November 3, 2025

Hurricane-Proof Peace of Mind: Picking Miami-Dade Approved, Energy‑Efficient Effect 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 method neighbors track tropical waves, the pre-storm rush to stockpile, and the ritual of transporting ladders to install panels. After twenty years specifying, setting up, and repairing structure envelopes from Key Largo to Palm Beach, I've seen what holds up and what does not. When the objective is real defense with year-round convenience, Miami-Dade approved, energy‑efficient impact windows outshine shutters in ways that exceed storm day. They change how a house feels in August, how peaceful your living room stays on a Saturday night, and how positive you are when a storm line spins up much faster than predicted.

This is a practical take a look at why many South Florida homeowners are moving from shutters to cyclone impact-resistant windows, how to read the requirements behind "Miami-Dade authorized," what products matter, and how to get the installation right the very first time.

What "Miami-Dade Approved" in fact means

Miami-Dade County's Product Control Department sets among the toughest benchmarks in the nation for building components exposed to windborne debris. Approval is not a marketing sticker label. It is made through specific lab tests that imitate genuine typhoon conditions.

First comes large rocket impact. A 9-pound 2x4 is shot at the glass at roughly 34 miles per hour. That mimics roof tiles, branches, or pieces of fencing that fly in the eyewall. After the impact, the exact same system deals with 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 difference in between "satisfies Florida building regulations windows" and "Miami-Dade authorized windows" typically resides in these test limits. Miami-Dade is merely stiffer, particularly in High Speed Cyclone Zone requirements, which include Miami-Dade and Broward.

Wind ratings differ by opening size and design pressures, signified as PSF worths. On ocean-facing residential or commercial properties or high-rises, I often specify units rated at +60/ -80 PSF or greater. Inland or in more secured exposures, rankings in the +45/ -60 PSF variety can be adequate, however you size and spec based upon the website's wind map, developing height, and surrounding structures. A professional understands that a corner exposure at the second story demands different support than a protected window under a deep porch.

Why impact windows change the day-to-day experience, not simply storm season

Hurricane shutters vs effect windows is not a one-to-one comparison. Shutters can meet code, and they're much better than absolutely nothing. However they ask you to do work at the worst possible time. When a watch turns to a caution 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 security, even if a pop-up storm surprises you while you're stuck on US 1. You likewise 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 durable interlayer, generally PVB interlayer glass or SentryGlas. That interlayer damps sound. On tasks along hectic passages like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight paths, I have actually measured interior noise drops in the 5 to 10 decibel range, in some cases more when paired with insulated glass units.

Security improves because laminated glass withstands forced entry. A burglar can shatter the external lite with a hammer, however the interlayer holds the fragments. They satisfy a sticky, persistent membrane instead of a quick course inside. Insurance underwriters know this, which is why policies often use credits for impact doors and windows. In my tasks, premiums generally drop 10 to 25 percent, depending upon the provider and how many openings are protected.

Energy window installation services efficiency is the 3rd pillar. Energy-efficient effect windows with contemporary low-E impact glass and warm-edge spacers can cut solar heat gain while protecting noticeable light. That means less cooling demand, specifically on west and south direct exposures where the afternoon sun punishes interiors. In one Coral Gables retrofit, we changed 1980s single-pane sliders with laminated low-E impact units. Summer season afternoon peak load dropped by approximately a ton of cooling, and the home's annual electricity usage fell between 12 and 18 percent. Results vary with shading, attic insulation, and HVAC effectiveness, however the instructions is consistent.

Material options that matter: glass, interlayers, and frames

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

Most domestic typhoon windows utilize 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, however they add weight and cost. For oceanfront or tall openings, you may see SGP (ionoplast) interlayers, which are stiffer and more powerful than PVB, allowing thinner areas to attain higher design pressures. For noise-sensitive sites, acoustic PVB formulas modify the polymer to much better absorb sound in the 1,000 to 3,000 Hz range, where traffic and voices sit.

Tempered glass windows come up often in conversations due to the fact that tempered glass is more powerful in flexing than annealed glass. That's true, and tempered lites are frequently used as the external or inner ply in an impact system. However tempered alone is not impact-resistant in the hurricane sense. When it fails, it blows up into little cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening hurricane proof window installation susceptible. The impact performance originates from laminated building and construction, not tempering by itself. Lots of systems use a tempered external lite laminated to an annealed inner lite, or both tempered, but constantly bonded through a PVB or ionoplast interlayer.

