October 18, 2025

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

STS Impact Windows & Doors

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

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

Business Hours

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

People Also Ask about STS Impact Windows and Doors

What does STS Impact Windows and Doors do?

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

Where is STS Impact Windows and Doors located?

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

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

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

What services does STS Impact Windows and Doors provide?

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

Who does STS Impact Windows and Doors serve?

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

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

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

What awards has STS Impact Windows and Doors won?

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

How can I contact STS Impact Windows and Doors?

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


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

Hurricane season shapes life along Florida's coasts. You feel it in the way next-door neighbors track tropical waves, the pre-storm rush to stockpile, and the routine of transporting ladders to install panels. After twenty years defining, setting up, and repairing building envelopes from Key Largo to Palm Beach, I've seen what holds up and what doesn't. When the goal is real protection with year-round comfort, Miami-Dade authorized, energy‑efficient impact windows outshine shutters in manner ins which go beyond storm day. They change 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 faster than predicted.

This is a useful take a look at why numerous South Florida homeowners are moving from shutters to hurricane impact-resistant windows, how to check out the standards behind "Miami-Dade approved," what products matter, and how to get the setup right the very first time.

What "Miami-Dade Approved" actually means

Miami-Dade County's Item Control Division sets among the toughest standards in the nation for developing parts exposed to windborne debris. Approval is not a marketing sticker. It is earned through specific lab tests that simulate genuine cyclone conditions.

First comes big missile impact. A 9-pound 2x4 is shot at the glass at approximately 34 miles per hour. That simulates roofing system tiles, branches, or pieces of fencing that fly in the eyewall. After the effect, the exact same unit deals with cyclic pressure loading, thousands of pressurization and depressurization cycles that imitate rapid wind gusts over hours. If the glass remains in the frame without letting the envelope breach, it passes. The difference in between "satisfies Florida building regulations windows" and "Miami-Dade authorized windows" often lives in these test limits. Miami-Dade is merely stiffer, particularly in High Speed Cyclone Zone requirements, which include Miami-Dade and Broward.

Wind rankings differ by opening size and design pressures, denoted as PSF values. On ocean-facing homes or high-rises, I typically define systems rated at +60/ -80 PSF or higher. Inland or in more protected exposures, scores in the +45/ -60 PSF variety can be adequate, however you size and spec based upon the site's wind map, developing height, and surrounding structures. A professional understands that a corner direct exposure at the second story needs various support than a protected window under a deep porch.

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

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

Impact windows live in location. You get continuous security, 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 impact 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 tasks along hectic corridors like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight paths, I've determined interior noise drops in the 5 to 10 decibel range, sometimes more when paired with insulated glass units.

Security enhances since laminated glass resists required entry. An intruder can shatter the external lite with a hammer, but the interlayer holds the fragments. They satisfy a sticky, stubborn membrane rather of a fast path inside. Insurance underwriters understand this, which is why policies frequently offer credits for impact windows and doors. In my jobs, premiums normally drop 10 to 25 percent, depending upon the carrier and the number of openings are protected.

Energy performance is the 3rd pillar. Energy-efficient effect windows with modern-day low-E impact glass and warm-edge spacers can cut solar heat gain while maintaining noticeable light. That suggests less a/c demand, specifically on west and south exposures where the afternoon sun punishes interiors. In one Coral Gables retrofit, we changed 1980s single-pane sliders with laminated low-E effect systems. Summertime afternoon peak load dropped by roughly a lots of cooling, and the home's annual electrical power usage fell in between 12 and 18 percent. Outcomes differ with shading, attic insulation, and a/c effectiveness, however the direction is consistent.

Material choices that matter: glass, interlayers, and frames

Laminated impact glass is the heart of the system, however not all laminated products are equal.

Most domestic cyclone windows use a PVB interlayer glass stack, commonly 0.030 to 0.090 inches thick in single or numerous plies. Thicker interlayers improve impact 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 stronger than PVB, enabling thinner areas to achieve greater design pressures. For noise-sensitive websites, acoustic PVB formulations tweak the polymer to much better take in sound in the 1,000 to 3,000 Hz variety, where traffic and voices sit.

