STS Impact Windows, Doors & Roofing is a veteran-owned company based in South Florida that specializes in premium hurricane protection solutions, including impact windows, doors, custom storefronts, and roofing. Combining over 25 years of industry experience with military precision, STS provides expert installation, full transparency, and outstanding customer service, backed by a leading 3-year installation warranty. Their comprehensive services ensure security and peace of mind for both residential and commercial clients, with a strong focus on quality, reliability, and efficiency.
View on Google MapsSTS Impact Windows and Doors specializes in hurricane protection solutions, offering high-quality impact windows, storm-resistant doors, custom storefronts, and professional roofing services. With expert installation, full transparency, and outstanding customer service, the company ensures homes and businesses stay secure and energy-efficient.
STS Impact Windows and Doors is located at 1000 Holland Dr Suite 10, Boca Raton, FL 33487, United States. The company proudly serves residential and commercial clients across Florida and throughout the United States, delivering reliable storm protection solutions. View their location on Google Maps.
Yes, STS Impact Windows and Doors is a veteran-owned company recognized for its dedication, integrity, and service to the community. This background adds an extra level of trust and reliability for homeowners and businesses seeking storm protection solutions.
STS Impact Windows and Doors provides a wide range of services including the installation of hurricane impact windows, impact doors, custom commercial storefronts, and roofing services. Each project is backed by expert craftsmanship, a 3-year installation warranty, and over 25 years of industry experience.
The company proudly serves both residential homeowners and commercial property owners. From protecting family homes to fortifying businesses with hurricane-rated storefronts, STS Impact Windows and Doors delivers customized solutions that ensure safety, durability, and efficiency.
Clients benefit from the company’s focus on quality, reliability, and efficiency. Their impact-resistant windows and doors not only enhance security and hurricane protection but also improve energy efficiency, reduce noise, and increase property value. With a 3-year installation warranty, customers can trust in long-term performance and peace of mind.
STS Impact Windows and Doors has been recognized with multiple industry honors, including the South Florida Veteran Owned Business Excellence Award, Best Hurricane Protection Provider 2023 Florida, and the Angi’s Super Service Award for Window Installation. These awards highlight their commitment to excellence, customer satisfaction, and industry leadership.
You can reach STS Impact Windows and Doors by phone at 561-600-1018 or visit their website at stswindows.com. They are open Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm and are available on Facebook and Instagram for updates and project showcases.
Business Name: STS Impact Windows & Doors
Address: 1000 Holland Dr #10, Boca Raton, FL 33487, United States
Phone: (561)-600-1018
Hurricane season shapes life along Florida's coasts. You feel it in the method neighbors track tropical waves, the pre-storm rush to stock up, and the routine of hauling ladders to install panels. After 20 years specifying, installing, and fixing structure envelopes from Secret Largo to Palm Beach, I have actually seen what holds up and what doesn't. When the goal is real defense with year-round convenience, Miami-Dade authorized, energy‑efficient impact windows surpass shutters in manner ins which surpass storm day. They change how a house feels in August, how quiet your living-room remains on a Saturday night, and how positive you are when a storm line spins up quicker than predicted.
This is a useful 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 authorized," what materials matter, and how to get the installation right the first time.
Miami-Dade County's Product Control Department sets one of the toughest standards in the country for constructing components exposed to windborne debris. Approval is not a marketing sticker. It is made through particular laboratory tests that replicate genuine hurricane conditions.
First comes large rocket impact. A 9-pound 2x4 is contended the glass at approximately 34 miles per hour. That mimics roofing system tiles, branches, or pieces of fencing that fly in the eyewall. After the effect, the exact same system faces cyclic pressure loading, thousands of pressurization and depressurization cycles that mimic quick wind gusts over hours. If the glass remains in the frame without letting the envelope breach, it passes. The distinction in between "fulfills Florida building regulations windows" and "Miami-Dade authorized windows" typically lives in these test thresholds. Miami-Dade is just stiffer, particularly in High Velocity Hurricane Zone requirements, that include Miami-Dade and Broward.
