors embedded into strong product. Hollow cells should be grouted or you need to hit the bond beam. Tapcons in soft, unfilled block are a failure waiting to happen. In wood-framed homes, structural screws should bite into strong trimmers, not simply sheathing. Shimming and plumb alignment matter so the locks engage easily and the weatherstripping compresses evenly.
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The sealant joint is not just visual. An appropriately sized backer rod and high-quality polyurethane or silyl-modified polymer sealant produce a long lasting, flexible seal that deals with thermal growth. Too small a bead and it tears under movement. Too huge and it cures poorly. On coastal tasks, I never combine different metals without a barrier, and I always define 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 depend on sealant alone, water will discover its way in. That wetness might not show up as a drip. It may rot a sill plate gradually, then betray itself as a buckling floor or a moldy odor 2 typhoon seasons later.
I have nothing against properly designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are kept and lubricated, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even removable panels saved thoroughly can secure homes effectively. They likewise help in specific cases.
Second homes or seasonal leasings where budget plan is tight sometimes lean on shutters to fulfill the Florida building code windows requirement for protected openings. On specialized openings like a lanai that is seldom used in summer season, a tidy motorized roll-down can be sensible, specifically if coupling with effect doors and windows in other places worries the spending plan. For homeowners who prepare to move within a year, shutters can be a brief bridge to compliance before a sale.
But shutters bring trade-offs. They darken your home when deployed, and they require action at exactly the time you are managing insurance coverage papers, gas cans, and household logistics. During Hurricane Irma, I saw a next-door neighbor try to mount steel panels hours before landfall. The ladder sank in saturated soil, a panel slipped, and we spent the next hour in the immediate care waiting space. He endured with stitches. His living-room window did not. Shutters likewise rattle and can vibrate under sustained winds, sometimes loosening up fasteners over time if not maintained.
For long-lasting owners who want to set it and forget it, effect windows give hurricane evidence windows coverage while protecting daytime and view. The convenience grows valuable once you have actually experienced one storm season with zero preparation beyond locking the sash.
South Florida homes battle 2 battles: hidden load from humidity and reasonable load from direct solar heat gain. Effect glass upgrades can assist both if defined intelligently.
Low-E impact glass utilizes microscopically thin metallic layers to reflect infrared energy while letting noticeable light through. With the best finishing stacks, you can obstruct a large portion of radiant heat and UV. UV clog in laminated units comes mainly from the interlayer itself, which usually filters 95 to 99 percent of UV, lowering fading of materials and flooring. Add the low-E, and you curb the solar heat that drives your air conditioning crazy midafternoon.
I examine glass specifications with 3 numbers: U-factor, SHGC, and VT. While U-factor matters more up north, it still helps here by minimizing nighttime heat flow and keeping the interior glass temperature level closer to room temperature level, which lowers condensation danger. SHGC drives how much solar heat enters. VT influences how intense the interior feels. Balance is key. Some homeowners want the crisp, clear appearance of higher VT, even if it suggests accepting a few degrees more heat in late afternoon, because their landscaping and roofing overhangs already do some shading. Others choose a more powerful tint for glare control on waterside lots that show harsh light.
In practical terms, going from clear single-pane sliders to contemporary low-E laminated double-glazed units can reduce peak solar gains by 30 to 50 percent on the most exposed sides. Couple that with tuned overhangs, light-colored outside surfaces, and a properly sized variable-speed heating and cooling, and you begin to build strength. If the grid goes down and you change to a generator, a lower cooling load implies a smaller sized generator and fewer gallons of fuel.
Miami-Dade Notice of Approval, or NOA, is the file you request for. It information the authorized configurations, sizes, anchors, and pressures checked. It is inadequate to hear "these are Miami-Dade authorized windows" in a showroom. Validate the NOA matches the precise design and alternatives you are purchasing, consisting of the glazing makeup and hardware. If you are in Broward or Miami-Dade, your allowing workplace will desire this paper trail.
Statewide, the Florida Product Approval system provides FL numbers that show code compliance. In the rest of the state outside the High Speed Typhoon Zone, Florida building code windows can count on Florida Product Approval without Miami-Dade specific NOAs. Numerous leading producers carry both. Where budgets permit, I choose NOA items even outside the zone due to the fact that the testing is stiffer.
NFRC labels deal with energy metrics. They will not inform you effect efficiency, however they show U-factor, SHGC, VT, and air leak. Go for air leakage at or below 0.3 cfm/ft TWO. Tighter is better for humidity control, but make certain your home still has actually balanced ventilation. Sealing the envelope and ignoring fresh air is a dish for indoor air quality complaints.
Impact windows cost more in advance than shutters. There's no spin around that. Installed expenses vary with size, shape, finish, and gain access to. On simple single-family homes, per-opening expenses frequently land between 1,200 and 3,000 dollars for basic sizes. Large multi-panel sliders, customized arches, and coastal-grade finishes raise the numbers quickly.
