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 ritual of transporting ladders to install panels. After two decades specifying, setting up, and troubleshooting structure envelopes from Key Largo to Palm Beach, I have actually seen what holds up and what doesn't. When the objective is real defense with year-round comfort, Miami-Dade approved, energy‑efficient effect windows exceed shutters in ways that exceed storm day. They alter how a house feels in August, how peaceful 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 many South Florida house owners are moving from shutters to cyclone impact-resistant windows, how to check out the requirements behind "Miami-Dade approved," what materials matter, and how to get the setup right the very first time.
Miami-Dade County's Product Control Department sets among the most difficult standards in the country for building parts exposed to windborne particles. Approval is not a marketing sticker. It is made through specific lab tests that simulate genuine typhoon conditions.
First comes big rocket impact. A 9-pound 2x4 is shot at the glass at approximately 34 miles per hour. That mimics roofing tiles, branches, or pieces of fencing that fly in the eyewall. After the effect, the exact same system deals with cyclic pressure loading, countless pressurization and depressurization cycles that imitate fast 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 code windows" and "Miami-Dade approved windows" typically resides in these test thresholds. Miami-Dade is just stiffer, especially in High Velocity Cyclone Zone requirements, which include Miami-Dade and Broward.
Wind ratings vary by opening size and design pressures, represented as PSF worths. On ocean-facing properties or high-rises, I typically specify units rated at +60/ -80 PSF or greater. Inland or in more protected direct exposures, ratings in the +45/ -60 PSF variety can suffice, but you size and specification based vinyl impact windows on the site's wind map, building height, and surrounding structures. A professional knows that a corner exposure at the 2nd story needs different reinforcement than a protected window under a deep porch.
Hurricane shutters vs effect windows is not a one-to-one contrast. Shutters can fulfill code, and they're much better than absolutely nothing. But they ask you to do work at the worst possible time. When a watch turns to a caution and the forecast 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 security, even if a pop-up storm surprises you while you're stuck on United States 1. You also get advantages every day of the year.
Noise control is the most underappreciated benefit. Laminated effect glass is basically a sandwich: 2 panes of glass bonded by a resistant interlayer, usually PVB interlayer glass or SentryGlas. That Florida Building Code windows interlayer damps noise. On tasks along hectic corridors like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight paths, I've measured interior sound drops in the 5 to 10 decibel range, in some cases more when paired with insulated glass units.
Security enhances due to the fact that laminated glass resists required entry. An intruder can shatter the outer lite with a hammer, however the interlayer holds the fragments. They fulfill a sticky, persistent membrane rather of a fast path inside. Insurance coverage underwriters understand this, which is why policies typically use credits for effect doors and windows. In my projects, premiums typically 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 modern low-E impact glass and warm-edge spacers can cut solar heat gain while protecting visible light. That means less cooling need, especially 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 units. Summer afternoon peak load visited roughly a ton of cooling, and the home's yearly electrical energy use fell in between 12 and 18 percent. Results vary with shading, attic insulation, and heating and cooling performance, but the direction is consistent.
Laminated impact glass is the heart of the system, but not all laminated products are equal.
Most residential cyclone windows utilize a PVB interlayer glass stack, commonly 0.030 to 0.090 inches thick in single or multiple plies. Thicker interlayers enhance effect resistance and sound control, hurricane shutters however they add weight and expense. For oceanfront or tall openings, you may see SGP (ionoplast) interlayers, which are stiffer and more powerful than PVB, permitting thinner areas to achieve greater style pressures. For noise-sensitive websites, acoustic PVB formulations modify the polymer to better soak up noise in the 1,000 to 3,000 Hz variety, where traffic and voices sit.
Tempered glass windows turn up typically in discussions since tempered glass is more powerful in flexing than annealed glass. That holds true, and tempered lites are commonly used as the external or inner ply in an effect unit. However tempered alone is not impact-resistant in the hurricane sense. When it fails, it explodes into small cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening susceptible. The impact efficiency originates from laminated construction, not tempering by itself. Many systems use a tempered outer lite laminated to an annealed inner lite, or both tempered, however constantly bonded through a PVB or ionoplast interlayer.
Low-E finishes matter for convenience. A soft-coat low-E tuned for South Florida normally targets a solar heat gain coefficient in the 0.25 to 0.35 range while keeping noticeable light transmission around half or greater. Go too short 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 minor tint to manage morning and afternoon blasts. On north elevations, I favor greater visible transmittance for daylighting.
