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 carrying ladders to install panels. After 20 years specifying, installing, and troubleshooting structure envelopes from Secret Largo to Palm Beach, I have actually seen what holds up and what does not. When the goal is genuine defense with year-round convenience, Miami-Dade authorized, energy‑efficient impact windows surpass shutters in manner ins which surpass storm day. They alter how a house feels in August, how quiet your living-room remains on a Saturday night, and how positive you are when a storm line spins up much faster than predicted.
This is a practical look at why numerous South Florida house owners are moving from shutters to hurricane 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 among the most difficult criteria in the nation for building components exposed to windborne debris. Approval is not a marketing sticker label. It is earned through specific laboratory tests that simulate real typhoon conditions.
First comes large missile effect. A 9-pound 2x4 is contended the glass at approximately 34 miles per hour. That simulates roof tiles, branches, or pieces of fencing that fly in the eyewall. After the impact, the very same unit 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 "meets Florida building regulations windows" and "Miami-Dade authorized windows" often resides in these test thresholds. Miami-Dade is just stiffer, particularly in High Velocity Typhoon Zone requirements, that include Miami-Dade and Broward.
Wind scores vary by opening size and design pressures, represented as PSF values. On ocean-facing residential or commercial properties or high-rises, I often specify systems rated at +60/ -80 PSF or higher. Inland or in more protected direct exposures, rankings in the +45/ -60 PSF range can be adequate, but you size and spec based on the website's wind map, building height, and surrounding structures. An expert knows that a corner direct exposure at the 2nd story demands different support than a protected window under a deep porch.
Hurricane shutters vs impact windows is not a one-to-one comparison. Shutters can meet code, and they're better than nothing. However they ask you to do work at the worst possible time. When a watch turns to a warning and the projection track tightens up, the last thing you want is a ladder, a dead cordless drill, and a missing wing nut.
Impact windows reside in place. You get constant defense, even if a pop-up storm surprises you while you're stuck on US 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 jobs along hectic corridors like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight courses, I've measured interior noise drops in the 5 to 10 decibel range, often more when paired with insulated glass units.
Security enhances because laminated glass withstands forced 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 fast course inside. Insurance coverage underwriters know this, which is large missile impact glazing why policies typically offer credits for impact doors and windows. In my jobs, premiums usually drop 10 to 25 percent, depending on the carrier and the number of openings are protected.
Energy performance is the third pillar. Energy-efficient impact windows with modern-day low-E impact glass and warm-edge spacers can cut solar heat gain while preserving visible light. That means less cooling need, particularly 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. Summer season afternoon peak load dropped by approximately a ton of cooling, and the home's annual electricity use fell in 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, but not all laminated products are equal.
Most residential hurricane windows use a PVB interlayer glass stack, frequently 0.030 to 0.090 inches thick in single or multiple plies. Thicker interlayers improve effect resistance and sound control, however they include weight and expense. For oceanfront or tall openings, you may see SGP (ionoplast) interlayers, which are stiffer and more powerful than PVB, allowing thinner areas to attain greater design pressures. For noise-sensitive sites, acoustic PVB formulas tweak the polymer to much better soak up sound in the 1,000 to 3,000 Hz variety, where traffic and voices sit.
Tempered glass windows show up frequently in conversations due to the fact that tempered glass is stronger in bending than annealed glass. That's true, and tempered lites are frequently utilized as the outer or inner ply in an impact system. However tempered alone is not impact-resistant in the cyclone sense. When it fails, it explodes into small cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening susceptible. The effect efficiency originates from laminated building, not tempering by itself. Many systems use a tempered outer lite laminated to an annealed inner lite, or both tempered, but always bonded through a PVB or ionoplast interlayer.
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Low-E finishings matter for comfort. A soft-coat low-E tuned for South Florida usually 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 short on SHGC and the glass can look gray or green, particularly in larger openings. The sweet area depends on your exterior orientation and shading. On east and west elevations, I frequently tighten up SHGC and accept a minor tint to manage early morning and afternoon blasts. On north elevations, I favor greater visible transmittance for daylighting.
Frames are the other half of the story. Aluminum frames control here since they manage big openings and won't swell. Thermal breaks and enhanced glazing gaskets have narrowed the energy space with vinyl. Premium vinyl impact frames, when enhanced effectively, can carry out well for standard-sized openings and have much better insulating worths, however I avoid them for very large sliders or high storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad units look beautiful in older Mediterranean Revival homes, however they require mindful maintenance and clever flashing. The Florida sun ruins low-cost vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum surfaces rapidly. Search for powder-coated surfaces ranked for seaside direct exposure, and demand written service warranty details in salt-air environments.
