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 stockpile, and the ritual of transporting ladders to mount panels. After two decades specifying, installing, and repairing building envelopes from Secret Largo to Palm Beach, I've seen what holds up and what doesn't. When the objective is real protection with year-round convenience, Miami-Dade approved, energy‑efficient impact windows outshine shutters in manner ins which exceed storm day. They change how a home feels in August, how quiet your living-room stays on a Saturday night, and how confident you are when a storm line spins up faster than predicted.
This is a useful look at why lots of South Florida house owners are moving from shutters to hurricane impact-resistant windows, how to check out the standards behind "Miami-Dade authorized," what products matter, and how to get the installation right the very first time.
Miami-Dade County's Item Control Department sets among the toughest criteria in the nation for constructing parts exposed to windborne debris. Approval is not a marketing sticker label. It is earned through specific laboratory tests that replicate real typhoon conditions.
First comes big missile impact. A 9-pound 2x4 is contended the glass at approximately 34 miles per hour. That imitates roof tiles, branches, or pieces of fencing that fly in the eyewall. After the effect, the exact same unit deals with cyclic pressure loading, countless pressurization and depressurization cycles that imitate rapid wind gusts over hours. If the glass stays in the frame without letting the envelope breach, it passes. The distinction in between "meets Florida building code windows" and "Miami-Dade approved windows" often lives in these test limits. Miami-Dade is merely stiffer, particularly in High Velocity Cyclone Zone requirements, that include Miami-Dade and Broward.
Wind rankings vary by opening size and style pressures, signified as PSF worths. On ocean-facing properties or high-rises, I frequently specify units ranked at +60/ -80 PSF or higher. Inland or in more safeguarded direct exposures, scores in the +45/ -60 PSF variety can be adequate, but you size and specification based on the website's wind window installation experts Boca Raton map, constructing height, and surrounding structures. A professional knows that a corner direct exposure at the 2nd story needs various reinforcement than a sheltered window under a deep porch.
Hurricane shutters vs effect windows is not a one-to-one contrast. Shutters can fulfill code, and they're better than absolutely nothing. But they ask you to do operate 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 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 resilient interlayer, generally PVB interlayer glass or SentryGlas. That interlayer damps sound. On jobs along hectic passages like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight courses, I have actually determined interior noise drops in the 5 to 10 decibel variety, in some cases more when coupled with insulated glass units.
Security enhances since laminated glass resists required entry. A burglar can shatter the outer lite with a hammer, however the interlayer holds the shards. They satisfy a sticky, persistent membrane rather of a quick path inside. Insurance coverage underwriters know this, which is why policies typically use credits for effect doors and windows. In my tasks, premiums normally drop 10 to 25 percent, depending on the provider and the number of openings are protected.
Energy efficiency is the 3rd pillar. Energy-efficient impact windows with contemporary low-E effect glass and warm-edge spacers can cut solar heat gain while preserving noticeable light. That means less a/c demand, particularly 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 visited impact windows in Boca Raton approximately a lots of cooling, and the home's yearly electrical power use fell between 12 and 18 percent. Outcomes differ with shading, attic insulation, and heating and cooling performance, but the direction is consistent.
Laminated effect glass is the heart of the system, but not all laminated items are equal.
Most domestic cyclone windows use a PVB interlayer glass stack, frequently 0.030 to 0.090 inches thick in single or numerous plies. Thicker interlayers enhance effect resistance and sound control, but they add weight and expense. For oceanfront or high openings, you might see SGP (ionoplast) interlayers, which are stiffer and stronger than PVB, enabling thinner sections to attain greater design pressures. For noise-sensitive sites, acoustic PVB solutions modify the polymer to much better absorb noise in the 1,000 to 3,000 Hz range, where traffic and voices sit.
Tempered glass windows come up frequently in conversations because tempered glass is stronger in bending than annealed glass. That's true, and tempered lites are commonly utilized as the external or inner ply in an effect unit. But tempered alone is not impact-resistant in the hurricane sense. When it fails, it takes off into little cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening vulnerable. The impact efficiency originates from laminated building and construction, not tempering by itself. Many systems utilize a tempered external lite laminated to an annealed inner lite, or both tempered, but always 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 range while keeping visible light transmission around 50 percent or higher. Go too short on SHGC and the glass can look gray or green, especially in larger openings. The sweet spot depends upon your façade orientation and shading. On east and west elevations, I often tighten SHGC and accept a small 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 control here since they handle large openings and will not swell. Thermal breaks and improved glazing gaskets have narrowed the energy space with vinyl. Premium vinyl impact frames, when strengthened properly, can perform well for standard-sized openings and have much better insulating worths, but I avoid them for really broad sliders or tall storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad systems look gorgeous in older Mediterranean Revival homes, however they require mindful upkeep and wise flashing. The Florida sun ruins low-cost vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum surfaces rapidly. Look for powder-coated surfaces rated for seaside exposure, and demand composed warranty details in salt-air environments.
