November 3, 2025

Hurricane-Proof Peace of Mind: Choosing Miami-Dade Approved, Energy‑Efficient Impact Windows Over Shutters

STS Impact Windows & Doors

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.

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1000 Holland Dr #10, Boca Raton, 33487, US

Business Hours

  • Monday: 08:00 - 17:00
  • Tuesday: 08:00 - 17:00
  • Wednesday: 08:00 - 17:00
  • Thursday: 08:00 - 17:00
  • Friday: 08:00 - 17:00
  • Saturday: Closed
  • Sunday: Closed
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STS Impact Windows and Doors is a business
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
STS Impact Windows and Doors operates in the United States
STS Impact Windows and Doors is a veteran owned company
STS Impact Windows and Doors specializes in hurricane protection solutions
STS Impact Windows and Doors provides impact windows
STS Impact Windows and Doors provides impact doors
STS Impact Windows and Doors provides custom storefronts
STS Impact Windows and Doors provides roofing services
STS Impact Windows and Doors provides expert installation
STS Impact Windows and Doors provides full transparency
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
STS Impact Windows and Doors serves residential clients
STS Impact Windows and Doors serves commercial clients
STS Impact Windows and Doors focuses on quality reliability and efficiency
STS Impact Windows and Doors has phone number 5616001018
STS Impact Windows and Doors has website https://stswindows.com/
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STS Impact Windows and Doors has opening hours Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm
STS Impact Windows and Doors was awarded South Florida Veteran Owned Business Excellence Award
STS Impact Windows and Doors was awarded Best Hurricane Protection Provider 2023 Florida
STS Impact Windows and Doors was awarded Angis Super Service Award for Window Installation

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 way next-door neighbors track tropical waves, the pre-storm rush to stock up, and the ritual of hauling ladders to mount panels. After 20 years defining, setting up, and repairing structure envelopes from Key Largo to Palm Beach, I've seen what holds up and what doesn't. When the goal is genuine security with year-round convenience, Miami-Dade approved, energy‑efficient effect windows outshine shutters in ways that surpass storm day. They alter how a home 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 take a look at why many South Florida property owners are moving from shutters to typhoon impact-resistant windows, how to read the requirements behind "Miami-Dade approved," what materials matter, and how to get the setup right the first time.

What "Miami-Dade Approved" really means

Miami-Dade County's Item Control Department sets one of the toughest standards in the country for constructing components exposed to windborne particles. Approval is not a marketing sticker. It is earned through particular laboratory tests that replicate genuine cyclone conditions.

First comes large rocket effect. A 9-pound 2x4 is shot at the glass at approximately 34 miles per hour. That mimics roofing system tiles, branches, or pieces of fencing that fly in the eyewall. After the effect, the exact same unit deals with cyclic pressure loading, countless 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 between "satisfies Florida building code windows" and "Miami-Dade authorized windows" typically lives in these test limits. Miami-Dade is simply stiffer, especially in High Speed Hurricane Zone requirements, which include Miami-Dade and Broward.

Wind rankings vary by opening size and design pressures, signified as PSF worths. On ocean-facing homes or high-rises, I often define systems rated at +60/ -80 PSF or higher. Inland or in more safeguarded direct exposures, ratings in the +45/ -60 PSF range can be sufficient, however you size and spec based on the website's wind map, building height, and surrounding structures. A professional knows that a corner direct exposure at the 2nd story demands different support than a sheltered window under a deep porch.

Why impact windows change the daily experience, not simply storm season

Hurricane shutters vs impact windows is not a one-to-one comparison. Shutters can meet code, and they're better than absolutely nothing. But they ask you to do work at the worst possible time. When a watch turns to a caution and the forecast track tightens up, buy hurricane proof windows Boca Raton the last thing you desire is a ladder, a dead cordless drill, and a missing wing nut.

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

Noise control is the most underappreciated advantage. Laminated effect glass is essentially a sandwich: two panes of glass bonded by a resistant interlayer, typically PVB interlayer glass or SentryGlas. That interlayer damps noise. On tasks along busy passages like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight courses, I've determined interior sound drops in the 5 to 10 decibel variety, in some cases more when paired with insulated glass units.