Window setup can make or break performance. A costly unit installed like a handyman swap-out will not pass a storm's tension test. The load path is the crux. Impact forces have to take a trip from the glass through the frame, to the anchors, into the substrate, and after that into the structure's framing or masonry.
In concrete block 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 occur. In wood-framed homes, structural screws should bite into solid trimmers, not just sheathing. Shimming and plumb alignment 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 produce a resilient, versatile seal that deals with thermal expansion. Too little a bead and it tears under movement. Too big and it cures poorly. On seaside jobs, I never ever match dissimilar metals without a barrier, and I constantly define corrosion-resistant fasteners. 10 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 vital. If you count on sealant alone, water will find its way in. That wetness may disappoint up as a drip. It may rot a sill plate gradually, then betray itself as a buckling floor or a moldy odor 2 hurricane seasons later.
I have nothing against well-designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are maintained and lubed, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even detachable panels kept carefully can protect homes effectively. They likewise assist in certain cases.
Second homes or seasonal rentals where budget plan is tight often lean on shutters to satisfy the Florida building code windows requirement for secured openings. On specialized openings like a lanai that is hardly ever used in summer season, a clean motorized roll-down can be affordable, specifically if pairing with effect doors and windows in other places worries the budget 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 the house when released, and they require action at exactly the time you are handling insurance documents, gas cans, and household logistics. Throughout Hurricane Irma, I viewed a next-door neighbor attempt to install steel panels hours before landfall. The ladder sank in saturated soil, a panel slipped, and we invested the next hour in the urgent care waiting space. He made it through with stitches. His living room window did not. Shutters likewise rattle and can vibrate under sustained winds, sometimes loosening fasteners gradually if not maintained.
For long-lasting owners who wish to set it and forget it, effect windows give typhoon evidence windows protection while maintaining daytime and view. The benefit grows valuable once you've experienced one storm season with zero preparation beyond locking the sash.
South Florida homes battle two battles: latent load from humidity and sensible load from direct solar heat gain. Impact glass upgrades can assist both if specified intelligently.
Low-E impact glass uses microscopically thin metallic layers to show infrared energy while letting noticeable light through. With the best coating stacks, you can obstruct a big portion of radiant heat and UV. UV clog in laminated units comes mostly from the interlayer itself, which typically filters 95 to 99 percent of UV, lowering fading of fabrics and flooring. Include the low-E, and you suppress the solar heat that drives your air conditioner insane midafternoon.
I evaluate glass specifications with three numbers: U-factor, SHGC, and VT. While U-factor matters more up north, it still assists here by minimizing nighttime heat flow and keeping the interior glass temperature level closer to room temperature level, which reduces condensation danger. SHGC drives just how much solar heat gets in. VT affects how bright the interior feels. Balance is crucial. Some homeowners 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 roofing overhangs already do some shading. Others prefer a stronger tint for glare control on waterside lots that show extreme light.
In useful terms, going from clear single-pane sliders to contemporary low-E laminated double-glazed systems can decrease peak solar gains by 30 to half on the most exposed sides. Couple that with tuned overhangs, light-colored exterior surfaces, and a properly sized variable-speed a/c, and you start to construct strength. If the grid decreases and you switch to a generator, a lower cooling load implies a smaller generator and less gallons of fuel.
Miami-Dade Notice of Approval, or NOA, is the document you request for. It details the authorized setups, sizes, anchors, and pressures tested. It is not enough to hear "these are Miami-Dade authorized windows" in a display room. Verify the NOA matches the precise model and choices you are buying, including the glazing makeup and hardware. If you are in Broward or Miami-Dade, your allowing office will want this paper trail.
Statewide, the Florida Product Approval system provides FL numbers that show code compliance. In the remainder of the state outside the High Velocity Typhoon Zone, Florida building regulations windows can rely on Florida Item Approval without Miami-Dade specific NOAs. Lots of top producers carry both. Where budget plans permit, I prefer NOA items even outside the zone since the testing is stiffer.
NFRC labels handle energy metrics. They will not inform you impact performance, however they reveal U-factor, SHGC, VT, and air leakage. Go for air leakage at or below 0.3 cfm/ft ². Tighter is better for humidity control, but make sure your home still has actually stabilized ventilation. Sealing the envelope and neglecting fresh air is a dish for indoor air quality complaints.