Window installation can make or break performance. A pricey unit set up like a handyman swap-out will not pass a storm's tension test. The load course is the essence. Impact forces need to take a trip from the glass through the frame, to the anchors, into the substrate, and after that into the structure's framing or masonry.
In concrete block construction, you desire stainless or hot-dipped galvanized anchors embedded into solid material. 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 need to bite into solid trimmers, not simply sheathing. Shimming and plumb alignment matter so the locks engage cleanly and the weatherstripping compresses evenly.
The sealant joint is not just visual. An effectively sized backer rod and top quality polyurethane or silyl-modified polymer sealant create a long lasting, flexible seal that manages thermal growth. Too little a bead and it tears under motion. Too big and it remedies inadequately. On coastal tasks, I never match dissimilar metals without a barrier, and I always define corrosion-resistant fasteners. Ten years later on, you will see who took shortcuts.
Flashing is the other non-negotiable. Pan flashing at sills, self-adhered membranes at jambs and heads, and integration with the water-resistive barrier are essential. If you count on sealant alone, water will discover its way in. That moisture may disappoint up as a drip. It may rot a sill plate gradually, then betray itself as a buckling flooring or a moldy smell 2 cyclone seasons later.

I have nothing against properly designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are maintained and lubricated, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even removable panels kept carefully can protect homes effectively. They also assist in certain cases.
Second homes or seasonal rentals where spending plan is tight in some cases lean on shutters to satisfy the Florida building regulations windows requirement for secured openings. On specialized openings like a lanai that is rarely utilized in summertime, a tidy motorized roll-down can be reasonable, especially if coupling with effect doors and windows somewhere else worries the spending plan. For homeowners who plan to move within a year, shutters can be a short bridge to compliance before a sale.
But shutters bring compromises. They darken the house when released, and they need action at exactly the time you are managing insurance papers, gas cans, and family logistics. During Cyclone Irma, I saw a next-door neighbor try 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 made it through with stitches. His living room window did not. Shutters likewise rattle and can vibrate under continual winds, sometimes loosening up fasteners over time if not maintained.
For long-lasting owners who wish to set it and forget it, impact windows give hurricane evidence windows protection while maintaining daytime and view. The benefit grows valuable once you have actually experienced one storm season with absolutely no preparation beyond locking the sash.
South Florida homes fight 2 battles: hidden load from humidity and sensible load from direct solar heat gain. Effect glass upgrades can help both if defined intelligently.
Low-E effect glass utilizes microscopically thin metal layers to reflect infrared energy while letting visible light through. With the right coating stacks, you can obstruct a big portion of convected heat and UV. UV clog in laminated units comes mostly from the interlayer itself, which typically 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 a/c crazy midafternoon.
I evaluate glass specifications with three numbers: U-factor, SHGC, and VT. While U-factor matters more up north, it still assists here by decreasing nighttime heat circulation and keeping the interior glass temperature level closer to space temperature, which reduces condensation danger. SHGC drives just how much solar heat enters. VT affects how intense the interior feels. Balance is essential. Some property owners desire the crisp, clear look of higher VT, even if it means accepting a few degrees more heat in late afternoon, because their landscaping and roof overhangs currently do some shading. Others choose a stronger tint for glare control on waterside lots that show extreme light.
In practical terms, going from clear single-pane sliders to modern-day low-E laminated double-glazed systems can minimize peak solar gains by 30 to 50 percent on the most exposed sides. Couple that with tuned overhangs, light-colored exterior finishes, and an appropriately sized variable-speed a/c, and you begin to construct durability. If the grid goes down and you switch to a generator, a lower cooling load suggests a smaller generator and less gallons of fuel.
Miami-Dade Notice of Approval, or NOA, is the document you request. It information the authorized configurations, sizes, anchors, and pressures tested. It is not enough to hear "these are Miami-Dade authorized windows" in a display room. Verify the NOA matches the specific design and alternatives you are buying, including the glazing makeup and hardware. If you are in Broward or Miami-Dade, your permitting workplace will want this paper trail.
Statewide, the Florida Item Approval system offers FL numbers that show code compliance. In the rest of the state outside the High Speed Typhoon Zone, Florida building code windows can count on Florida Item Approval without Miami-Dade particular NOAs. Numerous leading manufacturers bring both. Where spending plans permit, I choose NOA products even outside the zone because the screening is stiffer.