Tempered glass windows show up frequently in discussions because tempered glass is stronger in flexing than annealed glass. That holds true, and tempered lites are frequently used as the external or inner ply in an impact system. But tempered alone is not impact-resistant in the typhoon sense. When it stops working, it takes off into small cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening sliding glass impact doors vulnerable. The impact performance comes from laminated building and construction, not tempering by itself. Numerous systems use a tempered external lite laminated to a hardened inner lite, or both tempered, however always bonded through a PVB or ionoplast interlayer.

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

Frames are the other half of the story. Aluminum frames control here due to the fact that they deal with large openings and will not swell. Thermal breaks and improved glazing gaskets have narrowed the energy gap with vinyl. Premium vinyl impact frames, when enhanced properly, can carry out well for standard-sized openings and have better insulating worths, however I prevent them for really large sliders or high storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad units look lovely in older Mediterranean Revival homes, however they demand cautious maintenance and clever flashing. The Florida sun damages cheap vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum finishes quickly. Search for powder-coated finishes rated for seaside direct exposure, and demand composed guarantee details in salt-air environments.

The surprise hero: installation that respects the load path

Window installation can make or break efficiency. A costly system set up like a handyman swap-out will not pass a storm's tension test. The load path is the core. Effect forces have 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 product. Hollow cells should be grouted or you require to strike the bond beam. Tapcons in soft, unfilled block are a failure waiting to occur. In wood-framed homes, structural screws must bite into solid trimmers, not just sheathing. Shimming and plumb alignment matter so the locks engage easily and the weatherstripping compresses evenly.

The sealant joint is not simply aesthetic. A properly sized backer rod and premium polyurethane or silyl-modified polymer sealant produce a durable, flexible seal that deals with thermal growth. Too little a bead and it tears under motion. Too big and it treatments improperly. On seaside jobs, I never combine different metals without a barrier, and I constantly specify corrosion-resistant fasteners. 10 years later on, you will see who took shortcuts.

Flashing is the other non-negotiable. Pan flashing at sills, self-adhered membranes at jambs and heads, and integration with the water-resistive barrier are essential. If you rely on sealant alone, water will discover its way in. That wetness might not show up as a drip. It may rot a sill plate slowly, then betray itself as a buckling flooring or a musty odor 2 cyclone seasons later.

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

I have nothing versus properly designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are preserved and oiled, hurricane window ratings roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even detachable panels saved carefully can protect homes successfully. They likewise assist in certain cases.

Second homes or seasonal rentals where budget 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 utilized in summer season, a tidy motorized roll-down can be affordable, especially if coupling with custom tempered glass impact windows and doors elsewhere stresses the budget. For property owners who prepare to move within a year, shutters can be a brief bridge to compliance before a sale.

But shutters bring trade-offs. They darken your house when released, and they require action at specifically the time you are handling insurance documents, gas cans, and family logistics. During Cyclone Irma, I saw a neighbor attempt to install steel panels hours before landfall. The ladder sank in saturated soil, a panel slipped, and we spent the next hour in the urgent care waiting room. He endured with stitches. His living room window did not. Shutters likewise rattle and can vibrate under continual winds, sometimes loosening fasteners with time if not maintained.

For long-lasting owners who want to set it and forget it, effect windows provide hurricane evidence windows protection while maintaining daytime and view. The benefit grows important once you have actually experienced one storm season with zero preparation beyond locking the sash.

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

South Florida homes battle two battles: hidden load from humidity and practical load from direct solar heat gain. Impact glass upgrades can help both if defined intelligently.

Low-E effect glass utilizes microscopically thin metallic layers to reflect infrared energy while letting noticeable light through. With the best finish stacks, you can block a large portion of convected 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 fabrics and flooring. Include the low-E, and you curb the solar heat that drives your air conditioner insane midafternoon.