Wind scores differ by opening size and style pressures, represented as PSF values. On ocean-facing NOA vs FPA difference homes or high-rises, I often specify units ranked at +60/ -80 PSF or higher. Inland or in more secured exposures, scores in the +45/ -60 PSF range can be sufficient, however you size and specification based upon the site's wind map, constructing height, and surrounding structures. An expert knows that a corner direct exposure at the second story needs various reinforcement than a sheltered window under a deep porch.
Hurricane shutters vs effect windows is not a one-to-one contrast. Shutters can satisfy code, and they're much better than nothing. However 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 live in place. You get constant defense, even if a pop-up storm surprises you while you're stuck on US 1. You likewise get advantages 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 resistant interlayer, normally PVB interlayer glass or SentryGlas. That interlayer damps noise. On jobs along busy corridors like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight courses, I've determined interior sound drops in the 5 to 10 decibel variety, sometimes more when paired with insulated glass units.
Security improves because laminated glass withstands required entry. A robber can shatter the outer lite with a hammer, but the interlayer holds the fragments. They satisfy a sticky, stubborn membrane rather of a fast path inside. Insurance coverage underwriters understand this, which is why policies typically use credits for effect hurricane proof windows windows and doors. In my jobs, premiums normally drop 10 to 25 percent, depending on the provider and how many openings are protected.
Energy efficiency is the third pillar. Energy-efficient impact windows with contemporary low-E impact glass and warm-edge spacers can cut solar heat gain while preserving visible light. That means less a/c need, especially on west and south exposures where the afternoon sun punishes interiors. In one Coral Gables retrofit, we replaced 1980s single-pane sliders with laminated low-E impact systems. Summer afternoon peak load visited approximately a lots of cooling, and the home's annual electricity usage fell in between 12 and 18 percent. Outcomes differ with shading, attic insulation, and a/c effectiveness, but the direction is consistent.
Laminated effect glass is the heart of the system, however not all laminated items are equal.
Most residential cyclone 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, however they add weight and cost. For oceanfront or high openings, you may see SGP (ionoplast) interlayers, which are stiffer and more powerful than PVB, permitting thinner areas to attain greater style pressures. For noise-sensitive websites, acoustic PVB formulas modify the polymer to better take in sound in the 1,000 to 3,000 Hz variety, where traffic and voices sit.
Tempered glass windows show up typically in discussions because tempered glass is more powerful in flexing than annealed glass. That holds true, and tempered lites are typically used as the outer or inner ply in an impact unit. However 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 susceptible. The effect efficiency originates from laminated building, not tempering by itself. Numerous systems use a tempered external lite laminated to an annealed inner lite, or both tempered, however always bonded through a PVB or ionoplast interlayer.
Low-E coatings matter for comfort. A soft-coat low-E tuned for South Florida typically 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, particularly in larger openings. The sweet spot depends on your exterior orientation and shading. On east and west elevations, I typically tighten up SHGC and accept a small tint to manage early morning and afternoon blasts. On north elevations, I lean toward higher visible transmittance for daylighting.
Frames are the other half of the story. Aluminum frames control here due to the fact that they deal with big openings and won't swell. Thermal breaks and enhanced glazing gaskets have actually narrowed the energy gap with vinyl. High-quality vinyl effect frames, when enhanced properly, can carry out well for standard-sized openings and have much better insulating values, however I prevent them for very broad sliders or high storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad units look stunning in older Mediterranean Revival homes, but they require careful upkeep and clever flashing. The Florida sun destroys inexpensive vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum finishes quickly. Look for powder-coated finishes ranked for seaside direct exposure, and demand composed service warranty information in salt-air environments.
Window setup can make or break performance. An expensive unit installed like a handyman swap-out will not pass a storm's stress test. The load course is the core. Impact forces have to take a trip from the glass through the frame, to the anchors, into the substrate, and after that into the structure's framing or masonry.
In cinder block building, you want stainless or hot-dipped galvanized anchors embedded into solid material. Hollow cells need to be grouted or you need to hit the bond beam. Tapcons in soft, unfilled block are a failure waiting to occur. In wood-framed houses, structural screws must bite into solid trimmers, not just sheathing. Shimming and plumb positioning matter so the locks engage cleanly and the weatherstripping compresses evenly.
