November 3, 2025

Hurricane-Proof Assurance: Selecting Miami-Dade Approved, Energy‑Efficient Impact Windows Over Shutters

STS Impact Windows & Doors

STS Impact Windows, Doors & Roofing is a veteran-owned company based in South Florida that specializes in premium hurricane protection solutions, including impact windows, doors, custom storefronts, and roofing. Combining over 25 years of industry experience with military precision, STS provides expert installation, full transparency, and outstanding customer service, backed by a leading 3-year installation warranty. Their comprehensive services ensure security and peace of mind for both residential and commercial clients, with a strong focus on quality, reliability, and efficiency.

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1000 Holland Dr #10, Boca Raton, 33487, US

Business Hours

  • Monday: 08:00 - 17:00
  • Tuesday: 08:00 - 17:00
  • Wednesday: 08:00 - 17:00
  • Thursday: 08:00 - 17:00
  • Friday: 08:00 - 17:00
  • Saturday: Closed
  • Sunday: Closed
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STS Impact Windows and Doors is a business
STS Impact Windows and Doors is based in Boca Raton Florida
STS Impact Windows and Doors is located at 1000 Holland Dr Suite 10 Boca Raton FL 33487 United States
STS Impact Windows and Doors operates in the United States
STS Impact Windows and Doors is a veteran owned company
STS Impact Windows and Doors specializes in hurricane protection solutions
STS Impact Windows and Doors provides impact windows
STS Impact Windows and Doors provides impact doors
STS Impact Windows and Doors provides custom storefronts
STS Impact Windows and Doors provides roofing services
STS Impact Windows and Doors provides expert installation
STS Impact Windows and Doors provides full transparency
STS Impact Windows and Doors provides outstanding customer service
STS Impact Windows and Doors has over 25 years of industry experience
STS Impact Windows and Doors offers a 3 year installation warranty
STS Impact Windows and Doors serves residential clients
STS Impact Windows and Doors serves commercial clients
STS Impact Windows and Doors focuses on quality reliability and efficiency
STS Impact Windows and Doors has phone number 5616001018
STS Impact Windows and Doors has website https://stswindows.com/
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STS Impact Windows and Doors has opening hours Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm
STS Impact Windows and Doors was awarded South Florida Veteran Owned Business Excellence Award
STS Impact Windows and Doors was awarded Best Hurricane Protection Provider 2023 Florida
STS Impact Windows and Doors was awarded Angis Super Service Award for Window Installation

People Also Ask about STS Impact Windows and Doors

What does STS Impact Windows and Doors do?

STS Impact Windows and Doors specializes in hurricane protection solutions, offering high-quality impact windows, storm-resistant doors, custom storefronts, and professional roofing services. With expert installation, full transparency, and outstanding customer service, the company ensures homes and businesses stay secure and energy-efficient.

Where is STS Impact Windows and Doors located?

STS Impact Windows and Doors is located at 1000 Holland Dr Suite 10, Boca Raton, FL 33487, United States. The company proudly serves residential and commercial clients across Florida and throughout the United States, delivering reliable storm protection solutions. View their location on Google Maps.

Is STS Impact Windows and Doors a veteran-owned business?

Yes, STS Impact Windows and Doors is a veteran-owned company recognized for its dedication, integrity, and service to the community. This background adds an extra level of trust and reliability for homeowners and businesses seeking storm protection solutions.

What services does STS Impact Windows and Doors provide?

STS Impact Windows and Doors provides a wide range of services including the installation of hurricane impact windows, impact doors, custom commercial storefronts, and roofing services. Each project is backed by expert craftsmanship, a 3-year installation warranty, and over 25 years of industry experience.

Who does STS Impact Windows and Doors serve?

The company proudly serves both residential homeowners and commercial property owners. From protecting family homes to fortifying businesses with hurricane-rated storefronts, STS Impact Windows and Doors delivers customized solutions that ensure safety, durability, and efficiency.

What are the benefits of choosing STS Impact Windows and Doors?