I evaluate glass specs with three numbers: U-factor, SHGC, and VT. While U-factor matters more up north, it still helps here by reducing nighttime heat circulation and keeping the interior glass temperature level closer to room temperature level, which reduces condensation risk. SHGC drives just how much solar heat enters. VT affects how brilliant the interior feels. Balance is essential. Some homeowners desire the crisp, clear appearance of greater VT, even if it means accepting a few degrees more heat in late afternoon, due to the fact that their landscaping and roofing overhangs currently do some shading. Others choose a more powerful tint for glare control on waterside lots that show harsh light.

In practical terms, going from clear single-pane sliders to modern-day low-E laminated double-glazed units can decrease peak solar gains by 30 to 50 percent on the most exposed sides. Couple that with tuned overhangs, light-colored exterior surfaces, and an effectively sized variable-speed HVAC, and you start to build strength. If the grid decreases and you change to a generator, a lower cooling load suggests a smaller generator and fewer gallons of fuel.

Reading labels and approvals without getting lost in alphabet soup

Miami-Dade Notification of Approval, or NOA, is the document you ask for. It information the authorized configurations, sizes, anchors, and pressures checked. It is not enough to hear "these are Miami-Dade approved windows" in a showroom. Validate the NOA matches the exact model and choices you are buying, including the glazing makeup and hardware. If you remain in Broward or Miami-Dade, your permitting workplace will desire this paper trail.

Statewide, the Florida Item Approval system supplies FL numbers that reveal code compliance. In the rest of the state outside the High Velocity Cyclone Zone, Florida building code windows can depend on Florida Product Approval without Miami-Dade specific NOAs. Lots of leading producers carry both. Where spending plans allow, I prefer NOA products even outside the zone because the screening is stiffer.

NFRC labels deal with energy metrics. They will not tell you impact performance, but they reveal U-factor, SHGC, VT, and air leak. Go for air leakage at or below 0.3 cfm/ft TWO. Tighter is much better for humidity control, but ensure your home still has balanced ventilation. Sealing the UV blocking glass envelope and disregarding fresh air is a dish for indoor air quality complaints.

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

Impact windows cost more upfront than shutters. There's no spin around that. Installed expenses vary with size, shape, surface, 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 surfaces raise the numbers quickly.

Where you recover worth:

  • Insurance credits accumulate, frequently 10 to 25 percent off premiums when all openings are protected.
  • Energy cost savings, normally 8 to 20 percent on yearly cooling costs in older homes after a full window upgrade paired with sealing and attic improvements.
  • Resale appeal, specifically in markets where purchasers anticipate effect doors and windows as a baseline. A home with accordion shutters competes, but a home with storm effect windows reveals much better, feels quieter, and normally appraises stronger.

If you plan to own the property for 5 years or more, the math typically tilts in favor of impact windows, especially when you factor the intangible of peace of mind. If you prepare to sell within a year and require to reveal compliance quickly, shutters might make more short-term sense. Context matters.

Details that separate great systems from terrific ones

I take note of hardware and accessories. Multi-point locks on casements and awnings improve seal compression and security. For sliders, robust tandem rollers in stainless housings glide smoother and last longer on sandy outdoor patios. Look at the sill style on sliding doors. Weep systems must be crafted to drain 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 films can contravene of neighborhood watch or produce mirror-like glare towards neighboring residential or commercial properties. In seaside communities, highly reflective glass can confuse birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Regional pros know which finishes balance efficiency 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 finishings provide the very best color retention and chalk resistance. I define them for seaside direct exposures whenever budgets allow.

Special cases: historical homes, apartments, and challenging openings

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

Condos have another layer of governance. Associations sometimes specify a narrow list of authorized items for uniformity. They also appreciate noise control between units. If your structure sits directly on Collins Avenue or deals with a busy beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated options. Deal with building management on staging and lift gain access to. Weekend work windows and restricted parking can add days and dollars.