Security enhances since laminated glass resists required entry. A robber can shatter the outer lite with a hammer, however the interlayer holds the shards. They satisfy a sticky, stubborn membrane rather of a fast course inside. Insurance underwriters understand this, which is why policies typically use credits for impact doors and windows. In my jobs, premiums typically drop 10 to 25 percent, depending upon the provider and the number of openings are protected.

Energy performance is the 3rd pillar. Energy-efficient effect windows with modern-day low-E impact glass and warm-edge spacers can cut solar heat gain while preserving visible light. That implies less air conditioning demand, particularly 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 impact units. Summer afternoon peak load visited approximately a ton of cooling, and the home's yearly electricity usage fell between 12 and 18 percent. Results vary with shading, attic insulation, and heating and cooling efficiency, but the instructions is consistent.

Material options that matter: glass, interlayers, and frames

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

Most property hurricane windows utilize a PVB interlayer glass stack, commonly 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 expense. For oceanfront or tall openings, you might see SGP (ionoplast) interlayers, which are stiffer and more powerful than PVB, enabling thinner areas to accomplish greater style pressures. For noise-sensitive websites, acoustic PVB solutions modify the polymer to much better absorb noise in the 1,000 to 3,000 Hz variety, where traffic and voices sit.

Tempered glass windows turn up often in discussions due to the fact that tempered glass is more powerful in bending than annealed glass. That's true, and tempered lites are frequently utilized as the outer or inner ply in an effect unit. But tempered alone is not impact-resistant in the cyclone sense. When it stops working, it explodes into little cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening vulnerable. The effect efficiency originates from laminated building, not tempering by itself. Many 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 coverings matter for convenience. A soft-coat low-E tuned for South Florida normally targets a solar heat gain coefficient in the 0.25 to 0.35 range while keeping noticeable light transmission around 50 percent or higher. Go too low on SHGC and the glass can look gray or green, particularly in bigger openings. The sweet area depends on your façade orientation and shading. On east and west elevations, I often tighten up SHGC and accept a small tint to manage morning and afternoon blasts. On north elevations, I lean toward greater noticeable transmittance for daylighting.

Frames are the other half of the story. Aluminum frames dominate here since they handle large openings and will not swell. Thermal breaks and improved glazing gaskets have narrowed the energy space with vinyl. Premium vinyl effect frames, when strengthened effectively, can perform well for standard-sized openings and have much better insulating values, but I prevent them for very broad sliders or tall storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad units look stunning in older Mediterranean Revival homes, however they require careful maintenance and clever flashing. The Florida sun damages low-cost vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum finishes quickly. Try to find powder-coated finishes ranked for coastal direct exposure, and request composed service warranty details in salt-air environments.

The hidden hero: setup that appreciates the load path

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

In cinder block building, 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 take place. In wood-framed homes, structural screws should bite into strong trimmers, not just sheathing. Shimming and plumb positioning matter so the locks engage cleanly and the weatherstripping compresses evenly.

The sealant joint is not just visual. A correctly sized backer rod and premium polyurethane or silyl-modified polymer sealant create a long lasting, versatile seal that deals with thermal growth. Too little a bead and it tears under movement. Too big and it treatments inadequately. On seaside jobs, I never pair dissimilar metals without a barrier, and I always define corrosion-resistant fasteners. Ten years later, 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 vital. If you rely on sealant alone, water will find its method. That moisture might disappoint up as a drip. It might rot a sill plate gradually, then betray itself as a buckling flooring or a moldy odor 2 hurricane seasons later.

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

I have absolutely nothing versus well-designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are preserved and lubricated, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even removable panels kept carefully can safeguard homes efficiently. They also help in particular cases.

Second homes or seasonal rentals where spending plan is tight sometimes lean on shutters to meet the Florida building code windows requirement for safeguarded openings. On specialized openings like a lanai that is hardly ever used in summertime, a tidy motorized roll-down can be sensible, particularly if pairing with effect doors and windows in other places worries the spending plan. For property owners who plan to move within a year, shutters can be a short bridge to compliance before a sale.

But shutters bring compromises. They darken your home when released, and they require action at specifically the time you are managing insurance papers, gas cans, and family logistics. During Typhoon Irma, I viewed a neighbor attempt 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 also rattle and can vibrate under continual winds, sometimes loosening up fasteners over time if not maintained.

