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 way next-door neighbors track tropical waves, the pre-storm rush to stockpile, and the ritual of carrying ladders to install panels. After twenty years specifying, installing, and repairing structure envelopes from Key Largo to Palm Beach, I have actually seen what holds up and what does not. When the objective is genuine defense with year-round comfort, Miami-Dade approved, energy‑efficient impact windows outshine shutters in manner ins which surpass storm day. They alter how a house feels in August, how quiet your living room remains on a Saturday night, and how confident you are when a storm line spins up quicker than predicted.
This is a practical take a look at why many South Florida house owners are moving from shutters to hurricane impact-resistant windows, how to check out the requirements behind "Miami-Dade approved," what materials matter, and how to get the installation right the first time.
Miami-Dade County's Item Control Department sets one of the most difficult criteria in the country for developing elements exposed to windborne particles. Approval is not a marketing sticker label. It is made through particular lab tests that replicate real typhoon conditions.
First comes large missile impact. A 9-pound 2x4 is shot at the glass at roughly 34 miles per hour. That imitates roofing system 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 code windows" and "Miami-Dade approved windows" frequently resides in these test limits. Miami-Dade is just stiffer, particularly in High Velocity Hurricane Zone requirements, which include Miami-Dade and Broward.
Wind rankings vary by opening size and style pressures, represented as PSF values. On ocean-facing homes or high-rises, I typically specify units rated at +60/ -80 PSF or higher. Inland or in more secured direct exposures, ratings in the +45/ -60 PSF variety can be adequate, but you size and specification based on the site's wind map, building height, and surrounding structures. An expert understands that a corner exposure at the second story needs various support than a protected window under a deep porch.
Hurricane shutters vs impact windows is not a one-to-one contrast. Shutters can meet code, and they're better than nothing. But they ask you to do work at the worst possible time. When a watch turns to a caution and the projection track tightens, the last thing you desire is a ladder, a dead cordless drill, and a missing wing nut.
Impact windows reside in location. You get constant defense, even if a pop-up storm surprises you while you're stuck on US 1. You also get benefits every day of the year.
Noise control is the most underappreciated benefit. Laminated impact glass is basically a sandwich: 2 panes of glass bonded by a durable interlayer, usually 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 sound drops in the 5 to 10 decibel variety, in some cases more when paired with insulated glass units.
Security improves due to the fact that laminated glass resists required entry. A robber can shatter the outer lite with a hammer, however the interlayer holds the shards. They meet a sticky, persistent membrane rather of a quick path inside. Insurance coverage underwriters understand this, which is why policies often provide credits for impact windows and doors. In my tasks, premiums usually drop 10 to 25 percent, depending upon the carrier and the number of openings are protected.
Energy performance is the 3rd pillar. Energy-efficient impact windows with modern-day low-E impact glass and warm-edge spacers can cut solar heat gain while maintaining visible light. That indicates less a/c demand, particularly on west and south direct exposures where the afternoon sun punishes interiors. In one Coral Gables retrofit, we changed 1980s single-pane sliders with laminated low-E impact systems. Summer season afternoon peak load come by approximately a ton of cooling, and the home's yearly electricity use fell in between 12 and 18 percent. Outcomes differ with shading, attic insulation, and HVAC efficiency, however the instructions is consistent.
Laminated impact glass is the heart of the system, but not all laminated items are equal.
Most residential cyclone windows utilize a PVB interlayer glass stack, frequently 0.030 to 0.090 inches thick in single or multiple plies. Thicker interlayers improve impact 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 areas to accomplish higher design pressures. For noise-sensitive websites, acoustic PVB formulas fine-tune the polymer to much better soak up sound in the 1,000 to 3,000 Hz variety, where traffic and voices sit.
Tempered glass windows show up often in conversations since tempered glass is stronger in bending than annealed glass. That holds true, and tempered lites are commonly utilized as the outer or inner ply in an effect system. But tempered alone is not impact-resistant in the typhoon sense. When it fails, it takes off into little cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening vulnerable. The impact efficiency comes from laminated building and construction, not tempering by itself. Many systems utilize 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 convenience. 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 short on SHGC and the glass can look gray or green, specifically in larger openings. The sweet spot depends on your exterior orientation and shading. On east and west elevations, I often tighten SHGC and accept a slight 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 deal with big openings and will not swell. Thermal breaks and improved glazing gaskets have narrowed the energy gap with vinyl. Premium vinyl effect frames, when strengthened correctly, can perform well for standard-sized openings and have better insulating worths, however I avoid them for very large sliders or tall storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad units look stunning in older Mediterranean Revival homes, however they require careful upkeep and wise flashing. The Florida sun destroys cheap vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum surfaces rapidly. Search for powder-coated finishes ranked for coastal exposure, and demand written service warranty information in salt-air environments.
