November 4, 2025

Hurricane-Proof Assurance: 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 next-door neighbors track tropical waves, the pre-storm rush to stockpile, and the ritual of hauling ladders to mount panels. After twenty years specifying, installing, and troubleshooting structure envelopes from Key Largo to Palm Beach, I've seen what holds up and what does not. When the objective is genuine security with year-round convenience, Miami-Dade approved, energy‑efficient effect windows outperform shutters in ways that go beyond storm day. They change how a home feels in August, how quiet your living room remains on a Saturday night, and how confident you are when a storm line spins up faster than predicted.

This is a practical look at why many South Florida property owners are moving from shutters to typhoon impact-resistant windows, how to read the requirements behind "Miami-Dade authorized," what materials matter, and how to get the setup right the first time.

What "Miami-Dade Approved" really means

Miami-Dade County's Product Control Department sets one of the toughest standards in the country for building components exposed to windborne debris. Approval is not a marketing sticker label. It is earned through particular lab tests that imitate real typhoon conditions.

First comes large rocket effect. A 9-pound 2x4 is contended the glass at approximately 34 miles per hour. That imitates roofing tiles, branches, or pieces of fencing that fly in the eyewall. After the impact, the exact same unit deals with cyclic pressure loading, countless pressurization and depressurization cycles that simulate fast 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 code windows" and "Miami-Dade authorized windows" often lives in these test limits. Miami-Dade is simply stiffer, particularly in High Speed Typhoon Zone requirements, which include Miami-Dade and Broward.

Wind rankings differ by opening size and style pressures, denoted as PSF worths. On ocean-facing homes or high-rises, I often specify systems ranked at +60/ -80 PSF or greater. Inland or in more protected exposures, rankings in the +45/ -60 PSF variety can be enough, however you size and spec based upon the website's wind map, building height, and surrounding structures. An expert knows that a corner exposure at the second story demands different reinforcement than a sheltered window under a deep porch.

Why effect windows change the daily experience, not just storm season

Hurricane shutters vs effect windows is not a one-to-one contrast. Shutters can satisfy code, and they're much better than absolutely nothing. But they ask you to do work at the worst possible time. When a watch turns to a warning and the projection track tightens, 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 United States 1. You likewise get benefits every day of the year.

Noise control is the most underappreciated benefit. Laminated impact glass is basically a sandwich: two panes of glass bonded by a durable interlayer, normally PVB interlayer glass or SentryGlas. That interlayer damps sound. On tasks along hectic passages like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight courses, I have actually measured interior sound drops in the 5 to 10 decibel range, sometimes more when paired with insulated glass units.

Security improves since laminated glass withstands forced entry. A burglar can shatter the outer lite with a hammer, but the interlayer holds the fragments. They fulfill a sticky, stubborn membrane rather of a fast path inside. Insurance underwriters know this, which is why policies frequently use credits for effect doors and windows. In my tasks, premiums generally drop 10 to 25 percent, depending upon the provider and the number of openings are protected.

Energy efficiency is the third pillar. Energy-efficient effect windows with modern-day low-E impact glass and warm-edge spacers can cut solar heat gain while protecting visible light. That means less air conditioning demand, specifically on west and south exposures where the afternoon sun penalizes interiors. In one Coral Gables retrofit, we changed 1980s single-pane sliders with laminated low-E impact units. Summer afternoon peak load dropped by approximately a lots of cooling, and the home's yearly electrical energy use fell between 12 and 18 percent. Results differ with shading, attic insulation, and heating and cooling efficiency, but the instructions is consistent.

Material choices that matter: glass, interlayers, and frames

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 improve impact resistance and sound control, however they add weight and expense. For oceanfront or high openings, you may see SGP (ionoplast) interlayers, which are stiffer and stronger than PVB, permitting thinner areas to accomplish higher design pressures. For noise-sensitive websites, acoustic PVB formulas fine-tune the polymer to better take in noise in the 1,000 to 3,000 Hz range, where traffic and voices sit.

Tempered glass windows turn up frequently in discussions since tempered glass is stronger in flexing than annealed glass. That's true, and tempered lites are commonly used as the external or inner ply in an impact system. However tempered alone is not impact-resistant in the cyclone sense. When it fails, it takes off into little cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening vulnerable. The impact performance originates from laminated building, not tempering by itself. Lots of systems utilize a tempered external lite laminated to an annealed inner lite, or both tempered, however constantly bonded through a PVB or ionoplast interlayer.

Low-E finishings matter for comfort. A soft-coat low-E tuned for South Florida generally targets a solar heat gain coefficient in the 0.25 to 0.35 variety while keeping visible light transmission around half or greater. Go too low on SHGC and the glass can look gray or green, especially in larger openings. The sweet area depends upon your façade orientation and shading. On east and west elevations, Boca Raton impact resistant windows I often tighten up SHGC and accept a small tint to manage morning and afternoon blasts. On north elevations, I favor greater visible transmittance for daylighting.