Clients benefit from the company’s focus on quality, reliability, and efficiency. Their impact-resistant windows and doors not only enhance security and hurricane protection but also improve energy efficiency, reduce noise, and increase property value. With a 3-year installation warranty, customers can trust in long-term performance and peace of mind.

What awards has STS Impact Windows and Doors won?

STS Impact Windows and Doors has been recognized with multiple industry honors, including the South Florida Veteran Owned Business Excellence Award, Best Hurricane Protection Provider 2023 Florida, and the Angi’s Super Service Award for Window Installation. These awards highlight their commitment to excellence, customer satisfaction, and industry leadership.

How can I contact STS Impact Windows and Doors?

You can reach STS Impact Windows and Doors by phone at 561-600-1018 or visit their website at stswindows.com. They are open Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm and are available on Facebook and Instagram for updates and project showcases.


Business Name: STS Impact Windows & Doors
Address: 1000 Holland Dr #10, Boca Raton, FL 33487, United States
Phone: (561)-600-1018

Hurricane season shapes life along Florida's coasts. You feel it in the method neighbors track tropical waves, the pre-storm rush to stockpile, and the routine of transporting ladders to install panels. After two decades defining, installing, and troubleshooting building envelopes from Key Largo to Palm Beach, I've seen what holds up and what doesn't. When the goal is real security with year-round comfort, Miami-Dade authorized, energy‑efficient effect windows outperform shutters in ways that exceed storm day. They alter how a house feels in August, how peaceful your living room stays on a Saturday night, and how positive you are when a storm line spins up much faster than predicted.

This is a useful take a look at why numerous South Florida property owners are moving from shutters to cyclone 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.

What "Miami-Dade Approved" actually means

Miami-Dade County's Item Control Department sets one of the hardest standards in the country for developing components exposed to windborne debris. Approval is not a marketing sticker label. It is made through specific laboratory tests that imitate genuine typhoon conditions.

First comes big missile effect. A 9-pound 2x4 is contended the glass at approximately 34 miles per hour. That imitates roof tiles, branches, or pieces of fencing that fly in the eyewall. After the effect, the very same system faces 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 distinction between "fulfills Florida building regulations windows" and "Miami-Dade authorized windows" typically lives in these test thresholds. Miami-Dade is simply stiffer, especially in High Speed Cyclone Zone requirements, that include Miami-Dade and Broward.

Wind ratings differ by opening size and design pressures, denoted as PSF worths. On ocean-facing homes or high-rises, I typically define units rated at +60/ -80 PSF or greater. Inland or in more safeguarded exposures, ratings in the +45/ -60 PSF variety can be enough, however you size and specification based on the website's wind map, building height, and surrounding structures. A professional understands that a corner exposure at the second story needs different support than a protected window under a deep porch.

Why effect windows alter the everyday experience, not just storm season

Hurricane shutters vs effect windows is not a one-to-one comparison. Shutters can meet code, and they're better than local window installation experts absolutely nothing. However they ask you to do work at the worst possible time. When a watch turns to a warning and the forecast track tightens, the last thing you desire is a ladder, a dead cordless drill, and a missing wing nut.

Impact windows reside in place. You get continuous protection, 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 advantage. 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 noise. On jobs along hectic passages like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight courses, I have actually measured interior noise drops in the 5 to 10 decibel range, often more when coupled with insulated glass units.

Security improves due to the fact that laminated glass withstands forced entry. A robber can shatter the outer lite with a hammer, however the interlayer holds the fragments. They satisfy a sticky, stubborn membrane rather of a fast course inside. Insurance coverage underwriters understand this, which is why policies often provide credits for effect windows and doors. In my projects, premiums normally drop 10 to 25 percent, depending on the carrier and how many openings are protected.

Energy performance is the third pillar. Energy-efficient effect windows with affordable window installation modern low-E effect glass and warm-edge spacers can cut solar heat gain while maintaining noticeable light. That suggests less cooling demand, particularly on west and south direct exposures where the afternoon sun punishes interiors. In one Coral Gables retrofit, we replaced 1980s single-pane sliders with laminated low-E effect units. Summer season afternoon peak load come by approximately a lots of cooling, and the home's yearly electrical power usage fell between 12 and 18 percent. Results differ with shading, attic insulation, and heating and cooling performance, but the instructions is consistent.