Window setup can make or break efficiency. A pricey system installed like a handyman swap-out will not pass a storm's tension test. The load course is the core. Effect 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 concrete block construction, you desire stainless or hot-dipped galvanized anchors embedded into solid material. Hollow cells must be grouted or you require to strike the bond beam. Tapcons in soft, unfilled block are a failure waiting to take place. In wood-framed houses, structural screws must bite into building inspector window checklist solid trimmers, not simply sheathing. Shimming and plumb alignment 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 develop a durable, flexible seal that manages thermal growth. Too small a bead and it tears under motion. Too huge and it treatments badly. On coastal tasks, I never pair different 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 integration with the water-resistive barrier are vital. If you rely on sealant alone, water will discover its way in. That wetness may disappoint up as a drip. It might rot a sill plate slowly, then betray itself as a buckling floor or a moldy odor two typhoon seasons later.
I have nothing versus properly designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are preserved and oiled, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even removable panels saved carefully can protect homes efficiently. They likewise help in specific cases.
Second homes or seasonal leasings where budget plan is tight often lean on shutters to meet the Florida building code windows requirement for protected openings. On specialized openings like a lanai that is seldom utilized in summer, a clean motorized roll-down can be affordable, specifically if pairing with impact windows and doors in other places worries the budget. For homeowners who plan to move within a year, shutters can be a short 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 papers, gas cans, and family logistics. Throughout Hurricane Irma, I enjoyed a neighbor try 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 room. He survived with stitches. His living room window did not. Shutters also rattle and can vibrate under continual winds, sometimes loosening up fasteners with time if not maintained.
For long-lasting owners who want to set it and forget it, effect windows provide hurricane evidence windows coverage while preserving daytime and view. The benefit grows important once you've experienced one storm season with no prep beyond locking the sash.
South Florida homes battle two battles: latent load from humidity and practical load from direct solar heat gain. Impact glass upgrades can help both if specified intelligently.
Low-E effect glass uses microscopically thin metal layers to reflect infrared energy while letting visible light through. With the ideal covering stacks, you can obstruct a big part of radiant heat and UV. UV clog in laminated systems comes largely from the interlayer itself, which normally filters 95 to 99 percent of UV, reducing fading of fabrics and floor covering. Add the low-E, and you curb the solar heat that drives your air conditioning crazy midafternoon.
I evaluate glass specifications with 3 numbers: U-factor, SHGC, and VT. While U-factor matters more up north, it still assists here by reducing nighttime heat flow and keeping the interior glass temperature level closer to room temperature level, which lowers condensation risk. SHGC drives just how much solar heat gets in. VT affects how bright the interior feels. Balance is key. Some house owners desire the crisp, clear appearance of higher VT, even if it indicates accepting a couple of degrees more heat in late afternoon, because their landscaping and roofing overhangs already do some shading. Others choose a stronger tint for glare control on waterside lots that reflect harsh light.
In useful terms, going from clear single-pane sliders to modern low-E laminated double-glazed systems can lower peak solar gains by 30 to half on the most exposed sides. Couple that with tuned overhangs, light-colored outside surfaces, and an effectively sized variable-speed a/c, and you begin to develop durability. If the grid decreases and you change to a generator, a lower cooling load implies a smaller generator and fewer gallons of fuel.
Miami-Dade Notification of Acceptance, or NOA, is the file you request for. It details the authorized configurations, sizes, anchors, and pressures tested. It is inadequate to hear "these are Miami-Dade authorized windows" in a display room. Verify the NOA matches the exact design and alternatives you are buying, including the glazing makeup and hardware. If you are in Broward or Miami-Dade, your permitting office will want this paper trail.
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Statewide, the Florida Product Approval system supplies FL numbers that show code compliance. In the remainder of the state outside the High Velocity Hurricane Zone, Florida building regulations windows can count on Florida Product Approval without Miami-Dade particular NOAs. Numerous top makers carry both. Where spending plans permit, I choose NOA items even outside the zone due to the fact that the testing is stiffer.
NFRC labels handle energy metrics. They will not inform you effect performance, however they reveal U-factor, SHGC, VT, and air leak. Aim for air leak at or below 0.3 cfm/ft TWO. Tighter is much better for humidity control, however make certain your home still has stabilized ventilation. Sealing the envelope and overlooking fresh air is a dish for indoor air quality complaints.