Frames are the other half of the story. Aluminum frames dominate here because they handle big openings and will not swell. Thermal breaks and enhanced glazing gaskets have actually narrowed the energy space with vinyl. Premium vinyl impact frames, when reinforced properly, can carry out well for standard-sized openings and have better insulating worths, however I prevent them for really broad sliders or high storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad units look stunning in older Mediterranean Revival homes, but they demand careful maintenance and clever flashing. The Florida sun destroys low-cost vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum surfaces rapidly. Search for powder-coated surfaces ranked for coastal exposure, and demand written service warranty affordable hurricane proof windows Boca Raton information in salt-air environments.

The hidden hero: installation that appreciates the load path

Window setup can make or break efficiency. An expensive unit installed like a handyman swap-out will not pass a storm's stress test. The load course is the essence. Effect forces need to travel from the glass through the frame, to the anchors, into the substrate, and then into the structure's framing or masonry.

In cinder block construction, you want stainless or hot-dipped galvanized anchors embedded into strong product. Hollow cells should be grouted or you need to strike the bond beam. Tapcons in soft, unfilled block are a failure waiting to take place. In wood-framed houses, structural screws should 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 premium polyurethane or silyl-modified polymer sealant develop a durable, flexible seal that deals with thermal expansion. Too small a bead and it tears under movement. 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. 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 integration with the water-resistive barrier are essential. If you rely on sealant alone, water will find its way in. That moisture may disappoint up as a drip. It may rot a sill plate slowly, then betray itself as a buckling flooring or a moldy smell two cyclone seasons later.

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

I have absolutely nothing versus well-designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are kept and lubed, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even detachable panels saved thoroughly can safeguard homes efficiently. They also assist in specific cases.

Second homes or seasonal rentals where budget is tight sometimes lean on shutters to meet the Florida building regulations windows requirement for secured openings. On specialized openings like a lanai that is rarely used in summer season, a clean motorized roll-down can be reasonable, specifically if Boca Raton hurricane proof window installation pairing with impact windows and doors in other places worries 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 trade-offs. They darken the house when released, and they need action at exactly the time you are managing insurance documents, gas cans, and family logistics. During Cyclone Irma, I viewed a next-door neighbor try to install 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 gradually if not maintained.

For long-lasting owners who wish to set it and forget it, effect windows give hurricane evidence windows protection while preserving daytime and view. The convenience grows valuable once you have actually experienced one storm season with absolutely no preparation beyond locking the sash.

The energy story: how glass requirements translate to comfort and bills

South Florida homes fight two fights: latent load from humidity and sensible load from direct solar heat gain. Impact glass upgrades can help both if specified intelligently.

Low-E effect glass uses microscopically thin metallic layers to show infrared energy while letting visible light through. With the best coating stacks, you can block a big part of convected heat and UV. UV clog in laminated systems comes mainly from the interlayer itself, which typically filters 95 to 99 percent of UV, decreasing fading of fabrics and flooring. Include the low-E, and you suppress the solar heat that drives your a/c crazy 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 decreasing nighttime heat circulation and keeping the interior glass temperature level closer to room temperature, which decreases condensation danger. SHGC drives just how much solar heat goes into. VT affects how intense the interior feels. Balance is key. Some house owners desire the crisp, clear look of higher VT, even if it means accepting a few degrees more heat in late afternoon, because their landscaping and roof overhangs currently do some shading. Others prefer a stronger 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 units can decrease peak solar gains by 30 to 50 percent on the most exposed sides. Couple that with tuned overhangs, light-colored exterior surfaces, and a properly sized variable-speed HVAC, and you start to construct durability. If the grid goes down and you change to a generator, a lower cooling load suggests a smaller sized generator and less 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 for. It information the approved configurations, sizes, anchors, and pressures checked. It is insufficient to hear "these are Miami-Dade approved windows" in a showroom. Confirm the NOA matches the exact design and options you are buying, including the glazing makeup and hardware. If you remain in Broward or Miami-Dade, your allowing workplace will desire this paper trail.

Statewide, the Florida Item Approval system offers FL numbers that reveal code compliance. In the rest of the state outside the High Speed Cyclone Zone, Florida building code windows can rely on Florida Product Approval without Miami-Dade particular NOAs. Many top manufacturers bring both. Where budget plans permit, I prefer NOA products even outside the zone due to the fact that the testing is stiffer.

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

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

Impact windows cost more upfront than shutters. There's no spin around that. Installed expenses vary 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. Large multi-panel sliders, customized arches, and coastal-grade surfaces raise the numbers quickly.

Where you recoup value:

  • Insurance credits build up, typically 10 to 25 percent off premiums when all openings are protected.
  • Energy savings, normally 8 to 20 percent on yearly cooling expenses in older homes after a complete window upgrade paired with sealing and attic improvements.
  • Resale appeal, especially in markets where buyers anticipate effect doors and windows as a baseline. A home with accordion shutters completes, however a home with storm impact windows reveals much better, feels quieter, and generally assesses stronger.