Material choices that matter: glass, interlayers, and frames

Laminated effect glass is the heart of the system, however not all laminated items are equal.

Most property cyclone windows utilize 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, but they include weight and expense. For oceanfront or high openings, you might see SGP (ionoplast) interlayers, which are stiffer and more powerful than PVB, enabling thinner sections to accomplish higher style pressures. For noise-sensitive sites, acoustic PVB formulas tweak the polymer to much better absorb noise in the 1,000 to 3,000 Hz range, where traffic and voices sit.

Tempered glass windows show up often in conversations due to the fact that tempered glass is more powerful in flexing than annealed glass. That's true, and tempered lites are frequently utilized as the external or inner ply in an impact system. However tempered alone is not impact-resistant in the typhoon sense. When it fails, it takes off into small cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening vulnerable. The impact efficiency originates from laminated construction, not tempering by itself. Numerous systems use a tempered outer lite laminated to a hardened inner lite, or both tempered, but constantly bonded through a PVB or ionoplast interlayer.

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 variety 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 spot depends upon your façade orientation and shading. On east and west elevations, I frequently tighten up SHGC and accept a small 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 control here because they handle big openings and won't swell. Thermal breaks and improved glazing gaskets have narrowed the energy space with vinyl. Premium vinyl impact frames, when reinforced effectively, can perform well for standard-sized openings and have much better insulating worths, however I avoid them for extremely wide sliders or high storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad systems look lovely in older Mediterranean Revival homes, but they demand mindful upkeep and clever flashing. The Florida sun ruins cheap vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum finishes quickly. Try to find powder-coated finishes rated for coastal direct exposure, and demand written guarantee details in salt-air environments.

The concealed hero: setup that appreciates the load path

Window installation can make or break performance. A pricey system set up like a handyman swap-out will not pass a storm's tension test. The load course is the essence. Impact forces have to travel from the glass through the frame, to the anchors, into the substrate, and then into the structure's framing or masonry.

In cinder block building, 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 happen. In wood-framed houses, structural screws should bite into solid trimmers, not simply sheathing. Shimming and plumb alignment matter so the locks engage cleanly and the weatherstripping compresses evenly.

The sealant joint is not just visual. A properly sized backer rod and premium polyurethane or silyl-modified polymer sealant create a durable, versatile seal that handles thermal expansion. Too small a bead and it tears under movement. Too huge and it cures inadequately. On coastal tasks, I never match different metals without a barrier, and I constantly define corrosion-resistant fasteners. 10 years later, you will see who took shortcuts.

Flashing is the other non-negotiable. Pan flashing at sills, self-adhered membranes at jambs and heads, and integration with the water-resistive barrier are essential. If you count on sealant alone, water will find its method. That wetness may disappoint up as a drip. It might rot a sill plate slowly, then betray itself as a buckling flooring or a moldy odor 2 hurricane seasons later.

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

I have absolutely nothing versus properly designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are kept and oiled, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even removable panels stored carefully can safeguard homes effectively. They also assist in particular cases.

Second homes or seasonal rentals where spending plan is tight often lean on shutters to satisfy the Florida building regulations windows requirement for safeguarded openings. On specialized openings like a lanai that is hardly ever used in summer, a tidy motorized roll-down can be affordable, especially if pairing with effect doors and windows elsewhere stresses the budget plan. For homeowners who plan to move within a year, shutters can be a short bridge to compliance before a sale.

But shutters bring compromises. They darken your home when deployed, and they require action at precisely the time you are juggling insurance coverage papers, gas cans, and household logistics. During Hurricane Irma, I viewed a next-door neighbor attempt to mount steel panels hours before landfall. The ladder sank in saturated soil, a panel slipped, and hurricane proof windows in Boca Raton we spent the next hour in the immediate care waiting space. He endured with stitches. His living room window did not. Shutters likewise rattle and can vibrate under continual winds, in some cases loosening up fasteners with time if not maintained.