Frames are the other half of the story. Aluminum frames dominate here because they handle big openings and will not swell. Thermal breaks and improved glazing gaskets have narrowed the energy space with vinyl. Premium vinyl impact frames, when enhanced effectively, can carry out well for standard-sized openings and have better insulating values, however I prevent them for very wide sliders or tall storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad systems look lovely in older Mediterranean Revival homes, but they demand careful maintenance and smart flashing. The Florida sun damages cheap vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum surfaces rapidly. Look for powder-coated finishes rated for coastal exposure, and request written warranty details in salt-air environments.
Window setup can make or break efficiency. A costly system 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 then into the structure's framing or masonry.
In cinder block construction, you want stainless or hot-dipped galvanized anchors embedded into strong product. Hollow cells must be grouted or you require 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 strong trimmers, not simply sheathing. Shimming and plumb alignment matter so the locks engage cleanly and the weatherstripping compresses evenly.
The sealant joint is not simply aesthetic. An effectively sized backer rod and top quality polyurethane or silyl-modified polymer sealant develop a resilient, flexible seal that manages thermal growth. Too small a bead and it tears under movement. Too huge and it remedies badly. On coastal tasks, I never ever pair dissimilar metals without a barrier, and I constantly define corrosion-resistant fasteners. Ten years later, you will see who took shortcuts.
Flashing is the other non-negotiable. Pan flashing at sills, self-adhered membranes at jambs and heads, and combination with the water-resistive barrier are crucial. If you rely on sealant alone, water will discover its way in. That moisture may disappoint up as a drip. It might rot a sill plate gradually, then betray itself as a buckling floor or a moldy odor two typhoon seasons later.
I have absolutely nothing versus well-designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are preserved and lubricated, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even detachable panels saved thoroughly can safeguard homes successfully. They also help in certain cases.
Second homes or seasonal rentals where budget plan is tight sometimes lean on shutters to meet the Florida building regulations windows requirement for protected openings. On specialized openings like a lanai that is seldom utilized in summertime, a tidy motorized roll-down can be reasonable, particularly if pairing with effect windows and doors elsewhere stresses the budget plan. For house owners 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 your house when released, and they require action at precisely the time you are juggling insurance coverage papers, gas cans, and family logistics. During Cyclone Irma, I viewed a next-door neighbor try to mount steel panels hours before landfall. The ladder sank in saturated soil, a panel slipped, and we invested the next NOA vs FPA difference hour in the urgent care waiting room. He made it through with stitches. His living-room window did not. Shutters also rattle and can vibrate under continual winds, often loosening up fasteners with time if not maintained.
For long-term owners who wish to set it and forget it, impact windows provide cyclone evidence windows coverage while maintaining daytime and view. The benefit grows important once you've experienced one storm season with no prep beyond locking the sash.
South Florida homes combat 2 battles: hidden load from humidity and practical load from direct solar heat gain. Impact glass upgrades can help both if specified intelligently.
Low-E effect glass utilizes microscopically thin metal layers to reflect infrared energy while letting visible light through. With the right covering stacks, you can obstruct a large portion of radiant heat and UV. UV blockage in laminated units comes largely from the interlayer itself, which normally filters 95 to 99 percent of UV, decreasing fading of materials and flooring. Add the low-E, and you curb the solar heat that drives your a/c crazy midafternoon.
I evaluate glass specs with 3 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 level closer to space temperature, which decreases condensation threat. SHGC drives how much solar heat goes into. VT affects how intense the interior feels. Balance is essential. Some house owners desire the crisp, clear look of higher VT, even if it implies accepting a couple of degrees more heat in late afternoon, because their landscaping and roof overhangs currently do some shading. Others prefer a stronger tint for glare control on waterfront lots that reflect harsh light.
In practical terms, going from clear single-pane sliders to modern low-E laminated double-glazed systems can lower 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 heating and cooling, and you start to construct strength. If the grid goes down and you switch to a generator, a lower cooling load indicates a smaller sized generator and fewer gallons of fuel.
Miami-Dade Notice of Approval, or NOA, is the file you request for. It details the approved setups, sizes, anchors, and pressures evaluated. It is insufficient to hear "these are Miami-Dade approved windows" in a display room. Confirm the NOA matches the specific model and alternatives you are purchasing, consisting of the glazing makeup and hardware. If you remain in Broward or Miami-Dade, your permitting office will want this paper trail.
Statewide, the Florida Item Approval system supplies FL numbers that show code compliance. In the remainder of the state outside the High Speed Hurricane Zone, Florida building regulations windows can rely on Florida Item Approval without Miami-Dade particular NOAs. Lots of leading manufacturers carry both. Where spending plans enable, 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 impact efficiency, however they reveal U-factor, SHGC, VT, and air leak. Aim for air leak at or listed below 0.3 cfm/ft TWO. Tighter is much better for humidity control, but make certain your home still has actually stabilized 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. Installed costs vary with size, shape, surface, and access. On straightforward single-family homes, per-opening costs typically land between 1,200 and 3,000 dollars for basic sizes. Large multi-panel sliders, customized arches, and coastal-grade surfaces raise the numbers quickly.
