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 next-door neighbors track tropical waves, the pre-storm rush to stock up, and the ritual of transporting ladders to mount panels. After 20 years specifying, installing, and troubleshooting structure envelopes from Key Largo to Palm Beach, I've seen what holds up and what doesn't. When the objective is real protection with year-round comfort, Miami-Dade approved, energy‑efficient impact windows outshine shutters in ways that go beyond storm day. They change how a house feels in August, how quiet your living-room stays on a Saturday night, and how confident you are when a storm line spins up faster than predicted.
This is a practical look at why many South Florida house owners are moving from shutters to hurricane impact-resistant windows, how to read the requirements behind "Miami-Dade authorized," what materials matter, and how to get the installation right the very first time.
Miami-Dade County's Item Control Division sets one of the hardest benchmarks in the country for building elements exposed to windborne debris. Approval is not a marketing sticker. It is earned through particular lab tests that replicate real cyclone conditions.
First comes large missile impact. A 9-pound 2x4 is contended the glass at roughly 34 miles per hour. That simulates roofing tiles, branches, or pieces of fencing that fly in the eyewall. After the impact, the same unit deals with cyclic pressure loading, thousands of pressurization and depressurization cycles that mimic fast wind gusts over hours. If the glass stays in the frame without letting the envelope breach, it passes. The distinction in between "fulfills Florida building regulations windows" and "Miami-Dade authorized windows" often lives in these test thresholds. Miami-Dade is just stiffer, especially in High Velocity Typhoon Zone requirements, that include Miami-Dade and Broward.
Wind scores vary by opening size and style pressures, represented as PSF values. On ocean-facing properties or high-rises, I typically define systems ranked at +60/ -80 PSF or greater. Inland or in more protected exposures, scores in the +45/ -60 PSF variety can suffice, however you size and specification based upon the site's wind map, developing height, and surrounding structures. An expert knows that a corner exposure at the 2nd story needs various support than a sheltered window under a deep porch.
Hurricane shutters vs impact windows is not a one-to-one comparison. Shutters can satisfy code, and they're much better than absolutely nothing. However they ask you to do operate at the worst possible time. When a watch turns to a warning and the projection track tightens up, the last thing you desire is a ladder, a dead cordless drill, and a missing wing nut.
Impact windows live in location. You get continuous protection, 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 effect glass is basically a sandwich: 2 panes of glass bonded by a durable interlayer, typically PVB interlayer glass or SentryGlas. That interlayer damps noise. On jobs along busy passages like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight paths, I have actually determined interior noise drops in the 5 to 10 decibel variety, often more when coupled with insulated glass units.
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Security enhances because laminated glass withstands required entry. An intruder can shatter the outer lite with a hammer, however the interlayer holds the fragments. They fulfill a sticky, persistent membrane instead of a quick course inside. DP rating (design pressure) Insurance coverage underwriters understand this, which is why policies typically offer credits for effect doors and windows. In my projects, premiums generally drop 10 to 25 percent, depending on the carrier and how many openings are protected.
Energy efficiency is the 3rd pillar. Energy-efficient impact windows with modern-day low-E effect glass and warm-edge spacers can cut solar heat gain while preserving visible light. That indicates less air conditioning demand, particularly 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 impact units. Summer season afternoon peak load visited roughly a ton of cooling, and the home's annual electricity use fell between 12 and 18 percent. Results differ with shading, attic insulation, and a/c effectiveness, however the instructions is consistent.
Laminated effect glass is the heart of the system, however not all laminated items are equal.
Most domestic typhoon windows use a PVB interlayer glass stack, commonly 0.030 to 0.090 inches thick in single or numerous plies. Thicker interlayers enhance impact resistance and sound control, but they include weight and expense. For oceanfront or tall openings, you may see SGP (ionoplast) interlayers, which are stiffer and stronger than PVB, permitting thinner areas to achieve higher style pressures. For noise-sensitive websites, acoustic PVB formulations tweak the polymer to better take in sound in the 1,000 to 3,000 Hz variety, where traffic and voices sit.
Tempered glass windows come up frequently in discussions 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 outer or inner ply in an impact system. However tempered alone is not impact-resistant in the typhoon sense. When it fails, it explodes into small cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening susceptible. The effect efficiency comes from laminated building and construction, not tempering by itself. Lots of systems utilize a tempered outer 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 noticeable light transmission around half or higher. Go too low on SHGC and the glass can look gray or green, especially in bigger openings. The sweet area depends on your exterior orientation and shading. On east and west elevations, I often tighten SHGC and accept a minor tint to manage morning and afternoon blasts. On north elevations, I lean toward greater visible transmittance for daylighting.
