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 neighbors track tropical waves, the pre-storm rush to stock up, and the routine of hauling ladders to install panels. After two decades specifying, installing, and repairing structure envelopes from Key Largo to Palm Beach, I've seen what holds up and what does not. When the goal is genuine protection with year-round comfort, Miami-Dade authorized, energy‑efficient impact windows exceed shutters Boca Raton hurricane-resistant windows in manner ins which surpass storm day. They change 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 quicker than predicted.
This is a useful take a look at why numerous South Florida homeowners are moving from shutters to cyclone impact-resistant windows, how to read the requirements behind "Miami-Dade authorized," what products matter, and how to get the setup right the first time.
Miami-Dade County's Product Control Division sets among the toughest standards in the country for building elements exposed to windborne particles. Approval is not a marketing sticker. It is made through specific laboratory tests that imitate real cyclone conditions.
First comes large missile effect. A 9-pound 2x4 is contended the glass at roughly 34 miles per hour. That simulates roofing system tiles, branches, or pieces of fencing that fly in the eyewall. After the impact, the very same system deals with local hurricane proof windows cyclic pressure loading, thousands of pressurization and depressurization cycles that imitate quick wind gusts over hours. If the glass remains in the frame without letting the envelope breach, it passes. The distinction between "meets Florida building regulations windows" and "Miami-Dade authorized windows" frequently lives in these test thresholds. Miami-Dade is merely stiffer, particularly in High Speed Typhoon Zone requirements, that include Miami-Dade and Broward.
Wind rankings differ by opening size and style pressures, represented as PSF values. On ocean-facing homes or high-rises, I frequently specify units rated at +60/ -80 PSF or higher. Inland or in more safeguarded direct exposures, scores in the +45/ -60 PSF variety can be sufficient, but you size and spec based on the site's wind map, constructing height, and surrounding structures. A professional knows that a corner direct exposure at the second story demands different support than a protected window under a deep porch.
Hurricane shutters vs impact windows is not a one-to-one contrast. Shutters can satisfy code, and they're 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 up, 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 defense, even if a pop-up storm surprises you while you're stuck on United States 1. You likewise get benefits every day of the year.
Noise control is the most underappreciated benefit. Laminated impact glass is basically a sandwich: two panes of glass bonded by a durable interlayer, normally PVB interlayer glass or SentryGlas. That interlayer damps noise. On jobs along busy corridors like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight paths, I have actually measured interior noise drops in the 5 to 10 decibel range, often more when coupled with insulated glass units.
Security enhances 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 fragments. They satisfy a sticky, persistent membrane instead of a quick course inside. Insurance coverage underwriters understand this, which is why policies often use credits for impact doors and windows. In my tasks, premiums generally drop 10 to 25 percent, depending upon the provider and the number of openings are protected.
Energy efficiency 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 protecting visible light. That suggests less cooling need, specifically on west and south exposures where the afternoon sun penalizes interiors. In one Coral Gables retrofit, we changed 1980s single-pane sliders with laminated low-E effect units. Summer season afternoon peak load come by approximately a lots of cooling, and the home's yearly electrical energy use fell between 12 and 18 percent. Results differ with shading, attic insulation, and HVAC effectiveness, but the instructions is consistent.
Laminated effect glass is the heart of the system, but 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 multiple plies. Thicker interlayers improve effect resistance and sound control, however they add weight and expense. For oceanfront or tall openings, you might see SGP (ionoplast) interlayers, which are stiffer and stronger than PVB, permitting thinner areas to accomplish greater design pressures. For noise-sensitive websites, acoustic PVB formulations fine-tune the polymer to better absorb noise in the 1,000 to 3,000 Hz variety, where traffic and voices sit.
Tempered glass windows come up often in discussions because tempered glass is more powerful in flexing than annealed glass. That's true, and tempered lites are typically utilized as the external or inner ply in an impact system. But tempered alone is not impact-resistant in the cyclone sense. When it fails, it explodes into little cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening susceptible. The impact efficiency comes from laminated building and construction, not tempering by itself. Numerous systems utilize a tempered outer lite laminated to a hardened inner lite, or both tempered, however constantly bonded through a PVB or ionoplast interlayer.
Low-E finishings matter for comfort. A soft-coat low-E tuned for South Florida usually targets a solar heat gain coefficient in the 0.25 to 0.35 variety while keeping visible light transmission around 50 percent or greater. Go too short on SHGC and the glass can look gray or professional window installation Boca Raton green, especially in bigger openings. The sweet area depends on your façade orientation and shading. On east and west elevations, I frequently tighten up SHGC and accept a minor tint to manage early morning and afternoon blasts. On north elevations, I lean toward greater noticeable transmittance for daylighting.