Low-E finishes matter for convenience. A soft-coat low-E best impact windows in Boca Raton 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 50 percent or greater. Go too low on SHGC and the glass can look gray or green, especially in bigger openings. The sweet area depends upon your exterior orientation and shading. On east and west elevations, I typically tighten up SHGC and accept a minor tint to handle early 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 manage large openings and will not swell. Thermal breaks and enhanced glazing gaskets have narrowed the energy space with vinyl. Top quality vinyl effect frames, when reinforced effectively, can carry out well for standard-sized openings and have much better insulating values, but I avoid them for really wide sliders or tall storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad units look lovely in older Mediterranean Revival homes, however they demand careful upkeep and smart flashing. The Florida sun destroys cheap vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum surfaces quickly. Search for powder-coated surfaces ranked for seaside exposure, and request composed guarantee information in salt-air environments.

The covert hero: installation that appreciates the load path

Window setup 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. Impact forces have to travel from the glass through the frame, to the anchors, into the substrate, and then into the structure's framing or masonry.

In concrete block building and construction, you desire stainless or hot-dipped galvanized anchors embedded into strong material. Hollow cells must be grouted or you need to strike the bond beam. Tapcons in soft, unfilled block are a failure waiting to happen. In wood-framed houses, 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 just aesthetic. An effectively sized backer rod and top quality polyurethane or silyl-modified polymer sealant develop a long lasting, flexible seal that manages thermal expansion. Too little a bead and it tears under movement. Too huge and it cures improperly. On seaside jobs, I never ever match dissimilar metals without a barrier, and I always define corrosion-resistant fasteners. 10 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 crucial. If you count on sealant alone, water will discover its method. That wetness might not show up as a drip. It might rot a sill plate gradually, then betray itself as a buckling flooring or a moldy smell 2 cyclone seasons later.

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

I have absolutely nothing against well-designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are maintained and lubricated, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even detachable panels saved carefully can protect homes successfully. They likewise assist in particular cases.

Second homes or seasonal leasings where budget is tight sometimes lean on shutters to satisfy the Florida building code windows requirement for protected openings. On specialized openings like a lanai that is hardly ever utilized in summer season, a clean motorized roll-down can be affordable, especially if pairing with effect doors and windows elsewhere stresses the budget plan. For house 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 house when released, and they require action at specifically the time you are handling insurance papers, gas cans, and family logistics. Throughout Hurricane Irma, I enjoyed a next-door neighbor attempt to install 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 room. He made it through with stitches. His living room window did not. Shutters also rattle and can vibrate under sustained winds, often loosening fasteners over time if not maintained.

For long-term owners who wish to set it and forget it, impact windows provide typhoon evidence windows coverage while protecting daytime and view. The benefit grows important once you've experienced one storm season with zero preparation beyond locking the sash.

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

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

Low-E impact glass uses 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 clog in laminated units comes mostly from the interlayer itself, which usually filters 95 to quality impact windows Boca Raton 99 percent of UV, lowering fading of fabrics and floor covering. Include the low-E, and you suppress the solar heat that drives your air conditioner crazy midafternoon.

I evaluate glass specifications with 3 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 room temperature, which lowers condensation risk. SHGC drives how much solar heat gets in. VT affects how bright the interior feels. Balance is essential. Some house owners want the crisp, clear look of higher VT, even if it indicates 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 more powerful tint for glare control on waterfront lots that show extreme light.

In practical terms, going from clear single-pane sliders to contemporary 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 effectively sized variable-speed HVAC, and you begin to develop strength. If the grid goes down and you switch to a generator, a lower cooling load implies a smaller 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 document you request. It information the authorized setups, sizes, anchors, and pressures tested. It is not enough to hear "these are Miami-Dade approved windows" in a showroom. Validate the NOA matches the specific model and choices you are purchasing, consisting of the glazing makeup and hardware. If you remain in Broward or Miami-Dade, your allowing office will desire this paper trail.

Statewide, the Florida Product Approval system supplies FL numbers that show code compliance. In the remainder of the state outside the High Velocity Cyclone Zone, Florida building code windows can count on Florida Product Approval without Miami-Dade particular NOAs. Numerous leading manufacturers carry both. Where budgets permit, I prefer NOA items even outside the zone due to the fact that the testing is stiffer.

NFRC labels handle energy metrics. They won't tell you effect performance, however they reveal U-factor, SHGC, VT, and air leakage. Go for air leak at or below 0.3 cfm/ft ². Tighter is much better for humidity control, but ensure your home still has actually balanced ventilation. Sealing the envelope and neglecting fresh air is a dish for indoor air quality complaints.

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

Impact windows cost more upfront than shutters. There's no spin around that. Installed costs vary with size, shape, surface, and access. On uncomplicated single-family homes, per-opening expenses typically land in between 1,200 and 3,000 dollars for basic sizes. Large multi-panel sliders, custom-made arches, and coastal-grade finishes raise the numbers quickly.

