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 method neighbors track tropical waves, the pre-storm rush to stockpile, and the ritual of hauling ladders to mount panels. After twenty years defining, installing, and repairing building envelopes from Key Largo to Palm Beach, I have actually seen what holds up and what doesn't. When the goal is real defense with year-round comfort, Miami-Dade authorized, energy‑efficient impact windows surpass shutters in manner ins which go beyond storm day. They change how a house feels in August, how peaceful your living-room stays on a Saturday night, and how confident you are when a storm line spins up faster than predicted.
This is a useful take a look at why lots of South Florida house owners are moving from shutters to cyclone impact-resistant windows, how to read the standards behind "Miami-Dade authorized," what materials matter, and how to get the installation right the first time.
Miami-Dade County's Product Control Division sets one of the toughest criteria in the country for developing parts exposed to windborne particles. Approval is not a marketing sticker. It is earned through specific lab tests that imitate real hurricane conditions.
First comes large missile effect. A 9-pound 2x4 is contended 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 impact, the same system faces cyclic pressure loading, countless 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 between "fulfills Florida building regulations windows" and "Miami-Dade authorized windows" typically lives in these test thresholds. Miami-Dade is simply stiffer, particularly in High Velocity Typhoon Zone requirements, which include Miami-Dade and Broward.
Wind rankings vary by opening size and design pressures, signified as PSF worths. On ocean-facing properties or high-rises, I frequently define systems rated at +60/ -80 PSF or higher. Inland or in more protected direct exposures, scores in the +45/ -60 PSF variety can be adequate, but you size and spec based on the website's wind map, building height, and surrounding structures. A professional understands that a corner exposure at the 2nd story demands various support than a protected window under a deep porch.
Hurricane shutters vs effect windows is not a one-to-one comparison. Shutters can fulfill code, and they're better than 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, 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 security, 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: two panes of glass bonded by a resistant interlayer, usually PVB interlayer glass or SentryGlas. That interlayer damps noise. On jobs along hectic passages like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight paths, I have actually measured interior noise drops in the 5 to 10 decibel variety, often more when coupled with insulated glass units.
Security enhances since laminated glass resists forced entry. A burglar can shatter the external lite with a hammer, but the interlayer holds the shards. They satisfy a sticky, persistent membrane instead of a fast course inside. Insurance coverage underwriters know this, which is why policies frequently provide credits for impact doors and windows. In my jobs, premiums usually drop 10 to 25 percent, depending upon the provider and the number of openings are protected.
Energy performance is the 3rd pillar. Energy-efficient impact windows with modern low-E impact glass and warm-edge spacers can cut solar heat gain while maintaining visible light. That means less a/c need, specifically 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 systems. Summertime afternoon peak load stopped by roughly a ton of cooling, and the home's annual electrical power usage fell between 12 and 18 percent. Results differ with shading, attic insulation, and heating and cooling effectiveness, but the instructions is consistent.
Laminated impact glass is the heart of the system, however not all laminated items are equal.
Most domestic hurricane windows use a PVB interlayer glass stack, typically 0.030 to 0.090 inches thick in single or numerous plies. Thicker interlayers enhance effect resistance and sound control, but they include weight and cost. For oceanfront or high openings, you may see SGP (ionoplast) interlayers, which are stiffer and stronger than PVB, enabling thinner areas to attain higher style pressures. For noise-sensitive sites, acoustic PVB formulas 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 show up typically in discussions due to the fact that tempered glass is stronger in flexing than annealed glass. That's true, and tempered lites are typically used as the external or inner ply in an effect unit. But tempered alone is not impact-resistant in the typhoon sense. When it fails, it takes off into small cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening vulnerable. The impact performance comes from laminated building, not tempering by itself. Lots of systems use a tempered outer lite laminated to an annealed inner lite, or both tempered, however always bonded through a PVB or ionoplast interlayer.
Low-E coatings 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 visible light transmission around half or higher. Go too low on SHGC and the glass can look gray or green, specifically in bigger openings. The sweet area depends on your façade orientation and shading. On east and west elevations, I frequently tighten up SHGC and accept a minor tint to handle early 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 due to the fact that they deal with large openings and will not swell. Thermal breaks and enhanced glazing gaskets have actually narrowed the energy space with vinyl. Top quality vinyl effect frames, when reinforced appropriately, can perform well for standard-sized openings and have better insulating values, however I prevent them for very broad sliders or high storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad units look beautiful in older Mediterranean Revival homes, but they require cautious maintenance and smart flashing. The Florida sun ruins Boca Raton custom window installation low-cost vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum finishes rapidly. Try to find powder-coated surfaces ranked for coastal exposure, and request composed guarantee information in salt-air environments.