For long-lasting owners who wish to set it and forget it, impact windows give typhoon proof windows protection while protecting daylight and view. The convenience grows valuable once you have actually experienced one storm season with no prep beyond locking the sash.

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

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

Low-E impact glass utilizes microscopically thin metallic layers to reflect infrared energy while letting visible light through. With the right finishing stacks, you can block a large portion of radiant heat and UV. UV blockage in laminated systems comes mostly from the interlayer itself, which generally filters 95 to 99 percent of UV, minimizing fading of materials and floor covering. Include the low-E, and you suppress the solar heat that drives your a/c crazy midafternoon.

I evaluate glass specifications with three numbers: U-factor, SHGC, and VT. While U-factor matters more up north, it still helps here by decreasing nighttime heat flow and keeping the interior glass temperature level closer to space temperature, which lowers condensation danger. SHGC drives how much solar heat goes into. VT affects how intense the interior feels. Balance is crucial. Some property owners desire the crisp, clear look of higher VT, even if it implies accepting a few degrees more heat in late afternoon, since their landscaping and roofing overhangs currently do some shading. Others choose a more powerful tint for glare control on waterside lots that reflect extreme light.

In practical terms, going from clear single-pane sliders to contemporary low-E laminated double-glazed systems can decrease peak solar gains by 30 to 50 percent on the most exposed sides. Couple that with tuned overhangs, light-colored outside finishes, and a properly sized variable-speed HVAC, and you begin to construct resilience. If the grid goes down and you switch to a generator, a lower cooling load indicates 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 file you request. It details the approved configurations, sizes, anchors, and pressures evaluated. It is insufficient to hear "these are Miami-Dade authorized windows" in a display room. Validate the NOA matches the exact model and options you are buying, consisting of the glazing makeup and hardware. If you are in Broward or Miami-Dade, your permitting office will desire this paper trail.

Statewide, the Florida Item Approval system provides FL numbers that reveal code compliance. In the remainder of the state outside the High Velocity Cyclone Zone, Florida building code windows can count on Florida Item Approval without Miami-Dade specific NOAs. Many top manufacturers carry both. Where budget plans allow, I prefer NOA items even outside the zone due to the fact that the testing is stiffer.

NFRC labels manage energy metrics. They will not tell you impact performance, however they reveal U-factor, SHGC, VT, and air leak. Go for air leakage at or listed below 0.3 cfm/ft TWO. Tighter is better for humidity control, but make sure your home still has balanced ventilation. Sealing the envelope and neglecting fresh air is a recipe for indoor air quality complaints.

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

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

Where you recover worth:

  • Insurance credits build up, typically 10 to 25 percent off premiums when all openings are protected.
  • Energy savings, typically 8 to 20 percent on annual cooling expenses in older homes after a complete window upgrade paired with sealing and attic improvements.
  • Resale appeal, specifically in markets where purchasers expect impact doors and windows as a standard. A home with accordion shutters competes, however a home with storm effect windows reveals much better, feels quieter, and usually evaluates stronger.

If you prepare to own the home for five years or more, the mathematics frequently tilts in favor of effect windows, especially when you factor the intangible of peace of mind. If you prepare to sell within a year and require to show compliance quickly, shutters may 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 slide smoother and last longer on sandy patios. Look at the sill style on sliding doors. Weep systems must 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 films can run afoul of neighborhood watch or produce mirror-like glare toward surrounding properties. In coastal environments, extremely reflective glass can confuse birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Regional pros understand which coatings balance performance with compliance.

Color stability is a big offer. Dark bronze or black frames look wonderful on contemporary homes, however in Florida sun inexpensive finishes chalk and fade. AAMA 2605-rated coverings offer the best color retention and chalk resistance. I specify them for seaside exposures whenever budgets allow.

Special cases: historical homes, apartments, and challenging openings

Historic districts frequently need profiles that imitate old wood sash sightlines. There are impact-rated windows that fit these requirements, however lead times lengthen and costs climb. Expect extra evaluation by architectural boards, and line up a professional acquainted with these submissions.