Where you recoup worth:

  • Insurance credits build up, frequently 10 to 25 percent off premiums when all openings are protected.
  • Energy savings, typically 8 to 20 percent on annual cooling costs in older homes after a complete window upgrade coupled with sealing and attic improvements.
  • Resale appeal, specifically in markets where purchasers expect impact windows and doors as a baseline. A home with accordion shutters contends, but a home with storm impact windows shows better, feels quieter, and normally assesses stronger.

If you plan to own the property for 5 years or more, the math frequently tilts in favor of effect windows, especially when you factor the intangible of assurance. If you prepare to offer within a year and need to reveal compliance rapidly, shutters may make more short-term sense. Context matters.

Details that separate great systems from great ones

I take note of hardware and accessories. Multi-point locks on casements and awnings enhance seal compression and security. For sliders, robust tandem rollers buy impact windows in stainless housings slide smoother and last longer on sandy patio areas. Look at the sill style on moving 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 style. Reflective movies can contravene of neighborhood watch or produce mirror-like glare toward neighboring residential or commercial properties. In coastal environments, extremely reflective glass can confuse birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Regional pros understand which finishes balance efficiency with compliance.

Color stability is a big deal. Dark bronze or black frames look wonderful on contemporary homes, but in Florida sun cheap surfaces chalk and fade. AAMA 2605-rated finishings provide the very best color retention and chalk resistance. I define them for seaside direct exposures whenever budget plans allow.

Special cases: historic homes, condos, and tricky openings

Historic districts often need profiles that simulate old wood sash sightlines. There are impact-rated windows that fit these requirements, however lead times extend and costs climb. Anticipate additional evaluation by architectural boards, and line up a contractor familiar with these submissions.

Condos have another layer of governance. Associations often specify a narrow list of approved products for harmony. They also appreciate noise control between systems. If your structure sits directly on Collins Opportunity or faces a busy beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated options. Work with structure management on staging and lift gain access to. Weekend work windows and restricted parking can add days and dollars.

Large openings, like a 16-foot-wide slider, require unique attention in design pressure, deflection, and operating hardware. Not every unit that looks tough in a display room meets the wind loads on a ninth-floor veranda. Do not rely on brochure maximum sizes. Use the NOA tables that represent your website's zone, favorable and negative pressures, and mullion mixes if any.

What a tidy job looks like from survey to final inspection

The best projects start with a measured survey and direct exposure analysis. You map each opening, keep in mind the substrate, and identify any framing irregularities or settlement fractures. During proposal, the professional shows you the NOA and the Florida Product Approval, lists anchor types, and describes how each opening will be flashed and sealed. They plan for stucco or drywall repairs, not pretend no damage will occur.

On install day, they get rid of one opening at a time to keep your home safe and secure. They safeguard floors, pull back window treatments, and cap sprinklers. Old frames bring out care to preserve interior surfaces. New units get dry-fit, shimmed, and anchored per the schedule. The team checks squareness and diagonals before setting sealant. They photo anchors for the permit 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 documents in order.

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

Frequently misinterpreted points that cost house owners later

Impact rating does not equivalent breakproof. Laminated glass can crack under extreme impacts, however it needs to remain in the frame and hold together. After a storm that sends 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 convert non-impact windows into hurricane impact-resistant windows. They can include shatter resistance, but they do not substitute for a checked, anchored system. Your insurer and structure department will not count films as protected openings.

Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient impact windows lower air leak. That's fantastic, however it increases the value of a properly sized a/c with good dehumidification. If your system is large, the thermostat satisfies rapidly and stops working to pull enough moisture from the air. Ask your heating and cooling pro to examine reasonable heat ratio, air flow, and run time. You desire stable, longer cycles, not short bursts.

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

When shutters still belong in the conversation

There are legitimate reasons to mix services. A pair of hardly ever utilized garage windows can keep removable panels to shave budget. A deep-set porch with very little sun exposure may do fine with accordion shutters if you focus on other upgrades like a new roof deck accessory or a prepared garage door. Shutters can also secure 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 overrides for roll-downs make a difference. Appoint responsibility for release and practice once beyond a storm watch. Inventory your hardware. The day you require 32 wing nuts is not the morning you wish to discover you have 29.

The bottom line: comfort you can feel on a quiet Tuesday

Impact windows are not just about enduring the big one. They reshape daily living. The living-room remains cooler and quieter. The AC 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 focus on people rather than panels.

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

If you are weighing the choice, begin with a site-specific assessment. Match your direct exposures to create pressures, select the right laminated glass stack for wind and heat, choose frames that fit the architecture and conditions, and work with a crew that appreciates the load path. Done right, energy‑efficient impact windows provide what shutters can not: defense 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.