Large openings, like a 16-foot-wide slider, need unique attention in style pressure, deflection, and operating hardware. Not every unit that looks tough in a showroom satisfies the wind loads on a ninth-floor terrace. Do not rely on brochure maximum sizes. Use the NOA tables that represent your website's zone, favorable and negative pressures, and mullion mixes if any.

What a clean project appears like from survey to last inspection

The finest jobs start with a measured study and direct exposure analysis. You map each opening, keep in mind the substrate, and identify any framing abnormalities or settlement cracks. During proposal, the specialist reveals you the NOA and the Florida Item Approval, lists anchor types, and discusses how each opening will be flashed and sealed. They prepare for stucco or drywall repairs, not pretend no damage will occur.

On set up day, they eliminate one opening at a time to keep your home protected. They safeguard floorings, pull back window treatments, and cap sprinklers. Old frames come out with care to maintain interior finishes. New units get dry-fit, shimmed, and anchored per the schedule. The team checks squareness and diagonals before setting sealant. They photograph anchors for the authorization file, particularly if they will be hidden. After glazing, they water-test with a controlled spray to confirm drainage courses and seals. The inspector sees a cool jobsite, clear labels, and paperwork in order.

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

Frequently misunderstood points that cost property owners later

Impact rating does not equivalent breakproof. Laminated glass can split under severe effects, but it should stay in the frame and hold together. After a storm that sends out particles into the glass, you may see star cracks 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, but they do not replacement for a tested, anchored system. Your insurer and structure department will not count movies as secured openings.

Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient impact windows reduce air leak. That's terrific, however it increases the significance of an appropriately sized heating and cooling with great dehumidification. If your system is large, the thermostat satisfies rapidly and stops working to pull enough moisture from the air. Ask your heating and cooling pro to inspect practical heat ratio, airflow, and run time. You want stable, longer cycles, not short bursts.

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

When shutters still belong in the conversation

There are genuine factors to blend options. A set of hardly ever utilized garage windows can keep removable panels to shave budget plan. A deep-set deck with minimal sun direct exposure might do fine with accordion shutters if you focus on other upgrades like a brand-new roof deck attachment or a fortified garage door. Shutters can also safeguard outside kitchen areas or cabana openings where grease and smoke would age elegant hardware prematurely.

If you pick shutters, buy quality. Stainless fasteners, smooth tracks, and motors with manual bypasses for roll-downs make a distinction. Assign obligation for implementation and practice once beyond a storm watch. Inventory your hardware. The day you require 32 wing nuts is not the morning you want to discover you have 29.

The bottom line: comfort you can feel on a peaceful Tuesday

Impact windows are not just about surviving the big one. They reshape daily living. The living-room remains cooler and quieter. The AC 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 typhoon threatens, your preparation list gets shorter. You lock the sashes, set storm mode on the alarm, and focus on people instead of panels.

For much of my clients, that intangible is the deciding factor. They understand storms will come. They also understand life in South Florida is too great to live inside a fortress that only wakes up 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 models point our method September.

If you are weighing the option, begin with a site-specific assessment. Match your exposures to create pressures, select the best laminated glass stack for wind and heat, select Soundproof impact windows frames that fit the architecture and conditions, and employ a team that respects the load course. Done right, energy‑efficient impact windows deliver what shutters can not: security that never ever requests a ladder and a much better home every day of the year.

I am a dynamic innovator with a broad knowledge base in entrepreneurship. My conviction in entrepreneurship spurs my desire to innovate disruptive organizations. In my business career, I have cultivated a profile as being a daring thinker. Aside from creating my own businesses, I also enjoy counseling young startup founders. I believe in empowering the next generation of startup founders to pursue their own aspirations. I am easily seeking out disruptive opportunities and working together with similarly-driven creators. Redefining what's possible is my purpose. Aside from engaged in my enterprise, I enjoy immersing myself in dynamic environments. I am also focused on health and wellness.