Window installation can make or break efficiency. A costly system installed like a handyman swap-out will not pass a storm's tension test. The load path is the essence. Effect forces have to take a trip from the glass through the frame, to the anchors, into the substrate, and then into the structure's framing or masonry.
In concrete block construction, you desire stainless or hot-dipped galvanized anchors embedded into solid product. Hollow cells must 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 solid trimmers, not simply sheathing. Shimming and plumb positioning matter so the locks engage easily and the weatherstripping compresses evenly.
The sealant joint is not simply visual. An effectively sized backer rod and top quality polyurethane or silyl-modified polymer sealant create a resilient, versatile seal that handles thermal growth. Too little a bead and it tears under motion. Too big and it treatments badly. On coastal jobs, I never ever match 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 combination with the water-resistive barrier are essential. If you depend on sealant alone, water will find its way in. That wetness might disappoint up as a drip. It might rot quality hurricane proof windows a sill plate slowly, then betray itself as a buckling flooring or a musty odor 2 typhoon seasons later.
I have absolutely nothing versus well-designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are kept and lubed, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even removable panels kept carefully can protect homes successfully. They likewise help in certain cases.
Second homes or seasonal leasings where budget 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 seldom best window installation Boca Raton used in summer season, a tidy motorized roll-down can be reasonable, particularly if coupling with effect doors and windows in other places worries the budget. For property owners who prepare to move within a year, shutters can be a brief bridge to compliance before a sale.
But shutters bring compromises. They darken your home when released, and they need action at exactly the time you are handling insurance coverage documents, gas cans, and family logistics. Throughout Typhoon Irma, I enjoyed 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 urgent care waiting room. He endured with stitches. His living-room window did not. Shutters also rattle and can vibrate under continual winds, sometimes loosening fasteners over time if not maintained.
For long-lasting owners who wish to set it and forget it, effect windows offer hurricane evidence windows protection while maintaining daylight and view. The benefit grows valuable once you've experienced one storm season with zero preparation beyond locking the sash.
South Florida homes fight 2 fights: 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 uses microscopically thin metal layers to reflect infrared energy while letting visible light through. With the ideal covering stacks, you can obstruct a large part of radiant heat and UV. UV blockage in laminated units comes mostly from the interlayer itself, which typically filters 95 to 99 percent of UV, decreasing fading of materials and floor covering. Add the low-E, and you suppress the solar heat that drives your AC insane midafternoon.
I assess 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 risk. SHGC drives how much solar heat enters. VT affects how intense the interior feels. Balance is essential. Some house owners desire the crisp, clear look of higher VT, even if it suggests accepting a few degrees more heat in late afternoon, since their landscaping and roof overhangs already do some shading. Others prefer a more powerful tint for glare control on waterside lots that show severe light.
In useful terms, going from clear single-pane sliders to contemporary low-E laminated double-glazed systems can reduce peak solar gains by 30 to 50 percent on the most exposed sides. Couple that with tuned overhangs, light-colored exterior finishes, and a correctly sized variable-speed heating and cooling, and you start to build strength. If the grid goes down and you change to a generator, a lower cooling load means a smaller generator and less gallons of fuel.
Miami-Dade Notification of Acceptance, or NOA, is the file you request for. It details the authorized setups, sizes, anchors, and pressures evaluated. It is not enough to hear "these are Miami-Dade approved windows" in a showroom. Validate the NOA matches the exact model and choices 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 offers FL numbers that show code compliance. In the remainder 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 top producers carry both. Where budget plans allow, I choose NOA products even outside commercial window installation Boca Raton the zone due to the fact that the testing is stiffer.
NFRC labels handle energy metrics. They will not tell you effect efficiency, but they reveal U-factor, SHGC, VT, and air leak. Aim for air leakage at or below 0.3 cfm/ft ². Tighter is better for humidity control, however make sure your home still has actually balanced ventilation. Sealing the envelope and ignoring fresh air is a recipe for indoor air quality complaints.
Impact windows cost more in advance than shutters. There's no spin around that. Installed costs vary with size, shape, finish, and access. On uncomplicated single-family homes, per-opening costs typically land between 1,200 and 3,000 dollars for standard sizes. Large multi-panel sliders, custom-made arches, and coastal-grade finishes raise the numbers quickly.