For long-term owners who wish to set it and forget it, effect windows provide typhoon proof windows coverage while Boca Raton impact window installation preserving daylight and view. The benefit grows important once you have actually experienced one storm season with no preparation beyond locking the sash.

The energy story: how glass specifications equate to comfort and bills

South Florida homes battle 2 battles: hidden load from humidity and reasonable load from direct solar heat gain. Effect glass upgrades can help both if specified intelligently.

Low-E impact glass utilizes microscopically thin metal layers to reflect infrared energy while letting noticeable light through. With the right finish stacks, you can block a large portion 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 curb the solar heat that drives your air conditioning crazy midafternoon.

I examine glass specifications with three numbers: U-factor, SHGC, and VT. While U-factor matters more up north, it still helps here by lowering nighttime heat circulation and keeping the interior glass temperature level closer to space temperature, which reduces condensation risk. SHGC drives just how much solar heat goes into. VT influences how intense the interior feels. Balance is essential. Some homeowners desire the crisp, clear appearance of higher VT, even if it implies accepting a few degrees more heat in late afternoon, due to the fact that their landscaping and roofing overhangs currently do some shading. Others prefer a more powerful tint for glare control on waterside lots that reflect extreme light.

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

Reading labels and approvals without getting lost in alphabet soup

Miami-Dade Notification of Approval, or NOA, is the file you request for. It details the authorized configurations, sizes, anchors, and pressures evaluated. It is insufficient to hear "these are Miami-Dade approved windows" in a showroom. Confirm the NOA matches the exact model and choices you are purchasing, including the glazing makeup and hardware. If you are in Broward or Miami-Dade, your permitting workplace will desire this paper trail.

Statewide, the Florida Item Approval system supplies FL numbers that reveal code compliance. In the remainder of the state outside the High Speed Hurricane Zone, Florida building code windows can count on Florida Item Approval without Miami-Dade particular NOAs. Numerous top manufacturers bring both. Where budgets enable, I choose NOA items even outside the zone due to the fact that the screening is stiffer.

NFRC labels handle energy metrics. They will not inform you effect performance, however they show U-factor, SHGC, VT, and air leak. Aim for air leakage at or listed below 0.3 cfm/ft TWO. Tighter is much better for humidity control, however ensure your home still has stabilized ventilation. Sealing the envelope and disregarding fresh air is a dish for indoor air quality complaints.

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

Impact windows cost more upfront than shutters. There's no spin around that. Set up costs differ with size, shape, surface, and access. On uncomplicated single-family homes, per-opening costs often land between 1,200 and 3,000 dollars for basic sizes. Big multi-panel sliders, customized arches, and coastal-grade surfaces raise the numbers quickly.

Where you recover worth:

  • Insurance credits accumulate, typically 10 to 25 percent off premiums when all openings are protected.
  • Energy cost savings, usually 8 to 20 percent on annual cooling expenses in older homes after a complete window upgrade coupled with sealing and attic improvements.
  • Resale appeal, particularly in markets where purchasers anticipate effect doors and windows as a baseline. A home with accordion shutters contends, but a home with storm effect windows shows better, feels quieter, and usually appraises stronger.

If you plan to own the home for 5 years or more, the math typically tilts in favor of effect windows, particularly when you factor the intangible of comfort. If you plan to offer within a year and require to reveal compliance quickly, shutters might make more short-term sense. Context matters.

Details that separate good systems from excellent ones

I pay attention to hardware and accessories. Multi-point locks on sashes and awnings improve seal compression and security. For sliders, robust tandem rollers in stainless housings glide smoother and last longer on sandy outdoor patios. Look at the sill style on sliding doors. Weep systems must be engineered to drain pipes heavy rains 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 contravene of neighborhood watch or produce mirror-like glare towards surrounding residential or commercial properties. In coastal environments, extremely reflective glass can puzzle birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Regional pros understand which coverings balance efficiency with compliance.

Color stability is a huge deal. Dark bronze or black frames look fantastic on modern-day homes, but in Florida sun low-cost finishes chalk and fade. AAMA 2605-rated finishes supply the best color retention and chalk resistance. I define them for seaside exposures whenever spending plans allow.

