October 18, 2025

Hurricane-Proof Peace of Mind: Choosing 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 neighbors track tropical waves, the pre-storm rush to stock up, and the routine of transporting ladders to mount panels. After two decades specifying, installing, and troubleshooting structure 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 approved, energy‑efficient effect windows outshine shutters in manner ins which surpass storm day. They alter how a house feels in August, how peaceful your living-room remains on a Saturday night, and how positive you are when a storm line spins up faster than predicted.

This is a practical look at why lots of South Florida property owners are moving from shutters to hurricane impact-resistant windows, how to read the standards behind "Miami-Dade authorized," what materials matter, and how to get the installation right the first time.

What "Miami-Dade Approved" actually means

Miami-Dade County's Item Control Department sets one of the most difficult standards in the nation for constructing components exposed to windborne debris. Approval is not a marketing sticker label. It is made through specific lab tests that simulate real hurricane conditions.

First comes big missile impact. 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 same system faces cyclic pressure loading, thousands of pressurization and depressurization cycles that imitate quick wind gusts over hours. If the glass stays in the frame without letting the envelope breach, it passes. The distinction in between "fulfills Florida building regulations windows" and "Miami-Dade approved windows" often lives in these test limits. Miami-Dade is merely stiffer, particularly in High Speed Typhoon Zone requirements, which include Miami-Dade and Broward.

Wind rankings vary by opening size and style pressures, represented as PSF worths. On ocean-facing properties or high-rises, I frequently define units rated at +60/ -80 PSF or greater. Inland or in more safeguarded direct exposures, ratings in the +45/ -60 PSF variety can suffice, but you size and specification based on the site's wind map, constructing height, and surrounding structures. A professional knows that a corner exposure at the second story needs different reinforcement than a sheltered window under a deep porch.

Why impact windows alter the everyday experience, not simply storm season

Hurricane shutters vs effect windows is not a one-to-one comparison. Shutters can satisfy 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 warning and the forecast track tightens up, the last thing you desire is a ladder, a dead cordless drill, and a missing wing nut.

Impact windows live in place. You get continuous 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 essentially a sandwich: two panes of glass bonded by a durable interlayer, normally PVB interlayer glass or SentryGlas. That interlayer damps sound. On tasks along hectic corridors like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight courses, I have actually measured interior noise drops in the 5 to 10 decibel variety, in some cases more when paired with insulated glass units.

Security enhances since laminated glass resists forced entry. An intruder can shatter the outer lite with a hammer, however the interlayer holds the shards. They fulfill a sticky, persistent membrane rather of a fast course inside. Insurance coverage underwriters understand this, which is why policies often provide credits for impact windows and doors. In my jobs, premiums normally drop 10 to 25 percent, depending on the carrier and the number of openings are protected.

Energy efficiency is the third pillar. Energy-efficient effect windows with modern-day low-E impact glass and warm-edge spacers can cut solar heat gain while protecting noticeable light. That suggests less air conditioning demand, especially on west and south direct exposures where the afternoon sun punishes interiors. In one Coral Gables retrofit, we replaced 1980s single-pane sliders with laminated low-E effect systems. Summer season afternoon peak load dropped by roughly a lots of cooling, and the home's annual electrical energy use fell between 12 and 18 percent. Outcomes differ with shading, attic insulation, and a/c performance, however the direction is consistent.

Material choices that matter: glass, interlayers, and frames

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

Most domestic hurricane windows use a PVB interlayer glass stack, commonly 0.030 to 0.090 inches thick in single or multiple plies. Thicker interlayers enhance impact resistance and sound control, but they include weight and expense. For oceanfront or high openings, you may see SGP (ionoplast) interlayers, which are stiffer and stronger than PVB, enabling thinner sections to attain greater style pressures. For noise-sensitive sites, acoustic PVB solutions modify the polymer to much better soak up sound in the 1,000 to 3,000 Hz range, where traffic and voices sit.

Tempered glass windows come up typically in discussions since 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 effect system. But tempered alone is not impact-resistant in the typhoon sense. When it fails, it blows up into little cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening susceptible. The effect performance originates from laminated building, not tempering by itself. Numerous systems use a tempered outer lite laminated to a hardened inner lite, or both tempered, however always bonded through a PVB or ionoplast interlayer.

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

Frames are the other half of the story. Aluminum frames dominate here because they handle large openings and will not swell. Thermal breaks and improved glazing gaskets have narrowed the energy space with vinyl. Premium vinyl effect frames, when reinforced properly, can carry out well for standard-sized openings and have better insulating values, however I prevent them for very wide sliders or high storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad units look lovely in older Mediterranean Revival homes, however they demand mindful maintenance and clever flashing. The Florida sun destroys low-cost vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum finishes quickly. Look for powder-coated surfaces rated for coastal direct exposure, and request composed guarantee details in salt-air environments.