Condos have another layer of governance. Associations often specify a narrow list of authorized products for harmony. They also appreciate noise control between units. If your structure sits straight on Collins Avenue or deals with a busy beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated options. Work with structure management on staging and lift access. Weekend work windows and limited parking can add days and dollars.

Large openings, like a 16-foot-wide slider, require unique attention in design pressure, deflection, and running hardware. Not every system that looks tough in a showroom meets the wind loads on a ninth-floor veranda. Do not count on catalog optimum sizes. Utilize the NOA tables that correspond to your website's zone, favorable and unfavorable pressures, and mullion mixes if any.

What a tidy task appears like from survey to final inspection

The best jobs begin with a measured study and exposure analysis. You map each opening, note the substrate, and determine any framing abnormalities or settlement cracks. During proposition, the contractor reveals you the NOA and the Florida Product Approval, lists anchor types, and explains how each opening will be flashed and sealed. They prepare for stucco or drywall repair work, not pretend no damage will occur.

On set up day, they remove one opening at a time to keep your home safe and secure. They protect floorings, draw back window treatments, and cap sprinklers. Old frames bring out care to preserve interior surfaces. New units get dry-fit, shimmed, and anchored per the schedule. The team checks squareness and diagonals before setting sealant. They picture anchors for the license file, particularly if they will be concealed. After glazing, they water-test with a regulated spray to validate drain courses and seals. The inspector sees a neat jobsite, clear labels, and documents in order.

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

Frequently misconstrued points that cost homeowners later

Impact rating does not equal breakproof. Laminated glass can crack under extreme effects, but it needs to stay in the frame and hold together. After a storm that sends particles into the glass, you might see star fractures or spidering. The window did its task. Change the sash or IGU after the event.

Window movies do not transform non-impact windows into typhoon impact-resistant windows. They can include shatter resistance, however they do not replacement for an evaluated, anchored system. Your insurance provider and building department will not count films as protected openings.

Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient effect windows minimize air leakage. That's terrific, however it increases the importance of an effectively sized a/c with great dehumidification. If your system is large, the thermostat pleases rapidly and stops working to pull enough moisture from the air. Ask your HVAC pro to inspect sensible heat ratio, air flow, and run time. You desire constant, longer cycles, not brief bursts.

Maintenance is simple however not optional. Clean weep holes on sliders, wash salt spray from frames, and lubricate hardware each year with a silicone-based product that will not gum up in heat. Small routines extend lifespan.

When shutters still belong in the conversation

There are legitimate factors to mix services. A pair of seldom used garage windows can keep removable panels to shave spending plan. A deep-set patio with minimal sun direct exposure may do fine with accordion shutters if you focus on other upgrades like a brand-new roofing deck accessory or a prepared garage door. Shutters can likewise protect outside kitchen areas or cabana openings where grease and smoke would age elegant hardware prematurely.

If you select shutters, buy quality. Stainless fasteners, smooth tracks, and motors with manual bypasses for roll-downs make a difference. Appoint responsibility for deployment and practice when outside of a storm watch. Inventory your hardware. The day you require 32 wing nuts is not the early morning you wish to find you have 29.

The bottom line: peace of mind you can feel on a peaceful Tuesday

Impact windows are not just about surviving the big one. They improve daily living. The living-room remains cooler and quieter. The air conditioner 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 hurricane threatens, your preparation list gets much shorter. You lock the sashes, set storm mode on the alarm, and concentrate on people rather than panels.

For a number of my customers, that intangible is the choosing element. They understand storms will come. They also know life in South Florida is too excellent to live inside a fortress that only gets up in August. Miami-Dade authorized windows offer you both: a clear view of Biscayne Bay on a breezy February early morning and peaceful self-confidence when the spaghetti designs point our method September.

If you are weighing the option, start with a site-specific assessment. Match your exposures to design pressures, pick the ideal laminated glass stack for wind and heat, select frames that fit the architecture and conditions, and hire a team that appreciates the load course. Done right, energy‑efficient impact windows provide what shutters can not: security that never 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.