Where you recover value:
If you plan to own the property for five years or more, the math frequently tilts in favor of impact windows, especially when you factor the intangible of assurance. If you prepare to sell within a year and need to show compliance quickly, shutters might make more short-term sense. Context matters.
I pay attention to hardware and devices. Multi-point locks on casements and awnings improve seal compression and security. For sliders, robust tandem rollers in stainless housings glide smoother and last longer on sandy patios. Look at the sill style on sliding doors. Weep systems need to be engineered 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 toward neighboring residential or commercial properties. In seaside ecosystems, extremely reflective glass can confuse birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Regional pros understand which coverings balance performance with compliance.
Color stability is a huge offer. Dark bronze or black frames look wonderful on modern homes, however in Florida sun inexpensive finishes chalk and fade. AAMA 2605-rated coverings supply the best color retention and chalk resistance. I define them for coastal direct exposures whenever budgets allow.

Historic districts often need profiles that imitate old wood sash sightlines. There are impact-rated windows that fit these requirements, but lead times lengthen and costs climb. Anticipate extra review by architectural boards, and line up a contractor acquainted with these submissions.
Condos have another layer of governance. Associations sometimes specify a narrow list of authorized items for harmony. They likewise appreciate noise control between units. If your structure sits directly on Collins Opportunity or faces a hectic beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated options. Deal with building management on staging and lift access. Weekend work windows and restricted parking can add days and dollars.
Large openings, like a 16-foot-wide slider, require unique attention in style pressure, deflection, and running hardware. Not every system that looks sturdy in a display room fulfills the wind loads on a ninth-floor veranda. Do not depend on catalog optimum sizes. Use the NOA tables that represent your site's zone, positive and unfavorable pressures, and mullion combinations if any.
The finest projects begin with a measured survey and direct exposure analysis. You map each opening, note the substrate, and determine any framing irregularities or settlement cracks. During proposition, the professional shows you the NOA and the Florida Item Approval, lists anchor types, and explains how each opening will be flashed and sealed. They plan for stucco or drywall repair work, not pretend no damage will occur.
On set up day, they get rid of one opening at a time to keep your house secure. They protect floorings, pull back window treatments, and cap sprinklers. Old frames come out with care to preserve interior finishes. New units get dry-fit, shimmed, and anchored per the schedule. The team checks squareness and diagonals before setting sealant. They photograph anchors for the license file, particularly if they will be hidden. After glazing, they water-test with a regulated spray to confirm drainage courses and seals. The inspector sees a cool jobsite, clear labels, and documents in order.
Six months later on, your windows still close with two fingers, locks bite smoothly, and there is no secret rattle during thunderstorms. You did not have to require a roller change after the very first week. That is the standard.
Impact score does not equivalent breakproof. Laminated glass can split under severe effects, however it must remain in the frame and hold together. After a storm that sends out particles into the glass, you may see star fractures or spidering. The window did its task. Replace the sash or IGU after the event.
Window movies do not transform non-impact windows into cyclone impact-resistant windows. They can include shatter resistance, but they do not substitute for a tested, anchored system. Your insurance company and building department will not count movies as secured openings.
Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient effect windows minimize air leakage. That's great, however it increases the importance of an appropriately sized heating and cooling with great dehumidification. If your system is oversized, the thermostat satisfies rapidly and fails to pull enough moisture from the air. Ask your HVAC pro to examine practical heat ratio, air flow, 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 lube hardware each year with a silicone-based product that will not gum up in heat. Little routines extend lifespan.
There are legitimate reasons to mix options. A pair of seldom utilized garage windows can keep detachable panels to shave spending plan. A deep-set patio with minimal sun direct exposure may do great with accordion shutters if you focus on other upgrades like a brand-new roofing deck attachment or a prepared garage door. Shutters can likewise safeguard outdoor cooking areas or cabana openings where grease and smoke would age expensive hardware prematurely.
If you pick shutters, purchase quality. Stainless fasteners, smooth tracks, and motors with handbook overrides for roll-downs make a difference. Assign obligation for implementation and practice once beyond a storm watch. Inventory your hardware. The day you require 32 wing nuts is not the morning you want to discover you have 29.
Impact windows are not just about surviving the huge one. They reshape daily living. The living-room remains cooler and quieter. The a/c cycles calmly rather of racing at 4 p.m. You sleep without freight trains of wind noise when a squall line passes at 2 a.m. When a hurricane threatens, your preparation list gets much shorter. You lock the sashes, set storm mode on the alarm, and focus on coastal building codes people rather than panels.
For much of my customers, that intangible is the choosing factor. They understand storms will come. They likewise know life in South Florida is too excellent to live inside a fortress that only gets up in August. Miami-Dade approved windows give you both: a clear view of Biscayne Bay on a breezy February morning and quiet self-confidence when the spaghetti models point our method September.
If you are weighing the choice, begin with a site-specific evaluation. Match your exposures to create pressures, choose the best laminated glass stack for wind and heat, select frames that fit the architecture and conditions, and work with a team that respects the load path. Done right, energy‑efficient impact windows deliver what shutters can not: protection that never ever requests a ladder and a much better home every day of the year.