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 next-door neighbors track tropical waves, the pre-storm rush to stockpile, and the ritual of carrying ladders to mount panels. After 20 years defining, installing, and repairing structure envelopes from Secret Largo to Palm Beach, I've seen what holds up and what does not. When the goal is real security with year-round convenience, Miami-Dade approved, energy‑efficient impact windows exceed shutters in manner ins which go beyond storm day. They change how a house 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 take a look at why lots of South Florida house owners are moving from shutters to cyclone impact-resistant windows, how to read the standards behind "Miami-Dade authorized," what products matter, and how to get the setup right the first time.
Miami-Dade County's Item Control Department sets among the toughest standards in the country for constructing elements exposed to windborne debris. Approval is not a marketing sticker. It is made through particular lab tests that imitate genuine typhoon conditions.
First comes big rocket effect. A 9-pound 2x4 is shot at the glass at roughly 34 miles per hour. That simulates roof tiles, branches, or pieces of fencing that fly in the eyewall. After the effect, the exact same system deals with cyclic pressure loading, thousands of pressurization and depressurization cycles that mimic fast wind gusts over hours. If the glass stays in the frame without letting the envelope breach, it passes. The distinction in between "satisfies Florida building code windows" and "Miami-Dade authorized windows" frequently lives in these test limits. Miami-Dade is just stiffer, particularly in High Velocity Typhoon Zone requirements, which include Miami-Dade and Broward.
Wind scores differ by opening size and design pressures, denoted as PSF worths. On ocean-facing residential or commercial properties or high-rises, I typically specify systems ranked at +60/ -80 PSF or greater. Inland or in more secured exposures, ratings in the +45/ -60 PSF range can be sufficient, however you size and spec based on the website's wind map, developing height, and surrounding structures. A professional knows that a corner direct exposure at the 2nd story demands various reinforcement than a protected window under a deep porch.
Hurricane shutters vs impact 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 operate at the worst possible time. When a watch turns to a warning 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 protection, even if a pop-up storm surprises you while you're stuck on US 1. You likewise get benefits every day of the year.
Noise control is the most underappreciated advantage. Laminated effect glass is basically a sandwich: two panes of glass bonded by a durable interlayer, usually PVB Boca Raton window installers interlayer glass or SentryGlas. That interlayer damps sound. On tasks along busy corridors like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight paths, I've measured interior sound drops in the 5 to 10 decibel variety, in some cases more when coupled with insulated glass units.
Security enhances due to the fact that laminated glass withstands required entry. A burglar can shatter the outer lite with a hammer, however the impact windows near me interlayer holds the fragments. They fulfill a sticky, stubborn membrane rather of a quick path inside. Insurance underwriters know this, which is why policies often provide credits for effect windows and doors. In my tasks, premiums normally drop 10 to 25 percent, depending on the provider and the number of openings are protected.
Energy performance is the 3rd pillar. Energy-efficient effect windows with modern low-E effect glass and warm-edge spacers can cut solar heat gain while protecting visible light. That indicates less air conditioning demand, particularly on west and south direct exposures where the afternoon sun penalizes interiors. In one Coral Gables retrofit, we replaced 1980s single-pane sliders with laminated low-E impact units. Summer afternoon peak load visited roughly a ton of cooling, and the home's yearly electricity usage fell in between 12 and 18 percent. Results vary with shading, attic insulation, and a/c performance, however the direction is consistent.
Laminated effect glass is the heart of the system, however not all laminated items are equal.
Most residential hurricane windows utilize a PVB interlayer glass stack, typically 0.030 to 0.090 inches thick in single or multiple plies. Thicker interlayers enhance impact resistance and sound control, but they add weight and cost. For oceanfront or tall openings, you might see SGP (ionoplast) interlayers, which are stiffer and stronger than PVB, enabling thinner areas to achieve higher style pressures. For noise-sensitive sites, acoustic PVB formulas fine-tune the polymer to much better take in noise in the 1,000 to 3,000 Hz range, where traffic and voices sit.
Tempered glass windows come up frequently in discussions due to the fact that tempered glass is more powerful in bending than annealed glass. That holds true, and tempered lites are typically utilized as the outer or inner ply in an effect system. But tempered alone is not impact-resistant in the cyclone sense. When it fails, it blows up into small cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening susceptible. The effect performance comes from laminated building, not tempering by itself. Lots of systems use a tempered external lite laminated to a hardened inner lite, or both tempered, but constantly bonded through a PVB or ionoplast interlayer.
Low-E coatings matter for convenience. 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 noticeable light transmission around half or greater. Go too low on SHGC and the glass can look gray or green, particularly in bigger openings. The sweet area depends on your exterior orientation and shading. On east and west elevations, I typically tighten SHGC and accept a small tint to manage early morning and afternoon blasts. On north elevations, I lean toward greater visible transmittance for daylighting.
