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 routine of transporting ladders to install panels. After twenty years defining, setting up, and troubleshooting structure envelopes from Secret Largo to Palm Beach, I've seen what holds up and what does not. When the objective is real security with year-round comfort, Miami-Dade approved, energy‑efficient effect windows surpass shutters in ways that surpass storm day. They alter how a home feels in August, how peaceful 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 house owners are moving from shutters to typhoon impact-resistant windows, how to read the requirements behind "Miami-Dade authorized," what products matter, and how to get the setup right the very first time.
Miami-Dade County's Product Control Division sets one of the toughest criteria in the nation for constructing elements exposed to windborne particles. Approval is not a marketing sticker. It is earned through specific lab tests that simulate genuine typhoon conditions.
First comes large rocket impact. A 9-pound 2x4 is contended the glass at approximately 34 miles per hour. That mimics residential window installation roofing system tiles, branches, or pieces of fencing that fly in the eyewall. After the impact, the same system faces cyclic pressure loading, thousands of pressurization and depressurization cycles that imitate rapid wind gusts over hours. If the glass stays in the frame without letting the envelope breach, it passes. The distinction between "meets Florida building code windows" and "Miami-Dade authorized windows" frequently lives in these test thresholds. Miami-Dade is merely stiffer, especially in High Velocity Typhoon 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 frequently define systems rated at +60/ -80 PSF or higher. Inland or in more secured direct exposures, rankings in the +45/ -60 PSF variety can suffice, however you size and specification based on the website's wind map, building height, and surrounding structures. A professional knows that a corner exposure at the second story needs different support than a protected window under a deep porch.
Hurricane shutters vs effect windows is not a one-to-one contrast. Shutters can meet code, and they're better than nothing. However they ask you to do operate at the worst possible time. When a watch turns to a warning and the forecast track tightens up, the last thing you desire is a ladder, a dead cordless drill, and a missing wing nut.
Impact windows live in place. You get continuous security, 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 benefit. Laminated impact glass is essentially a sandwich: two panes of glass bonded by a durable interlayer, normally PVB interlayer glass or SentryGlas. That interlayer damps sound. On jobs along busy corridors like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight paths, I've determined interior sound drops in the 5 to 10 decibel variety, in some cases more when coupled with insulated glass units.
Security improves since laminated glass resists required entry. An intruder can shatter the external lite with a hammer, however the interlayer holds the fragments. They meet a sticky, persistent membrane instead of a quick course inside. Insurance coverage underwriters know this, which is why policies often provide credits for effect windows and doors. In my tasks, premiums normally drop 10 to 25 percent, depending on the carrier and the number of openings are protected.
Energy performance is the third pillar. Energy-efficient effect windows with contemporary low-E effect glass and warm-edge spacers can cut solar heat gain while preserving noticeable light. That indicates less a/c demand, specifically on west and south exposures where the afternoon sun penalizes interiors. In one Coral Gables retrofit, we replaced 1980s single-pane sliders with laminated low-E effect units. Summer afternoon peak load come by roughly a lots of cooling, and the home's annual electrical energy use fell in between 12 and 18 percent. Outcomes differ with shading, attic insulation, and HVAC effectiveness, but the direction is consistent.
Laminated effect glass is the heart of the system, however not all laminated products are equal.
Most domestic cyclone 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 include weight and cost. For oceanfront or tall openings, you may see SGP (ionoplast) interlayers, which are stiffer and more powerful than PVB, allowing thinner sections to accomplish higher design pressures. For noise-sensitive websites, best impact windows available acoustic PVB formulations modify the polymer to much better absorb sound 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 bending than annealed glass. That holds true, and tempered lites are typically utilized as the outer or inner ply in an impact unit. But tempered alone is not impact-resistant in the cyclone sense. When it fails, it takes off into small cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening susceptible. The impact efficiency comes 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, however constantly bonded through a PVB or ionoplast interlayer.
Low-E coverings 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 50 percent or higher. 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 frequently tighten up SHGC and accept a slight tint to manage morning and afternoon blasts. On north elevations, I lean toward higher noticeable transmittance for daylighting.
Frames are the other half of the story. Aluminum frames dominate here because they handle large openings and will not swell. Thermal breaks and improved glazing gaskets have actually narrowed the energy space with vinyl. High-quality vinyl effect frames, when enhanced correctly, can perform well for standard-sized openings and have much better insulating values, however I avoid them for extremely large sliders or high storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad units look beautiful in older Mediterranean Revival homes, but they require cautious upkeep and smart flashing. The Florida sun damages cheap vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum finishes rapidly. Search for powder-coated finishes ranked for coastal direct exposure, and request composed warranty details in salt-air environments.