Special cases: historical homes, condos, and challenging openings

Historic districts frequently require profiles that mimic old wood sash sightlines. There are impact-rated windows that fit these requirements, but lead times lengthen and costs climb. Anticipate additional review by architectural boards, and line up a contractor acquainted with these submissions.

Condos have another layer of governance. Associations in some cases specify a narrow list of approved products for uniformity. They likewise appreciate noise control between systems. If your structure sits straight on Collins Avenue or deals with a hectic beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated alternatives. Work with structure management on staging and lift gain access to. Weekend work windows and limited parking can include days and dollars.

Large openings, like a 16-foot-wide slider, require unique attention in style pressure, deflection, and operating hardware. Not every system that looks durable in a display room fulfills the wind loads on a ninth-floor veranda. Do not rely on catalog optimum sizes. Use the NOA tables that correspond to your website's zone, positive and negative pressures, and mullion mixes if any.

What a clean task looks like from study to last inspection

The finest projects begin with a determined survey and exposure analysis. You map each opening, note the substrate, and recognize any framing abnormalities or settlement cracks. Throughout proposition, the specialist shows you the NOA and the Florida Item Approval, lists anchor types, and discusses how each opening will be flashed and sealed. They plan for stucco or drywall repairs, not pretend no damage will occur.

On set up day, they remove one opening at a time to keep your house secure. They protect floors, draw back window treatments, and cap sprinklers. Old frames come out with care to protect interior finishes. New systems get dry-fit, shimmed, and anchored per the schedule. The team checks squareness and diagonals before setting sealant. They photograph anchors for the permit file, particularly if they will be concealed. After glazing, they water-test with a regulated spray to validate 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 efficiently, and there is no mystery rattle throughout thunderstorms. You did not have to call for a roller adjustment after the first week. That is the standard.

Frequently misunderstood points that cost house owners later

Impact score does not equivalent breakproof. Laminated glass can break under serious effects, however it must stay in the frame and hold together. After a storm that sends out particles into the glass, you might see star cracks or spidering. The window did its task. Change the sash or IGU after the event.

Window films do not convert non-impact windows into typhoon impact-resistant windows. They can include shatter resistance, however they do not alternative to a checked, anchored system. Your insurer and structure department will not count movies as safeguarded openings.

Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient effect windows reduce air leak. That's great, but it increases the value of an effectively sized heating and cooling with great dehumidification. If your system is oversized, the thermostat satisfies rapidly and stops working to pull enough moisture from the air. Ask your a/c pro to inspect sensible heat ratio, air flow, and run time. You desire constant, longer window installation experts Boca Raton cycles, not brief bursts.

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

When shutters still belong in the conversation

There are legitimate factors to mix solutions. A pair of rarely used garage windows can keep removable panels to shave budget plan. A deep-set porch with minimal sun direct exposure might do fine with accordion shutters if you focus on other upgrades like a brand-new roofing system deck accessory or a prepared garage door. Shutters can also secure outdoor kitchen areas or cabana openings where grease and smoke would age expensive hardware prematurely.

If you choose shutters, buy quality. Stainless fasteners, smooth tracks, and motors with manual overrides for roll-downs make a distinction. Assign obligation for release and practice as soon as beyond a storm watch. Inventory your hardware. The day you require 32 wing nuts is not the early morning you want to discover you have 29.

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

Impact windows are not just about enduring the huge one. They improve daily living. The living room remains cooler and quieter. The air conditioning 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 shorter. You lock the sashes, set storm mode on the alarm, and concentrate impact windows prices on people instead of panels.

For many of my clients, that intangible is the choosing aspect. They understand storms will come. They also know life in South Florida is too excellent 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 confidence when the spaghetti models point our method September.

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

I am a dynamic innovator with a broad knowledge base in entrepreneurship. My conviction in entrepreneurship spurs my desire to innovate disruptive organizations. In my business career, I have cultivated a profile as being a daring thinker. Aside from creating my own businesses, I also enjoy counseling young startup founders. I believe in empowering the next generation of startup founders to pursue their own aspirations. I am easily seeking out disruptive opportunities and working together with similarly-driven creators. Redefining what's possible is my purpose. Aside from engaged in my enterprise, I enjoy immersing myself in dynamic environments. I am also focused on health and wellness.