Impact windows cost more upfront than shutters. There's no spin around that. Set up expenses vary with size, shape, surface, and access. On straightforward single-family homes, per-opening costs often land in between 1,200 and 3,000 dollars for basic sizes. Large multi-panel sliders, custom arches, and coastal-grade finishes raise the numbers quickly.
Where you recoup value:
If you plan to own the residential or commercial property for 5 years or more, the mathematics often tilts in favor of effect windows, particularly when you factor the intangible of peace of mind. 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 note of hardware and devices. 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 patio areas. Take a look at the sill style on moving doors. Weep systems must 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 watch or produce mirror-like glare towards surrounding residential or commercial properties. In coastal ecosystems, highly reflective glass can confuse birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Regional pros know which finishings balance performance with compliance.
Color stability is a big deal. Dark bronze or black frames look fantastic on contemporary homes, however in Florida sun low-cost surfaces chalk and fade. AAMA 2605-rated coatings provide the very best color retention and chalk resistance. I define them for coastal exposures whenever spending plans 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 specialist familiar with these submissions.
Condos have another layer of governance. Associations often define a narrow list of approved items for harmony. They also care about sound control in between systems. If your building sits directly on Collins Avenue or faces a hectic beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated alternatives. 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 special attention in style pressure, deflection, and running hardware. Not every system that looks sturdy in a showroom fulfills the wind loads on a ninth-floor veranda. Do not depend on catalog maximum sizes. Use the NOA tables that represent your website's zone, positive and unfavorable pressures, and mullion combinations if any.
The best jobs start with a measured survey and exposure analysis. You map each opening, keep in mind the substrate, and recognize any framing abnormalities or settlement fractures. During proposal, the contractor reveals you the NOA and the Florida Product 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 your house secure. They safeguard floorings, pull back window treatments, and cap sprinklers. Old frames come out with care to protect interior finishes. New systems get dry-fit, shimmed, and anchored per the schedule. The crew checks squareness and diagonals before setting sealant. They photo anchors for the permit file, specifically if they will be hidden. After glazing, they water-test with a regulated spray to verify drainage paths and seals. The inspector sees a cool jobsite, clear labels, and documents in order.
Six months later on, your windows still close with two fingers, locks bite efficiently, and there is no mystery rattle during thunderstorms. You did not have to require a roller adjustment after the first week. That is the standard.
Impact score does not equivalent breakproof. Laminated glass can break under severe impacts, however it should stay in the frame and hold together. After a storm that sends debris into the glass, you might see star cracks or spidering. The window did its task. Replace the sash or IGU after the event.
Window films do not transform non-impact windows into hurricane impact-resistant windows. They can add shatter resistance, but they do not replacement for a checked, anchored system. Your insurer and building department will not count films as safeguarded openings.
Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient effect windows minimize air leakage. That's great, but it increases the significance of an appropriately sized heating and cooling with great dehumidification. If your system is large, the thermostat satisfies quickly and stops working to pull enough moisture from the air. Ask your heating and cooling pro to inspect reasonable heat ratio, airflow, and run time. You want constant, longer cycles, not short bursts.
Maintenance is uncomplicated but not optional. Clean weep holes on sliders, wash salt spray from frames, and oil hardware each year with a silicone-based item that will not gum up in heat. Little routines extend lifespan.
There are genuine factors to mix services. A pair of rarely used garage windows can keep removable panels to shave budget plan. A deep-set porch with very little sun exposure might do great with accordion shutters if you focus on other upgrades like a brand-new roofing deck accessory or a fortified garage door. Shutters can also protect outdoor kitchen areas or cabana openings where grease and smoke would age fancy hardware prematurely.
If you select shutters, buy quality. Stainless fasteners, smooth tracks, and motors with manual overrides for roll-downs make a difference. Assign duty for deployment and practice as soon as outside of a storm watch. Inventory your hardware. The day you require 32 wing nuts is not the morning you want to find you have 29.
Impact windows are not only about enduring the huge one. They reshape 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 cyclone threatens, your preparation list gets shorter. You lock the sashes, set storm mode on the alarm, and concentrate on individuals rather than panels.
For a lot of my clients, that intangible is the choosing element. They know storms will come. They likewise understand life in South Florida is too good to live inside a fortress that just gets up in August. Miami-Dade approved windows offer you both: a clear view of Biscayne Bay on a breezy February morning and peaceful confidence when the spaghetti designs point our way in September.
If you are weighing the option, begin with a site-specific assessment. Match your exposures to develop pressures, choose the ideal laminated glass stack for wind and heat, choose frames that fit the architecture and conditions, and work with a team that appreciates the load path. Done right, energy‑efficient impact windows provide what shutters can not: defense that never ever requests a ladder and a better home every day of the year.