Frames are the other half of the story. Aluminum frames dominate here due to the fact that they manage big openings and won't swell. Thermal breaks and enhanced glazing gaskets have actually narrowed the energy space with vinyl. Premium vinyl impact frames, when reinforced appropriately, can carry out well for standard-sized openings and have better insulating values, however I prevent them for very large sliders or high storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad systems look beautiful in older Mediterranean Revival homes, but they demand mindful maintenance and clever flashing. The Florida sun damages low-cost vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum finishes rapidly. Look for powder-coated surfaces ranked for coastal direct exposure, and request written warranty details in salt-air environments.
Window setup can make or break efficiency. An expensive system installed like a handyman swap-out will not pass a storm's stress test. The load path is the essence. Effect forces need to travel 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 building and construction, you want stainless or hot-dipped galvanized anchors embedded into solid material. Hollow cells must be grouted or you need to hit 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 just sheathing. Shimming and plumb positioning matter so the locks engage easily and the weatherstripping compresses evenly.
The sealant joint is not simply aesthetic. An effectively sized backer rod and top quality polyurethane or silyl-modified polymer sealant create a long lasting, versatile seal that deals with thermal growth. Too small a bead and it tears under movement. Too huge and it treatments badly. On seaside jobs, I never match dissimilar metals without a barrier, and I constantly specify 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 combination with the water-resistive barrier are vital. If you depend on sealant alone, water will discover its method. That moisture may not show up as a drip. It might rot a sill plate slowly, then betray itself as a buckling flooring or a moldy odor two typhoon seasons later.
I have absolutely nothing versus properly designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are maintained and lubed, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even detachable panels stored carefully can protect homes effectively. They also help in certain cases.
Second homes or seasonal rentals where spending plan is tight in some cases lean on shutters to fulfill the Florida building code windows requirement for protected openings. On specialized openings like a lanai that is rarely used in summer season, a clean motorized roll-down can be affordable, specifically if pairing with effect windows and doors elsewhere stresses the budget plan. For property owners who prepare 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 need action at exactly the time you are managing insurance papers, gas cans, and family logistics. During Typhoon Irma, I enjoyed a neighbor attempt to mount steel panels hours before landfall. The ladder sank in saturated soil, a panel slipped, and we spent the next hour in the immediate care waiting space. 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-term owners who want to set it and forget it, impact windows provide hurricane evidence windows protection while maintaining daytime and view. The benefit grows valuable once you've experienced one storm season with no preparation beyond locking the sash.
South Florida homes fight 2 battles: latent load from humidity and practical load from direct solar heat gain. Impact glass upgrades can assist both if defined intelligently.
Low-E effect glass utilizes microscopically thin metallic layers to show infrared energy while letting visible light through. With the ideal coating stacks, you can obstruct a large portion of radiant heat and UV. UV blockage in laminated systems comes largely from the interlayer itself, which usually filters 95 to 99 percent of UV, decreasing fading of fabrics and floor covering. Add the low-E, and you suppress the solar heat that drives your air conditioner crazy midafternoon.
I assess glass specifications with three numbers: U-factor, SHGC, and VT. While U-factor matters more up north, it still helps here by minimizing nighttime heat circulation and keeping the interior glass temperature level closer to space temperature level, which minimizes condensation danger. SHGC drives how much solar heat goes into. VT influences how bright the interior feels. Balance is crucial. Some house owners desire the crisp, clear appearance 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 severe 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 finishes, and a properly sized variable-speed HVAC, and you start to develop durability. If the grid decreases and you change to a generator, a lower cooling load implies a smaller generator and less gallons of fuel.
Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance, or NOA, is the document you request for. It details the authorized configurations, sizes, anchors, and pressures checked. It is insufficient to hear "these are Miami-Dade authorized windows" in a display room. Confirm the NOA matches the precise model and choices you are purchasing, including the glazing makeup and hardware. If you are in Broward or Miami-Dade, your permitting office will want this paper trail.
Statewide, the Florida Item Approval system supplies FL numbers that show code compliance. In the remainder of the state outside the High Velocity Hurricane Zone, Florida building code windows can count on Florida Item Approval without Miami-Dade specific NOAs. Lots of top manufacturers bring both. Where budget plans allow, I prefer NOA items even outside the zone since the testing is stiffer.

NFRC labels handle energy metrics. They won't tell you impact performance, but they reveal U-factor, SHGC, VT, and air leak. Go for air leak at or listed below 0.3 cfm/ft TWO. Tighter is better for humidity control, but ensure your home still has actually stabilized ventilation. Sealing the envelope and overlooking 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 vary with size, shape, finish, and access. On simple single-family homes, per-opening costs frequently land in between 1,200 and 3,000 dollars for standard sizes. Big multi-panel sliders, custom arches, and coastal-grade finishes raise the numbers quickly.