Where you recoup value:
If you plan to own the residential or commercial property for five years or more, the mathematics typically 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 focus on hardware and accessories. Multi-point locks on casements and awnings enhance seal compression and security. For sliders, robust tandem rollers in stainless real estates move smoother and last longer on sandy outdoor patios. Look at the sill design 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 run afoul of neighborhood associations or produce mirror-like glare toward surrounding homes. In seaside ecosystems, extremely reflective glass can puzzle birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Regional pros know which finishings 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 surfaces chalk and fade. AAMA 2605-rated finishings provide the very best color retention and chalk resistance. I specify them for seaside direct exposures whenever budget plans allow.
 
Historic districts often need profiles that mimic old wood sash sightlines. There are impact-rated windows that fit these requirements, however lead times lengthen and costs climb. Expect extra evaluation by architectural boards, and line up a specialist acquainted with these submissions.
Condos have another layer of governance. Associations often specify a narrow list of authorized items for harmony. They also appreciate noise control between units. If your building sits straight on Collins Avenue or faces a busy beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated choices. Work with building management on staging and lift gain access to. Weekend work windows and minimal parking can add days and dollars.
Large openings, like a 16-foot-wide slider, need unique attention in style pressure, deflection, and operating hardware. Not every unit that looks strong in a showroom satisfies the wind loads on a ninth-floor veranda. Do not count on brochure maximum sizes. Use the NOA tables that correspond to your site's zone, favorable and negative pressures, and mullion mixes if any.
The best jobs begin with a determined study and direct exposure analysis. You map each opening, keep in mind the substrate, and recognize any framing irregularities or settlement fractures. Throughout proposition, the contractor reveals you the NOA and the Florida Item Approval, notes anchor types, and explains how each opening will be flashed and sealed. They prepare for stucco or drywall repairs, not pretend no damage will occur.
On install day, they remove one opening at a time to keep the house protected. They safeguard floorings, draw back window treatments, and cap sprinklers. Old frames come out with care to preserve interior finishes. New systems get dry-fit, shimmed, and anchored per the schedule. The team checks squareness and diagonals before setting sealant. They picture anchors for the permit file, particularly if they will be concealed. After glazing, they water-test with a regulated spray to confirm drain courses and seals. The inspector sees a neat 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 need to require a roller change after the very first week. That is the standard.
Impact ranking does not equal breakproof. Laminated glass can break under extreme effects, but it needs to remain in the frame and hold together. After a storm that sends out debris 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 typhoon impact-resistant windows. They can add shatter resistance, however they do not alternative to a checked, anchored system. Your insurer and structure department will not count films as safeguarded openings.
Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient effect windows lower air leak. That's terrific, but it increases the importance of a correctly sized heating and cooling with good dehumidification. If your system is extra-large, the thermostat satisfies rapidly and fails to pull enough moisture from the air. Ask your HVAC pro to check practical heat ratio, air flow, and run time. You desire constant, longer cycles, not short bursts.
Maintenance is straightforward however not optional. Tidy weep holes on sliders, wash salt spray from frames, and oil hardware yearly with a silicone-based product that will not gum up in heat. Small practices extend lifespan.
 
There are legitimate reasons to mix options. A pair of seldom utilized garage windows can keep detachable panels to shave budget. A deep-set deck with very little sun direct exposure might do fine with accordion shutters if you focus on other upgrades like a new roofing system deck attachment or a fortified garage door. Shutters can likewise safeguard outside cooking areas or cabana openings where grease and smoke would age elegant hardware prematurely.
If you pick shutters, buy quality. Stainless fasteners, smooth tracks, and motors with manual bypasses for roll-downs make a difference. Assign duty for implementation and practice as soon as outside of a storm watch. Inventory your hardware. The day you require 32 wing nuts is not the morning you wish to discover you have 29.
Impact windows are not only about making it through the big one. They reshape 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 noise when a squall line passes at 2 a.m. When a cyclone threatens, your preparation list gets much shorter. You lock the sashes, set storm mode on the alarm, and concentrate on individuals rather than panels.
For much of my customers, that intangible is the choosing element. They understand storms will come. They also know life in South Florida is too excellent to live inside a fortress that just gets up in August. Miami-Dade authorized windows provide you both: a clear view of Biscayne Bay on a breezy February early morning and quiet confidence when the spaghetti models point our way in September.
If you are weighing the option, start with a site-specific assessment. Match your exposures to develop pressures, select the ideal laminated glass stack for wind and heat, select frames that fit the architecture and conditions, and hire a crew that appreciates the load course. Done right, energy‑efficient impact windows provide what shutters can not: protection that never requests a ladder and a better home every day of the year.