The covert hero: installation that appreciates the load path

Window setup can make or break efficiency. An expensive system set up like a handyman swap-out will not pass a storm's stress test. The load path is the essence. 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 construction, you want stainless or hot-dipped galvanized anchors embedded into solid 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 houses, structural screws need to bite into strong trimmers, not simply sheathing. Shimming and plumb positioning matter so the locks engage cleanly and the weatherstripping compresses evenly.

The sealant joint is not just aesthetic. An appropriately sized backer rod and top quality polyurethane or silyl-modified polymer sealant develop a long lasting, flexible seal that handles thermal growth. Too small a bead and it tears under movement. Too huge and it cures poorly. On coastal tasks, I never combine different metals without a barrier, and I constantly define 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 combination with the water-resistive barrier are important. If you depend on window removal and disposal sealant alone, water will discover its method. That wetness might disappoint up as a drip. It might rot a sill plate gradually, then betray itself as a buckling floor or a moldy odor two hurricane seasons later.

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

I have absolutely nothing against properly designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are maintained and lubed, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even detachable panels saved carefully can secure homes successfully. They also assist in specific cases.

Second homes or seasonal leasings where budget is tight often lean on shutters to meet the Florida building regulations windows requirement for safeguarded openings. On specialized openings like a lanai that is rarely utilized in summertime, a tidy motorized roll-down can be affordable, especially if coupling with impact doors and windows elsewhere worries the budget. For house owners who prepare to move within a year, shutters can be a brief bridge to compliance before a sale.

But shutters bring compromises. They darken your house when released, and they require action at specifically the time you are managing insurance documents, gas cans, and household logistics. During Cyclone Irma, I enjoyed a next-door neighbor try to install steel panels hours before landfall. The ladder sank in saturated soil, a panel slipped, and we invested the next hour in the urgent care waiting space. He made it through with stitches. His living-room window did not. Shutters also rattle and can vibrate under sustained winds, sometimes loosening up fasteners gradually if not maintained.

For long-term owners who wish to set it and forget it, effect windows provide hurricane evidence windows protection while maintaining daylight and view. The benefit grows important once you have actually experienced one storm season with no preparation beyond locking the sash.

The energy story: how glass specifications equate to convenience and bills

South Florida homes battle two fights: hidden load from humidity and reasonable load from direct solar heat gain. Effect glass upgrades can help both if specified intelligently.

Low-E effect glass uses microscopically thin metallic layers to reflect infrared energy while letting noticeable light through. With the best finish stacks, you can block a big part of convected heat and UV. UV clog in laminated systems comes mostly from the interlayer itself, which typically filters 95 to 99 percent of UV, reducing fading of materials and floor covering. Add the low-E, and you curb the solar heat that drives your air conditioning insane midafternoon.

I assess glass specifications with 3 numbers: U-factor, SHGC, and VT. While U-factor matters more up north, it still helps here by minimizing nighttime heat flow and keeping the interior glass temperature closer to room temperature, which lowers condensation threat. SHGC drives how much solar heat enters. VT influences how intense the interior feels. Balance is crucial. Some house owners want the crisp, clear appearance of higher VT, even if it means accepting a few degrees more heat in late afternoon, since their landscaping and roof overhangs already do some shading. Others prefer a more powerful tint for glare control on waterfront lots that show extreme light.

In practical terms, going from clear single-pane sliders to contemporary low-E laminated double-glazed systems can reduce peak solar gains by 30 to 50 percent on the most exposed sides. Couple that with tuned overhangs, light-colored outside finishes, and an appropriately sized variable-speed HVAC, and you begin to construct durability. If the grid decreases and you change to a generator, a lower cooling load implies a smaller sized 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 file you ask for. It information the authorized configurations, sizes, anchors, and pressures tested. It is insufficient to hear "these are Miami-Dade approved windows" in a showroom. Confirm the NOA matches the exact design and options you are buying, including the glazing makeup and hardware. If you are in Broward or Miami-Dade, your allowing office will desire this paper trail.

Statewide, the Florida Product Approval system provides FL numbers that show code compliance. In the remainder of the state outside the High Speed Cyclone Zone, Florida building code windows can depend on Florida Item Approval without Miami-Dade specific NOAs. Numerous leading makers carry both. Where budget plans enable, I prefer NOA items even outside the zone since the testing is stiffer.

NFRC labels deal with energy metrics. They will not tell you effect performance, however they reveal U-factor, SHGC, VT, and air leakage. Go for air leakage at or listed below 0.3 cfm/ft ². Tighter is much better for humidity control, but ensure your home still has actually stabilized ventilation. Sealing the envelope and ignoring fresh air is a dish for indoor air quality complaints.