The sealant joint is not simply aesthetic. A properly sized backer rod and high-quality polyurethane or silyl-modified polymer sealant produce a resilient, versatile seal that handles thermal growth. Too small a bead and it tears under movement. Too huge and it cures improperly. On seaside jobs, I never ever match dissimilar metals without a barrier, and I constantly define corrosion-resistant fasteners. Ten years later on, you will see who took shortcuts.
Flashing is the other non-negotiable. Pan flashing at sills, self-adhered membranes at jambs and heads, and integration with the water-resistive barrier are important. If you count on sealant alone, water will find its way in. That moisture may not show up as a drip. It may rot a sill plate slowly, then betray itself as a buckling flooring or a moldy smell two typhoon seasons later.
I have nothing versus well-designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are maintained and oiled, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even removable panels kept carefully can protect homes successfully. They likewise assist in particular cases.
Second homes or seasonal rentals where budget plan is tight often lean on shutters to fulfill the Florida building code 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 sensible, particularly if pairing with effect windows and doors somewhere else stresses the spending 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 trade-offs. They darken your house when deployed, and they require action at specifically the time you are managing insurance papers, gas cans, and family logistics. During Cyclone 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 room. He made it through with stitches. His living room window did not. Shutters likewise rattle and can vibrate under sustained winds, often loosening up fasteners over time if not maintained.
For long-lasting owners who wish to set it and forget it, impact windows provide hurricane proof windows coverage while preserving daytime and view. The benefit grows important once you have actually experienced one storm season with no prep beyond locking the sash.
South Florida homes battle two fights: hidden load from humidity and practical load from direct solar heat gain. Effect glass upgrades can help both if specified intelligently.
Low-E impact glass utilizes microscopically thin metallic layers to show infrared energy while letting visible light through. With the best finish stacks, you can obstruct a large portion of convected heat and UV. UV clog in laminated systems comes largely from the interlayer itself, which usually filters 95 to 99 percent of UV, lowering fading of fabrics and floor covering. Include the low-E, and you suppress the solar heat that drives your air conditioning crazy midafternoon.
I evaluate glass specifications with three numbers: U-factor, SHGC, and VT. While U-factor matters more up north, it still assists here by minimizing nighttime heat flow and keeping the interior glass temperature closer to room temperature, which reduces condensation risk. SHGC drives how much solar heat gets in. VT affects how brilliant the interior feels. Balance is crucial. Some house owners desire the crisp, clear appearance of greater VT, even if it means accepting a couple of degrees more heat in late afternoon, due to the fact that their landscaping and roofing overhangs already do some shading. Others prefer a more powerful tint for glare control on waterside lots that show severe light.
In practical terms, going from clear single-pane sliders to contemporary 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 exterior finishes, and an effectively sized variable-speed HVAC, and you start to build resilience. If the grid decreases and you change to a generator, a lower cooling load implies a smaller sized generator and less gallons of fuel.
Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance, or NOA, is the document you request. It details the authorized configurations, sizes, anchors, and pressures checked. It is inadequate to hear "these are Miami-Dade approved windows" in a showroom. Verify the NOA matches the exact design and choices you are purchasing, including the glazing makeup and hardware. If you remain in Broward or Miami-Dade, your permitting office will want this paper trail.
Statewide, the Florida Product Approval system offers FL numbers that show code compliance. In the rest of the state outside the High Speed Typhoon Zone, Florida building code windows can depend on Florida Item Approval without Miami-Dade specific NOAs. Many top makers bring both. Where spending plans permit, I prefer 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 efficiency, however they show U-factor, SHGC, VT, and air leakage. Go for air leak at or below 0.3 cfm/ft TWO. Tighter is much better for humidity control, however ensure your home still has actually balanced ventilation. Sealing the envelope and disregarding 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 uncomplicated single-family homes, per-opening costs frequently land between 1,200 and 3,000 dollars for basic sizes. Big multi-panel sliders, customized arches, and coastal-grade surfaces raise the numbers quickly.
Where you recoup worth:
If you prepare to own the home for 5 years or more, the math typically tilts in favor of effect windows, particularly when you factor the intangible of assurance. If you prepare to offer within a year and need to reveal compliance quickly, shutters may make more short-term sense. Context matters.