If you prepare to own the residential or commercial property for five years or more, the mathematics frequently tilts in favor of effect windows, especially when you factor the intangible of comfort. If you plan to offer within a year and need to show compliance quickly, shutters might make more short-term sense. Context matters.

Details that separate good systems from excellent ones

I pay attention to hardware and devices. Multi-point locks on casements and awnings enhance seal compression and security. For sliders, robust tandem rollers in stainless housings glide smoother and last longer on sandy patio areas. Take a look at the sill style on moving doors. Weep systems ought to be crafted 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 style. Reflective movies can contravene of neighborhood watch or produce mirror-like glare toward neighboring properties. In seaside communities, highly reflective glass can confuse birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Regional pros understand which finishings balance performance with compliance.

Color stability is a huge deal. Dark bronze or black frames look fantastic on modern-day homes, however in Florida sun cheap finishes chalk and fade. AAMA 2605-rated coatings provide the very best color retention and chalk resistance. I specify them for coastal exposures whenever budgets allow.

Special cases: historical homes, apartments, and tricky openings

Historic districts frequently require profiles that mimic 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 acquainted with these submissions.

Condos have another layer of governance. Associations in some cases define a narrow list of authorized items for uniformity. They likewise appreciate sound control in between systems. If your structure sits straight on Collins Avenue or deals with a busy beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated options. Work with building management on staging and lift gain access to. Weekend work windows and limited parking can add days and dollars.

Large openings, like a 16-foot-wide slider, require unique attention in style pressure, deflection, and operating hardware. Not every system that looks strong in a display room satisfies the wind loads on a ninth-floor terrace. Do not depend on brochure optimum sizes. Utilize the NOA tables that correspond to your website's zone, favorable and negative pressures, and mullion combinations if any.

What a tidy task appears like from survey to last inspection

The best jobs begin with a determined study and direct exposure analysis. You map each opening, note the substrate, and determine any framing irregularities or settlement fractures. During proposition, the professional reveals you the NOA and the Florida Item Approval, notes 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 set up day, they remove one opening at a time to keep your home safe. They secure floors, draw back window treatments, and cap sprinklers. Old frames bring out care to maintain interior finishes. durable impact windows 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 license file, particularly if they will be hidden. After glazing, they water-test with a regulated spray to validate drainage courses and seals. The inspector sees a neat jobsite, clear labels, and paperwork in order.

Six months later on, your windows still close with two fingers, locks bite efficiently, and there is no secret rattle throughout thunderstorms. You did not need to require a roller adjustment after the first week. That is the standard.

Frequently misinterpreted points that cost property owners later

Impact rating does not equivalent breakproof. Laminated glass can crack under extreme effects, but it should remain in the frame and hold together. After a storm that sends out particles into the glass, you might see star cracks or spidering. The window did its job. Change the sash or IGU after the event.

Window movies do not convert non-impact windows into cyclone impact-resistant windows. They can include shatter resistance, but they do not substitute for a tested, anchored system. Your insurance provider and structure department will not count movies as safeguarded openings.

Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient impact windows decrease air leak. That's fantastic, however it increases the significance of a correctly sized HVAC with great dehumidification. If your system is oversized, the thermostat pleases quickly and stops working to pull enough moisture from the air. Ask your a/c pro to examine sensible heat ratio, airflow, and run time. You desire steady, longer cycles, not brief bursts.

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

When shutters still belong in the conversation

There are legitimate reasons to blend options. A set of seldom used garage windows can keep removable panels to shave spending plan. A deep-set deck with very little sun direct exposure may do fine with accordion shutters if you prioritize other upgrades like a new roofing deck attachment or a prepared garage door. Shutters can likewise safeguard outside kitchens or cabana openings where grease and smoke would age expensive hardware prematurely.

If you choose shutters, purchase quality. Stainless fasteners, smooth tracks, and motors with handbook bypasses for roll-downs make a difference. Appoint obligation for deployment 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 peaceful Tuesday

Impact windows are not just about making it through the big one. They reshape daily living. The living-room remains cooler and quieter. The a/c cycles calmly instead of racing at 4 Boca Raton window installation experts p.m. You sleep without freight trains of wind noise when a squall line passes at 2 a.m. When a typhoon threatens, your preparation list gets shorter. You lock the sashes, set storm mode on the alarm, and concentrate on individuals instead of panels.

For much of my clients, that intangible is the deciding element. They understand storms will come. They likewise understand life in South Florida is too good to live inside a fortress that only wakes up in August. Miami-Dade authorized windows provide you both: a clear view of Biscayne Bay on a breezy February early morning and quiet self-confidence when the spaghetti designs point our method September.

If you are weighing the option, begin with a site-specific assessment. Match your exposures to create pressures, select the ideal laminated glass stack for wind and heat, select frames that fit the architecture and conditions, and hire a team that respects the load path. Done right, energy‑efficient impact windows provide what shutters can not: protection that never ever requests a ladder and a much 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.