NFRC labels manage energy metrics. They will not inform you impact performance, but they show U-factor, SHGC, VT, and air leak. Aim for air leakage at or below 0.3 cfm/ft TWO. Tighter is much better for humidity control, but ensure your home still has actually stabilized ventilation. Sealing the envelope and overlooking fresh air is a recipe 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 gain access to. On uncomplicated single-family homes, per-opening costs typically land in between 1,200 and 3,000 dollars for standard sizes. Large multi-panel sliders, custom-made arches, and coastal-grade surfaces raise the numbers quickly.
Where you recover worth:

If you plan to own the property for 5 years or more, the math 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 take notice of hardware and devices. Multi-point locks on casements and awnings improve seal compression and security. For sliders, robust tandem rollers in stainless real estates slide smoother and last longer on sandy patios. Look at the sill design on sliding doors. Weep systems should 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 movies can run afoul of neighborhood associations or produce mirror-like glare towards neighboring homes. In coastal environments, extremely reflective glass can confuse birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Local pros understand which coverings balance efficiency with compliance.
Color stability is a big deal. Dark bronze or black frames look wonderful on modern homes, but in Florida sun low-cost finishes chalk and fade. AAMA 2605-rated coverings supply the best color retention and chalk resistance. I specify them for coastal exposures whenever spending plans allow.
Historic districts typically need profiles that simulate old wood sash sightlines. There are impact-rated windows that fit these requirements, but lead times extend and costs climb. Anticipate extra review by architectural boards, and line up a specialist knowledgeable about these submissions.
Condos have another layer of governance. Associations often define a narrow list of authorized items for uniformity. They likewise appreciate noise control between units. If your building sits straight on Collins Opportunity or deals with a hectic beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated options. Deal with building management on staging and lift access. Weekend work windows and limited parking can include days and dollars.
Large openings, like a 16-foot-wide slider, need unique attention in design pressure, deflection, and operating hardware. Not every unit that looks tough in a showroom meets the wind loads on a ninth-floor terrace. Do not rely on brochure maximum sizes. Use the NOA tables that correspond to your site's zone, favorable and negative pressures, and mullion mixes if any.
The best jobs start with a measured survey and direct exposure analysis. You map each opening, note the substrate, and identify any framing abnormalities or settlement fractures. Throughout proposition, the contractor shows you the NOA and the Florida Item 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 set up day, they remove one opening at a time to keep the house secure. They safeguard floors, pull back window treatments, and cap sprinklers. Old frames come out with care to protect interior finishes. New units 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, specifically if they will be hidden. After glazing, they water-test with a controlled spray to verify drain courses and seals. The inspector sees a cool jobsite, clear labels, and paperwork in order.
Six months later, your windows still close with 2 fingers, locks bite smoothly, and there is no mystery rattle during thunderstorms. You did not need to require a roller adjustment after the very first week. That is the standard.
Impact ranking does not equal breakproof. Laminated glass can split under extreme impacts, however it ought to stay in the frame and hold together. After a storm that sends debris into the glass, you might see star cracks or spidering. The window did its task. Change 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, however they do not replacement for a checked, anchored system. Your insurance provider and building department will not count movies as protected openings.
Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient impact windows lower air leak. That's great, however it increases the significance of a properly sized heating and cooling with great dehumidification. If your system is oversized, the thermostat pleases quickly and stops working to pull enough moisture from the air. Ask your heating and cooling pro to inspect reasonable heat ratio, airflow, and run time. You desire stable, longer cycles, not brief bursts.
Maintenance is straightforward but not optional. Tidy weep holes on sliders, wash salt spray from frames, and oil hardware annually with a silicone-based product that will not gum up in heat. Small practices extend lifespan.
There are legitimate factors to blend services. A pair of rarely utilized garage windows can keep removable panels to shave budget. A deep-set porch with minimal sun direct exposure might do fine with accordion shutters if you prioritize other upgrades like a brand-new roofing system deck attachment or a prepared garage door. Shutters can likewise protect 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 manual bypasses for roll-downs make a distinction. Designate duty for implementation and practice when 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 only about surviving the big one. They improve daily living. The living room remains cooler and quieter. The AC cycles Boca Raton commercial window installation 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 cyclone threatens, your preparation list gets shorter. You lock the sashes, set storm mode on the alarm, and focus on individuals instead of panels.
For a lot of my clients, that intangible is the deciding element. They understand storms will come. They also know life in South Florida is too excellent to live inside a fortress that only wakes up in August. Miami-Dade authorized windows offer you both: a clear view of Biscayne Bay on a breezy February morning and quiet self-confidence when the spaghetti models point our way in September.
If you are weighing the choice, start with a site-specific evaluation. Match your direct exposures to create pressures, pick the right 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 much better home every day of the year.