Dollars and sense: what to expect on cost, savings, and resale

Impact windows cost more in advance than shutters. There's no spin around that. Installed costs differ with size, shape, surface, and gain access to. On straightforward single-family homes, per-opening expenses frequently land in 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:

  • Insurance credits accumulate, often 10 to 25 percent off premiums when all openings are protected.
  • Energy savings, typically 8 to 20 percent on annual cooling expenses in older homes after a full window upgrade paired with sealing and attic improvements.
  • Resale appeal, particularly in markets where purchasers anticipate impact doors and windows as a baseline. A home with accordion shutters completes, but a home with storm effect windows reveals better, feels quieter, and generally appraises stronger.

If you plan to own the home for five years or more, the mathematics typically tilts in favor of impact windows, especially when you factor the intangible of comfort. If you plan to offer within a year and require to reveal compliance rapidly, shutters might make more short-term sense. Context matters.

Details that separate good systems from great ones

I take notice of hardware and accessories. Multi-point locks on casements and awnings improve seal compression and security. For sliders, robust tandem rollers in stainless real estates ENERGY STAR windows slide smoother and last longer on sandy patio areas. Take a look at the sill style on sliding doors. Weep systems ought to be crafted to drain pipes heavy rainfall without letting wind-driven water blow back in. Ask to see a cutaway sample in the showroom.

Tint colors and reflectivity are more than fashion. Reflective movies can run afoul of neighborhood associations or produce mirror-like glare towards surrounding homes. In seaside environments, highly reflective glass can confuse birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Regional pros understand which finishes balance performance with compliance.

Color stability is a big deal. Dark bronze storm protection comparison or black frames look great on modern-day homes, however in Florida sun cheap finishes chalk and fade. AAMA 2605-rated finishes offer the best color retention and chalk resistance. I define them for seaside exposures whenever budgets allow.

Special cases: historic homes, condominiums, and tricky openings

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

Condos have another layer of governance. Associations sometimes specify a narrow list of approved items for uniformity. They also care about sound control between systems. If your structure sits straight on Collins Opportunity or deals with a busy beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated options. Work with building management on staging and lift gain access to. Weekend work windows and restricted parking can include days and dollars.

Large openings, like a 16-foot-wide slider, need 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 brochure maximum sizes. Use the NOA tables that represent your site's zone, positive and unfavorable pressures, and mullion combinations if any.

What a clean task looks like from study to last inspection

The best jobs begin with a determined study and exposure analysis. You map each opening, keep in mind the substrate, and determine any framing abnormalities or settlement fractures. During proposal, the contractor reveals 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 set up day, they remove 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 preserve interior surfaces. New systems get dry-fit, shimmed, and anchored per the schedule. The team checks squareness and diagonals before setting sealant. They photograph anchors for the permit 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 documentation in order.

Six months later, your windows still close with 2 fingers, locks bite efficiently, and there is no mystery rattle throughout thunderstorms. You did not have to require a roller adjustment after the first week. That is the standard.

Frequently misinterpreted points that cost house owners later

Impact rating does not equivalent breakproof. Laminated glass can break under severe impacts, but it must remain 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. Replace the sash or IGU after the event.

Window films do not convert non-impact windows into hurricane impact-resistant windows. They can add shatter resistance, but they do not substitute for an evaluated, anchored system. Your insurance provider and building department will not count films as secured openings.

Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient impact windows minimize air leak. That's fantastic, however it increases the significance of an appropriately sized a/c with great dehumidification. If your system is oversized, the thermostat satisfies rapidly and stops working to pull enough moisture from the air. Ask your a/c pro to inspect reasonable heat ratio, air flow, and run time. You want consistent, longer cycles, not brief bursts.

Maintenance is simple but not optional. Tidy weep holes on sliders, wash salt spray from frames, and oil hardware every year with a silicone-based item that will not gum up in heat. Little practices extend lifespan.

When shutters still belong in the conversation

There are legitimate factors to mix services. A set of rarely used garage windows can keep removable panels to shave budget. A deep-set porch with very little sun exposure may do great with accordion shutters if you prioritize other upgrades like a brand-new roof deck accessory or a fortified garage door. Shutters can likewise protect outdoor 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 handbook overrides for roll-downs make a distinction. Assign obligation for deployment 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.

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

Impact windows are not only about surviving the big 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 noise 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 many of my clients, that intangible is the deciding aspect. They know storms will come. They likewise understand life in South Florida is too great to live inside a fortress that only wakes up in August. Miami-Dade authorized windows give you both: a clear view of Biscayne Bay on a breezy February morning and peaceful confidence when the spaghetti models point our way in September.

If you are weighing the option, begin with a site-specific evaluation. Match your exposures to create pressures, select the right laminated glass stack for wind and heat, choose frames that fit the architecture and conditions, and work with a team that appreciates the load course. Done right, energy‑efficient effect windows provide what shutters can not: protection that never ever requests for 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.