Window installation can make or break performance. A costly unit set up like a handyman swap-out will not pass a storm's stress test. The load course is the core. Impact 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 cinder block building, you want stainless or hot-dipped galvanized anchors embedded into strong product. Hollow cells should be grouted or you require to strike the bond beam. Tapcons in soft, unfilled Boca Raton hurricane window installation block are a failure waiting to take place. In wood-framed houses, 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. A correctly sized backer rod and top quality polyurethane or silyl-modified polymer sealant produce a resilient, flexible seal that deals with thermal expansion. Too small a bead and it tears under movement. Too big and it cures inadequately. On coastal jobs, I never ever combine dissimilar metals without a barrier, and I always 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 integration with the water-resistive barrier are important. If you depend on sealant alone, water will find its way in. That moisture might disappoint up as a drip. It may rot a sill plate gradually, then betray itself as a buckling flooring or a moldy odor 2 cyclone seasons later.

I have nothing against well-designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are preserved and lubricated, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even removable panels stored thoroughly can protect homes efficiently. They also help in certain cases.
Second homes or seasonal leasings where budget is tight in some cases 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 tidy motorized roll-down can be sensible, specifically if affordable window installation Boca Raton coupling with effect doors and windows in other places stresses the spending plan. For house owners who plan to move within a year, shutters can be a brief bridge to compliance before a sale.
But shutters bring compromises. They darken your house when deployed, and they need action at precisely the time you are handling insurance papers, gas cans, and household logistics. Throughout Cyclone 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 spent the next hour in the immediate care waiting room. He endured with stitches. His living room window did not. Shutters likewise rattle and can vibrate under sustained winds, in some cases loosening up fasteners gradually if not maintained.
For long-term owners who wish to set hurricane resistant windows solutions it and forget it, impact windows give hurricane evidence windows protection while maintaining daylight and view. The convenience grows valuable once you have actually experienced one storm season with absolutely no preparation beyond locking the sash.
South Florida homes battle two battles: hidden load from humidity and reasonable load from direct solar heat gain. Effect glass upgrades can assist both if defined intelligently.
Low-E impact glass utilizes microscopically thin metal layers to show infrared energy while letting noticeable light through. With the right finishing stacks, you can block a big part of radiant heat and UV. UV obstruction in laminated units comes largely 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 three numbers: U-factor, SHGC, and VT. While U-factor matters more up north, it still helps here by reducing nighttime heat flow and keeping the interior glass temperature closer to space temperature level, which reduces condensation danger. SHGC drives how much solar heat goes into. VT affects how bright the interior feels. Balance is essential. Some homeowners desire the crisp, clear appearance of greater VT, even if it implies accepting a few degrees more heat in late afternoon, because their landscaping and roofing overhangs currently do some shading. Others choose a more powerful tint for glare control on waterfront lots that show extreme light.
In useful terms, going from clear single-pane sliders to contemporary low-E laminated double-glazed systems can minimize peak solar gains by 30 to half on the most exposed sides. Couple that with tuned overhangs, light-colored outside finishes, and an effectively sized variable-speed heating and cooling, and you start to construct resilience. If the grid goes down and you change to a generator, a lower cooling load indicates a smaller sized generator and fewer gallons of fuel.
Miami-Dade Notification of Approval, or NOA, is the file you request. It information the approved configurations, sizes, anchors, and pressures tested. It is insufficient to hear "these are Miami-Dade authorized windows" in a display room. Validate the NOA matches the precise design and options you are purchasing, consisting of the glazing makeup and hardware. If you remain in Broward or Miami-Dade, your permitting office will desire this paper trail.
Statewide, the Florida Item Approval system offers FL numbers that reveal code compliance. In the remainder of the state outside the High Speed Hurricane Zone, Florida building regulations windows can count on Florida Product Approval without Miami-Dade particular NOAs. Many top producers carry both. Where budget plans permit, I choose NOA products even outside the zone because the screening is stiffer.
NFRC labels handle energy metrics. They won't inform you impact efficiency, however they show U-factor, SHGC, VT, and air leak. Aim for air leakage at or below 0.3 cfm/ft TWO. Tighter is much better for humidity control, however make certain your home still has balanced ventilation. Sealing the envelope and disregarding fresh air is a dish for indoor air quality complaints.