I take notice of hardware and accessories. 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. Look at the sill design on moving 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 fashion. Reflective movies can run afoul of neighborhood watch or produce mirror-like glare toward neighboring residential or commercial properties. In coastal environments, highly reflective glass can puzzle birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Local pros understand which finishes balance efficiency with compliance.
Color stability is a huge deal. Dark bronze or black frames look wonderful on contemporary homes, however in Florida sun inexpensive surfaces chalk and fade. AAMA 2605-rated coverings supply the very best color retention and chalk resistance. I specify them for coastal exposures whenever budget plans allow.
Historic districts often need profiles that mimic old wood sash sightlines. There are impact-rated windows that fit these requirements, however lead times lengthen and costs climb. Anticipate extra review by architectural boards, and line up a specialist familiar with these submissions.

Condos have another layer of governance. Associations sometimes define a narrow list of authorized items for uniformity. They also care about sound control between systems. If your structure sits straight on Collins Opportunity or faces a busy beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated alternatives. Deal 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 running hardware. Not every unit that looks sturdy in a display room fulfills the wind loads on a ninth-floor veranda. Do not rely on catalog optimum sizes. Use the NOA tables that correspond to your website's zone, favorable and negative pressures, and mullion combinations if any.
The best jobs begin with a determined survey and direct exposure analysis. You map each opening, note the substrate, and determine any framing irregularities or settlement cracks. Throughout proposition, the specialist reveals you the NOA and the Florida Item Approval, lists anchor types, and describes how each opening will be flashed and sealed. They plan for stucco or drywall repair work, not pretend no damage will occur.
On install day, they remove one opening at a time to keep your home safe and secure. They secure floorings, draw back window treatments, and cap sprinklers. Old frames come out with care to preserve interior finishes. 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, especially if they will be hidden. After glazing, they water-test with a regulated spray to validate drain paths and seals. The inspector sees a neat jobsite, clear labels, and paperwork in order.
Six months later, your windows still close with two fingers, locks bite smoothly, and there is no mystery rattle during thunderstorms. You did not need to require a roller adjustment after the first week. That is the standard.
Impact ranking does not equivalent breakproof. Laminated glass can break under severe effects, but it should 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. Change 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 substitute for an evaluated, anchored system. Your insurance company and structure department will not count films as safeguarded openings.
Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient effect windows reduce air leakage. That's excellent, however it increases the significance of a correctly sized a/c with great dehumidification. If your system is oversized, the thermostat pleases rapidly and fails to pull enough moisture from the air. Ask your a/c pro to inspect sensible heat ratio, air flow, and run time. You want consistent, longer cycles, not brief bursts.
Maintenance is straightforward however not optional. Tidy weep holes on sliders, wash salt spray from frames, and lubricate hardware every year with a silicone-based item that will not gum up in heat. Small routines extend lifespan.
There are genuine factors to blend solutions. A pair of rarely used garage windows can keep detachable panels to shave spending plan. A deep-set patio with minimal sun direct exposure may do fine with accordion shutters if you prioritize other upgrades like a brand-new roofing deck attachment or a fortified garage door. Shutters can likewise safeguard outside cooking areas or cabana openings where grease and smoke would age expensive hardware prematurely.
If you choose shutters, invest in quality. Stainless fasteners, smooth tracks, and motors with handbook bypasses for roll-downs make a difference. Appoint duty for deployment and practice as soon as outside of a storm watch. Inventory your hardware. The day you need 32 wing nuts is not the early morning you want to discover you have 29.
Impact windows are not only about surviving the big one. They improve daily living. The living room stays cooler and quieter. The a/c cycles calmly instead of racing at 4 p.m. You sleep without freight trains of wind sound when a squall line passes at 2 a.m. When a hurricane threatens, your preparation list gets shorter. You lock the sashes, set storm mode on the alarm, and focus on people rather than panels.
For a lot of my clients, that intangible is the deciding aspect. They know storms will come. They also understand life in South Florida is too good to live inside a fortress that only awakens in August. Miami-Dade approved windows give you both: a clear view of Biscayne Bay on a breezy February early 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 design pressures, select the ideal laminated glass stack for wind and heat, choose frames that fit the architecture and conditions, and employ a team that respects the load course. Done right, energy‑efficient effect windows deliver what shutters can not: defense that never requests for a ladder and a better home every day of the year.