Where you recover value:
If you prepare to own the home for five years or more, the math often tilts in favor of impact windows, especially when you factor the intangible of comfort. If you plan to offer within a year and need to reveal compliance rapidly, shutters might make more short-term sense. Context matters.
I take notice of hardware and accessories. Multi-point locks on casements and awnings improve seal compression and security. For sliders, robust tandem rollers in stainless real estates move smoother and last longer on sandy patios. Look at the sill style on moving doors. Weep systems should be engineered to drain pipes heavy rains without letting wind-driven water blow back in. Ask to see a cutaway sample in the showroom.
Tint colors and reflectivity are more than style. Reflective films can contravene of neighborhood watch or produce mirror-like glare toward surrounding homes. In seaside ecosystems, extremely reflective glass can puzzle birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Local pros understand which finishes balance efficiency with compliance.
Color stability is a big deal. Dark bronze or black frames look wonderful on modern homes, however in Florida sun inexpensive surfaces chalk and fade. AAMA 2605-rated coverings provide the best color retention and chalk resistance. I specify them for seaside direct exposures whenever budgets allow.
Historic districts frequently need profiles that mimic old wood sash sightlines. There are impact-rated windows that fit these requirements, but lead times extend and costs climb. Anticipate extra evaluation by architectural boards, and line up a professional knowledgeable about these submissions.
Condos have another layer of governance. Associations often specify a narrow list of approved items for uniformity. They also care about sound control between systems. If your structure sits straight on Collins Avenue or deals with a busy beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated choices. Deal with building management on staging and lift access. Weekend work windows and minimal 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 tough in a display room meets the wind loads on a ninth-floor balcony. Do not depend on brochure maximum sizes. Utilize the NOA tables that represent your site's zone, positive and negative pressures, and mullion mixes if any.
The best projects start with a measured study and exposure analysis. You map each opening, keep in mind the substrate, and determine any framing irregularities or settlement fractures. Throughout proposition, the contractor reveals you the NOA and the Florida Product 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 eliminate one opening at a time to keep the house secure. They secure floorings, draw back window treatments, and cap sprinklers. Old frames come out with care to preserve interior surfaces. New systems 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 hidden. After glazing, NOA product approval they water-test with a controlled spray to validate drain courses 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 secret rattle throughout thunderstorms. You did not have to require a roller change after the first week. That is the standard.
Impact score does not equivalent breakproof. Laminated glass can crack under serious impacts, but it must stay in the frame and hold together. After a storm that sends out particles into the glass, you might see star fractures or spidering. The window did its job. Replace the sash or IGU after the event.
Window films do not convert non-impact windows into hurricane impact-resistant windows. They can include shatter resistance, but they do not alternative to a tested, anchored system. Your insurance company and building department will not count films as secured openings.
Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient effect windows decrease air leakage. That's great, but it increases the value of a correctly sized a/c with good 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 inspect practical heat ratio, air flow, and run time. You desire consistent, longer cycles, not short bursts.
Maintenance is simple however not optional. Clean weep holes on sliders, wash salt spray from frames, and oil hardware each year with a silicone-based product that will not gum up in heat. Small routines extend lifespan.
There are legitimate reasons to blend services. A pair of seldom used garage windows can keep detachable panels to shave budget. A deep-set porch with minimal sun direct exposure might do fine with accordion shutters if you focus on other upgrades like a brand-new roof deck accessory or a fortified garage door. Shutters can likewise protect outdoor cooking areas or cabana openings where grease and smoke would age elegant hardware prematurely.
If you pick shutters, purchase quality. Stainless fasteners, smooth tracks, and motors with handbook bypasses for roll-downs make a distinction. Assign obligation for deployment and practice once outside of a storm watch. Inventory your hardware. The day you need 32 wing nuts is not the morning you wish to find you have 29.
Impact windows are not just about enduring the huge one. They reshape daily living. The living-room stays cooler and quieter. The AC cycles calmly instead 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 deciding factor. They know storms will come. They likewise know life in South Florida is too excellent to live inside a fortress that only awakens in August. Miami-Dade approved windows provide you both: a clear view of Biscayne Bay on a breezy February morning and quiet self-confidence when the spaghetti models point our way in September.
If you are weighing the option, start with a site-specific evaluation. Match your exposures to develop pressures, select the best laminated glass stack for wind and heat, choose frames that fit the architecture and conditions, and hire a team that appreciates the load path. Done right, energy‑efficient effect windows deliver what shutters can not: security that never requests a ladder and a much better home every day of the year.