Impact windows cost more upfront than shutters. There's no spin around that. Set up costs vary with size, shape, finish, and access. On simple single-family homes, per-opening expenses often land between 1,200 and 3,000 dollars for standard sizes. Large multi-panel sliders, custom arches, and coastal-grade finishes raise the numbers quickly.
Where you recover worth:
If you plan to own the property for five years or more, the math often tilts in favor of impact windows, particularly when you factor the intangible of peace of mind. If you plan to offer within a year and require to reveal compliance rapidly, shutters might make more short-term sense. Context matters.
I pay attention to hardware and devices. Multi-point locks on sashes and awnings improve seal compression and security. For sliders, robust tandem rollers in stainless housings slide smoother and last longer on sandy patios. Look at the sill design on moving doors. Weep systems must be crafted to drain 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 contravene of neighborhood watch or produce mirror-like glare towards neighboring properties. In coastal communities, highly reflective glass can confuse birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Regional pros know which coatings balance efficiency with compliance.
Color stability is a big offer. Dark bronze or black frames look great on modern homes, however in Florida sun cheap finishes chalk and fade. AAMA 2605-rated coatings supply the very best color retention and chalk resistance. I specify them for coastal direct exposures whenever spending plans allow.
Historic districts often require 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 in some cases define a narrow list of authorized products for harmony. They also appreciate sound control between systems. If your structure sits directly on Collins Avenue or faces a hectic beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated choices. Work with building management on staging and lift gain access to. Weekend work windows and restricted parking can include days and dollars.
Large openings, like a 16-foot-wide slider, require special attention in design pressure, deflection, and running hardware. Not every unit that looks durable in a display room satisfies the wind loads on a ninth-floor balcony. Do not rely on catalog optimum sizes. Use the NOA tables that correspond to your site's zone, favorable and negative pressures, and mullion mixes if any.
The best tasks begin with a determined study and exposure analysis. You map each opening, keep in mind the substrate, and determine any framing irregularities or settlement fractures. Throughout proposition, the professional reveals you the NOA and the Florida Product Approval, notes anchor types, and explains 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 eliminate one opening at a time to keep your home safe. They protect floors, pull back window treatments, and cap sprinklers. Old frames come out with care to maintain 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 permit file, particularly if they will be hidden. After glazing, they water-test with a controlled spray to verify drain paths and seals. The inspector sees a cool jobsite, clear labels, and documentation in order.
Six months later, your windows still close with 2 fingers, locks bite efficiently, and there is no secret rattle throughout thunderstorms. You did not have to call for a roller adjustment after the first week. That is the standard.
Impact ranking does not equal breakproof. Laminated glass can crack under extreme impacts, but it must remain in the frame and hold together. After a storm that sends debris into the glass, you may see star cracks 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 add shatter resistance, but they do not replacement for a tested, anchored system. Your insurance provider and structure department will not count movies as protected openings.
Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient effect windows reduce air leakage. That's great, but it increases the importance of a correctly sized heating and cooling with good dehumidification. If your system is extra-large, the thermostat satisfies quickly and fails to pull enough moisture from the air. Ask your a/c pro to inspect sensible heat ratio, air flow, and run time. You want stable, longer cycles, not short bursts.
Maintenance is straightforward but not optional. Tidy 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 habits extend lifespan.
There are legitimate factors to mix services. A set of rarely utilized garage windows can keep removable panels to shave spending plan. A deep-set porch with minimal sun direct exposure may do fine with accordion shutters if you prioritize other upgrades like a brand-new roofing deck attachment or a prepared garage door. Shutters can likewise protect outside kitchens or cabana openings where grease and smoke would age fancy hardware prematurely.
If you select shutters, invest in quality. Stainless fasteners, smooth tracks, and motors with handbook overrides for roll-downs make a distinction. Designate obligation for deployment and practice once 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.
Impact windows are not only about surviving the big one. They improve 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 number of my customers, that intangible is the choosing factor. They know storms will come. They also know life in South Florida is too good to live inside a fortress that only wakes up in August. Miami-Dade authorized windows offer 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 option, begin with a site-specific evaluation. Match your direct exposures to create pressures, choose the right laminated glass stack for wind and heat, select frames that fit the architecture and conditions, and work with a team that appreciates the load course. Done right, energy‑efficient effect windows deliver what shutters can not: defense that never requests a ladder and a much better home every day of the year.