Frames are the other half of the story. Aluminum frames dominate here because they deal with large openings and won't swell. Thermal breaks and enhanced glazing gaskets have actually narrowed the energy space with vinyl. Premium vinyl impact frames, when strengthened appropriately, can carry out well for standard-sized openings and have much better insulating values, but I avoid them for really wide sliders or tall storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad units look gorgeous in older Mediterranean Revival homes, but they require mindful upkeep and clever flashing. The Florida sun damages inexpensive vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum finishes rapidly. Search for powder-coated finishes ranked for coastal exposure, and request written service warranty details in salt-air environments.
Window setup can make or break performance. An expensive system set up like a handyman swap-out will not pass a storm's tension test. The load path is the core. Impact forces need 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 building and construction, you desire stainless or hot-dipped galvanized anchors embedded into strong product. Hollow cells should be grouted or you require to hit the bond beam. Tapcons in soft, unfilled block are a failure waiting to take place. In wood-framed homes, structural screws should bite into 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. An effectively sized backer rod and top quality polyurethane or silyl-modified polymer sealant create a resilient, versatile seal that deals with thermal growth. Too small a bead and it tears under motion. Too big and it treatments improperly. On seaside tasks, I never pair different metals without a barrier, and I constantly specify 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 combination with the water-resistive barrier are crucial. If you rely on sealant alone, water will discover its way in. That moisture may not show up as a drip. It may rot a sill plate gradually, then betray itself as a buckling flooring or a moldy smell two typhoon seasons later.
I have absolutely nothing versus well-designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are kept and lubed, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even detachable panels saved thoroughly can protect homes successfully. They likewise help in particular cases.
Second homes or seasonal rentals where spending plan is tight in some cases lean on shutters to fulfill the Florida building code windows requirement for protected openings. On specialized openings like a lanai that is seldom utilized in summer season, a clean motorized roll-down can be affordable, specifically if coupling with effect doors and windows in other places stresses the budget 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 home when deployed, and they require action at precisely the time you are handling insurance papers, gas cans, and family logistics. Throughout Cyclone Irma, I viewed 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 space. He endured with stitches. His living-room window did not. Shutters also rattle and can vibrate under continual winds, sometimes loosening fasteners over time if not maintained.
For long-lasting owners who wish to set it and forget it, effect windows offer typhoon proof windows protection while preserving daytime and view. The convenience grows valuable once you've experienced one storm season with absolutely no preparation beyond locking the sash.
South Florida homes fight 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 utilizes microscopically thin metal layers to reflect infrared energy while letting noticeable light through. With the best coating stacks, you can obstruct a big portion of radiant heat and UV. UV clog in laminated units 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 curb the solar heat that drives your air conditioning crazy 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 minimizing nighttime heat circulation and keeping the interior glass temperature closer to room temperature level, which lowers condensation threat. SHGC drives just how much solar heat goes into. VT influences how bright the interior feels. Balance is crucial. Some house owners want the crisp, clear appearance of higher VT, even if it implies accepting a few degrees more heat in late afternoon, because their landscaping and roofing system overhangs currently do some shading. Others prefer a stronger tint for glare control on waterfront lots that show harsh light.
In useful terms, going from clear single-pane sliders to modern low-E laminated double-glazed systems can minimize peak solar gains by 30 to half on the most exposed sides. Couple that with tuned overhangs, light-colored exterior finishes, and a correctly sized variable-speed a/c, and you start to construct resilience. If the grid goes down and you switch to a generator, a lower cooling load means a smaller sized generator and less gallons of fuel.

Miami-Dade Notification of Acceptance, or NOA, is the document you request. It details the approved setups, sizes, anchors, and pressures checked. It is insufficient to hear "these are Miami-Dade approved windows" in a impact windows for homes showroom. Validate the NOA matches the specific model and alternatives you are buying, consisting of the glazing makeup and hardware. If you remain in Broward or Miami-Dade, your permitting workplace will want this paper trail.
Statewide, the Florida Item Approval system provides FL numbers that reveal code compliance. In the remainder of the state outside the High Velocity Typhoon Zone, Florida building code windows can count on Florida Product Approval without Miami-Dade particular NOAs. Lots of top producers bring both. Where budgets enable, I choose NOA items even outside the zone since the screening is stiffer.
NFRC labels manage energy metrics. They won't tell you impact efficiency, however they reveal U-factor, SHGC, VT, and air leak. Go for air leak at or listed below 0.3 cfm/ft ². Tighter is much better for humidity control, however ensure your home still has balanced ventilation. Sealing the envelope and ignoring fresh air is a recipe for indoor air quality complaints.