Impact windows cost more in advance than shutters. There's no spin around that. Installed costs differ with size, shape, finish, and access. On simple single-family homes, per-opening costs often land in between 1,200 and 3,000 dollars for basic sizes. Big multi-panel sliders, custom-made arches, and coastal-grade finishes raise the numbers quickly.
Where you recoup value:
If you plan to own the property for 5 years or more, the mathematics typically tilts in favor of effect windows, particularly when you factor the intangible of comfort. If you prepare to sell within a year and need to reveal compliance rapidly, shutters may make more short-term sense. Context matters.
I focus on hardware and accessories. Multi-point locks on sashes and awnings enhance seal compression and security. For sliders, robust tandem rollers in stainless real estates slide smoother and last longer on sandy patios. Look at the sill design 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 fashion. Reflective movies can run afoul of neighborhood associations or produce mirror-like glare towards surrounding residential or commercial properties. In coastal environments, highly reflective glass can confuse birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Local pros know which finishes balance efficiency with compliance.
Color stability is a huge offer. Dark bronze or black frames look fantastic on modern-day homes, however in Florida sun inexpensive finishes chalk and fade. AAMA 2605-rated coverings supply the best color retention and chalk resistance. I specify them for coastal exposures whenever budgets allow.

Historic districts typically need profiles that imitate old wood sash sightlines. There are impact-rated windows that fit these requirements, but lead times extend and costs climb. Expect extra review by architectural boards, and line up a contractor knowledgeable about these submissions.
Condos have another layer of governance. Associations often define a narrow list of authorized products for uniformity. They also appreciate sound control between units. If your structure sits directly on Collins Opportunity or faces a hectic beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated choices. Deal 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, need unique attention in design pressure, deflection, and running hardware. Not every system that looks sturdy in a display room meets the wind loads on a ninth-floor veranda. Do not depend on catalog maximum sizes. Utilize the NOA tables that represent your site's zone, favorable and unfavorable pressures, and mullion combinations if any.
The finest jobs begin with a measured study and direct exposure analysis. You map each opening, note the substrate, and identify any framing abnormalities or settlement fractures. During proposition, the contractor reveals you the NOA and the Florida Item 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 remove one opening at a time to keep the house safe. They protect floorings, draw back window treatments, and cap sprinklers. Old frames come out with care to protect interior surfaces. 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, specifically 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 documents in order.
Six months later on, your windows still close with 2 fingers, locks bite smoothly, and there is no mystery rattle throughout thunderstorms. You did not have to require a roller change after the first week. That is the standard.
Impact ranking does not equivalent breakproof. Laminated glass can split under severe effects, but it must stay in the frame and hold together. After a storm that sends out particles into the glass, you may see star fractures or spidering. The window did its task. Change 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, however they do not alternative to an evaluated, anchored system. Your insurance provider and building department will not count movies as protected openings.
Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient effect windows decrease air leakage. That's terrific, but it increases the importance of a properly sized HVAC with excellent dehumidification. If your system is extra-large, the thermostat pleases rapidly and stops working to pull enough moisture from the air. Ask your heating and cooling pro to check sensible heat ratio, airflow, and run time. You desire stable, longer cycles, not brief bursts.
Maintenance is straightforward but not optional. Tidy weep holes on sliders, wash salt spray from frames, and oil hardware annually with a silicone-based product that will not gum up in heat. Little routines extend lifespan.
There are legitimate factors to blend solutions. A pair of hardly ever used garage windows can keep detachable panels to shave budget. A deep-set patio with minimal sun exposure may do great with accordion shutters if you focus on other upgrades like a brand-new roof deck attachment or a prepared garage door. Shutters can also safeguard outside kitchens 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 handbook overrides for roll-downs make a difference. Assign responsibility for release and practice once beyond a storm watch. Inventory your hardware. The day you need 32 wing nuts is not the early morning you wish to find you have 29.
Impact windows are not only about surviving 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 much shorter. You lock the sashes, set storm mode on the alarm, and focus on people instead of panels.
For a lot of my clients, that intangible is the deciding factor. They understand storms will come. They also know life in South Florida is too good to live inside a fortress that only gets up in August. Miami-Dade authorized windows provide you both: a clear view of Biscayne Bay on a breezy February early morning and peaceful confidence when the spaghetti designs point our method September.
If you are weighing the choice, begin 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 hire a team that respects the load course. Done right, energy‑efficient impact windows provide what shutters can not: security that never ever requests a ladder and a much better home every day of the year.