Where you recoup value:
If you plan to own the home for 5 years or more, the mathematics typically tilts in favor of effect windows, particularly when you factor the intangible of assurance. If you plan to sell within a year and require to reveal compliance quickly, shutters may make more short-term sense. Context matters.
I focus on hardware and accessories. Multi-point locks on sashes and awnings improve seal compression and security. For sliders, robust tandem rollers in stainless real estates slide smoother and last longer on sandy patios. Take a 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 contravene of neighborhood watch or produce mirror-like glare toward surrounding residential or commercial properties. In seaside environments, extremely reflective glass can puzzle birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Regional pros know which finishings balance efficiency with compliance.
Color stability is a huge offer. Dark bronze or black frames look great on modern-day homes, but in Florida sun inexpensive finishes chalk and fade. AAMA 2605-rated coatings provide the best color retention and chalk resistance. I define them for coastal exposures whenever budgets allow.
Historic districts often need profiles that simulate old wood sash sightlines. There are impact-rated windows that fit these requirements, but lead times extend and costs climb. Expect additional evaluation by architectural boards, and line up a specialist acquainted with these submissions.
Condos have another layer of governance. Associations in some cases specify a narrow list of authorized products for uniformity. They likewise care about noise control between units. If your building sits straight on Collins Opportunity or faces a busy beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated choices. Work with building management on staging and lift gain access to. Weekend wind resistant windows work windows and minimal parking can include days and dollars.
Large openings, like a 16-foot-wide slider, need unique attention in design pressure, deflection, and running hardware. Not every unit that looks tough in a showroom meets the wind loads on a ninth-floor terrace. Do not depend on brochure optimum sizes. Use the NOA tables that represent your website's zone, favorable and negative pressures, and mullion mixes if any.
The best projects begin with a determined survey and direct exposure analysis. You map each opening, note the substrate, and identify any framing irregularities or settlement fractures. Throughout proposition, the specialist shows you the NOA and the Florida Item Approval, lists anchor types, and discusses 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 eliminate one opening at a time to keep the house safe. They secure floors, pull back window treatments, and cap sprinklers. Old frames bring out care to protect interior surfaces. New systems get dry-fit, shimmed, and anchored per the schedule. The team checks squareness and diagonals before setting sealant. They photo anchors for the license file, especially if they will be hidden. After glazing, they water-test with a regulated spray to verify drain paths and seals. The inspector sees a cool jobsite, clear labels, and paperwork 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 ranking does not equal breakproof. Laminated glass can split under extreme impacts, but it should remain in the frame and hold together. After a storm that sends debris into the glass, you may see star fractures or spidering. The window did its task. Replace the sash or IGU after the event.
Window movies do not convert non-impact windows into cyclone impact-resistant windows. They can add shatter resistance, but they do not replacement for a checked, anchored system. Your insurance provider and building department will not count films as secured openings.
Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient impact windows lower air leak. That's fantastic, however it increases the significance of a correctly sized heating and cooling with excellent dehumidification. If your system is oversized, the thermostat pleases quickly 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 desire stable, longer cycles, not short bursts.
Maintenance is straightforward but not optional. Clean weep holes on sliders, wash salt spray from frames, and oil hardware each year with a silicone-based product that will not gum up in heat. Little habits extend lifespan.
There are genuine reasons to blend services. A pair of hardly ever used garage windows can keep removable panels to shave budget. A deep-set patio with minimal sun direct exposure might do great with accordion shutters if you focus on other upgrades like a new roofing deck accessory or a prepared garage door. Shutters can likewise secure outdoor kitchens or cabana openings where grease and smoke would age elegant hardware prematurely.
If you choose shutters, buy quality. Stainless fasteners, smooth tracks, and motors with handbook overrides for roll-downs make a distinction. Appoint responsibility 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 discover you have 29.
Impact windows are not just about making it through the huge one. They improve daily living. The living-room remains cooler and quieter. The air conditioning 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 concentrate on individuals instead of panels.
For much of my clients, that intangible is the choosing aspect. They understand storms will come. They also know life in South Florida is too excellent to live inside a fortress that just wakes up in August. Miami-Dade approved windows provide you both: a clear view of Biscayne Bay on a breezy February morning and quiet self-confidence when the spaghetti designs point our method September.
If you are weighing the option, begin with a site-specific evaluation. Match your exposures to design pressures, select the best laminated glass stack for wind and heat, choose frames that fit the architecture and conditions, and hire a crew that appreciates the load course. Done right, energy‑efficient effect windows deliver what shutters can not: defense that never ever asks for a ladder and a better home every day of the year.