Impact windows cost more in advance than shutters. There's no spin around that. Installed costs differ with size, shape, finish, and access. On straightforward single-family homes, per-opening expenses typically land in 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 value:
If you prepare to own the home for 5 years or more, the mathematics frequently tilts in favor of effect windows, especially when you factor the intangible of assurance. If you plan to sell within a year and require to show compliance quickly, shutters might make more short-term sense. Context matters.
I pay attention to hardware and accessories. 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 patios. Look at the sill design on moving doors. Weep systems need to be engineered 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 style. Reflective films can contravene of neighborhood associations or produce mirror-like glare toward neighboring residential or commercial properties. In seaside environments, extremely reflective glass can confuse birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Local pros know which coatings balance performance with compliance.
Color stability is a big deal. Dark bronze or black frames look great on modern homes, but in Florida sun cheap finishes chalk and fade. AAMA 2605-rated finishings supply the very best color retention and chalk resistance. I specify them for coastal exposures whenever spending plans allow.
Historic districts typically require profiles that imitate old wood sash sightlines. There are impact-rated windows that fit these requirements, but lead times lengthen and costs climb. Anticipate additional evaluation by architectural boards, and line up a specialist familiar with these submissions.
Condos have another layer of governance. Associations in some cases define a narrow list of approved items for uniformity. They likewise care about sound control between systems. If your building sits straight on Collins Opportunity or deals with a busy beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated options. Work with structure management on staging and lift gain access to. Weekend work windows and limited parking can include days and dollars.
Large openings, like a 16-foot-wide slider, require special attention in design pressure, deflection, and operating hardware. Not every system that looks tough in a showroom fulfills the wind loads on a ninth-floor terrace. Do not depend on catalog optimum sizes. Use the NOA tables that correspond to your site's zone, positive and negative pressures, and mullion combinations if any.
The finest projects begin with a measured survey and direct exposure analysis. You map each opening, note the substrate, and identify any framing abnormalities or settlement fractures. Throughout proposal, the specialist reveals you the NOA and the Florida Product Approval, notes anchor types, and describes how each opening will be flashed and sealed. They prepare for stucco or drywall repair work, not pretend no damage will occur.
On install day, they get rid of one opening at a time to keep your home secure. They protect floorings, draw back window treatments, and cap sprinklers. Old frames bring out 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 picture anchors for the authorization file, especially if they will be concealed. After glazing, they water-test with a controlled spray to validate 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 mystery rattle throughout thunderstorms. You did not need to call for a roller adjustment after the very first week. That is the standard.
Impact ranking does not equal breakproof. Laminated glass can crack under extreme effects, however it must remain in the frame and hold together. After a storm that sends out 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 movies do not transform non-impact windows into typhoon impact-resistant windows. They can add shatter resistance, but they do not replacement for a tested, anchored system. Your insurer and structure department will not count films as protected openings.
Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient impact windows reduce air leak. That's excellent, however it increases the value of an appropriately sized HVAC with good dehumidification. If your system is extra-large, the thermostat satisfies rapidly and stops working to pull enough moisture from the air. Ask your HVAC pro to inspect practical heat ratio, air flow, and run time. You want steady, longer cycles, not brief bursts.
Maintenance is straightforward but not optional. Clean weep holes on sliders, wash salt spray from frames, and lube hardware yearly with a silicone-based product that will not gum up in heat. Little routines extend lifespan.
There are legitimate reasons to mix options. A pair of seldom used garage windows can keep detachable panels to shave spending plan. A deep-set porch with very little sun direct exposure might do fine with accordion shutters if you prioritize other upgrades like a brand-new roofing system deck accessory or a fortified garage door. Shutters can likewise secure outside kitchen areas or cabana openings where grease and smoke would age elegant hardware prematurely.
If you choose shutters, invest in quality. Stainless fasteners, smooth tracks, and motors with handbook bypasses for roll-downs make a difference. Designate responsibility for release and practice as soon as beyond a storm watch. Inventory your hardware. The day you need 32 wing nuts is not the morning you wish to find you have 29.
Impact windows are not only about enduring the huge one. They improve daily living. The living-room remains cooler and quieter. The AC cycles calmly rather 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 cyclone threatens, your preparation list gets much shorter. You lock the sashes, set storm mode on the alarm, and focus on people instead of panels.
For much of my customers, that intangible is the deciding factor. They know storms will come. They likewise understand life in South Florida is too good 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 morning and quiet confidence when the spaghetti models point our method September.
If you are weighing the option, begin with a site-specific evaluation. Match your direct exposures to create pressures, select the right laminated glass stack for wind and heat, choose frames that fit the architecture and conditions, and employ a team that appreciates the load path. Done right, energy‑efficient impact windows provide what shutters can not: protection that never requests a ladder and a better home every day of the year.