Frames are the other half of the story. Aluminum frames dominate here because they deal with big openings and will not swell. Thermal breaks and improved glazing gaskets have actually narrowed the energy gap with vinyl. Premium vinyl effect frames, when reinforced appropriately, can carry out well for standard-sized openings and have much better insulating values, however I avoid them for extremely wide sliders or high storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad units look gorgeous in older Mediterranean Revival homes, but they demand careful maintenance and clever flashing. The Florida sun damages cheap vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum finishes rapidly. Search for powder-coated surfaces rated for coastal direct exposure, and demand composed guarantee information in salt-air environments.
Window setup can make or break performance. A pricey system installed like a handyman swap-out will not pass a storm's tension test. The load path is the essence. 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 cinder block construction, you want stainless or hot-dipped galvanized anchors embedded into solid material. Hollow cells should be grouted or you require to strike the bond beam. Tapcons in soft, unfilled block are a failure waiting to happen. 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 just visual. An effectively sized backer rod and premium polyurethane or silyl-modified polymer sealant produce a long lasting, flexible seal that manages thermal growth. Too small a bead and it tears under movement. Too huge and it treatments inadequately. On seaside tasks, I never pair different metals without a barrier, and I constantly specify corrosion-resistant fasteners. 10 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 essential. If you count on sealant alone, water will discover its way in. That wetness may disappoint up as a drip. It may rot a sill plate gradually, then betray itself as a buckling flooring or a musty smell two hurricane seasons later.
I have absolutely nothing versus well-designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are preserved and lubed, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even removable panels stored carefully can secure homes effectively. They also assist in certain cases.
Second homes or seasonal rentals where budget plan is tight often lean on shutters to meet the Florida building code windows requirement for secured openings. On specialized openings like a lanai that is seldom utilized in summertime, a clean motorized roll-down can be reasonable, specifically if pairing with effect doors and windows elsewhere worries the budget plan. For property owners 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 deployed, and they need action at precisely the time you are handling insurance coverage documents, gas cans, and family logistics. During Cyclone Irma, I viewed a neighbor try to install 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 survived with stitches. His living room window did not. Shutters also rattle and can vibrate under continual winds, sometimes loosening up fasteners with time if not maintained.
For long-lasting owners who wish to set it and forget it, effect windows give hurricane proof windows protection while preserving daylight and view. The convenience grows valuable once you have actually experienced one storm season with no prep beyond locking the sash.
South Florida homes battle 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 uses microscopically thin metal layers to show infrared energy while letting visible light through. With the ideal covering stacks, you can obstruct a big portion of convected heat and UV. UV clog in laminated systems comes largely from the interlayer itself, which generally filters 95 to 99 percent of UV, decreasing fading of materials and floor covering. Include the low-E, and you suppress the solar heat that drives your air conditioner crazy midafternoon.
I assess 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 flow and keeping the interior glass temperature closer to space temperature level, which reduces condensation risk. SHGC drives how much solar heat gets in. VT influences how bright the interior feels. Balance is essential. Some homeowners want the crisp, clear appearance of greater VT, even if it suggests accepting a couple of degrees more heat in late afternoon, due to the fact that their landscaping and roofing overhangs already do some shading. Others choose a more powerful tint for glare control on waterfront lots that reflect severe light.
In practical terms, going from clear single-pane sliders to contemporary low-E laminated double-glazed units can decrease peak solar gains by 30 to half on the most exposed sides. Couple that with tuned overhangs, light-colored exterior finishes, and a properly sized variable-speed heating and cooling, and you start to build durability. If the grid decreases and you change to a generator, a lower cooling load means a smaller generator and less gallons of fuel.
Miami-Dade Notification of Approval, or NOA, is the file you request. It information the authorized configurations, sizes, anchors, and pressures checked. It is not enough to hear "these are Miami-Dade approved 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 allowing workplace will want this paper trail.
Statewide, the Florida Product Approval system offers FL numbers that show code compliance. In the remainder of the state outside the High Speed Hurricane Zone, Florida building code windows can count on Florida Item Approval without Miami-Dade specific NOAs. Numerous leading makers bring both. Where budget plans enable, I prefer NOA items even outside the zone due to the fact that the screening is stiffer.
NFRC labels manage energy metrics. They will not inform you effect performance, but they reveal U-factor, SHGC, VT, and air leakage. Aim for air leak at or listed below 0.3 cfm/ft TWO. Tighter is much better for humidity control, however make certain your home still has stabilized ventilation. Sealing the envelope and neglecting 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 straightforward single-family homes, per-opening costs frequently land between 1,200 and 3,000 dollars for standard sizes. Large multi-panel sliders, customized arches, and coastal-grade finishes raise the numbers quickly.
Where you recover value:
If you prepare to own the property for five years or more, the math often tilts in favor of effect windows, especially when you factor the intangible of peace of mind. If you prepare to sell within a year and require to show compliance rapidly, shutters may make more short-term sense. Context matters.
I take note of hardware and accessories. Multi-point locks on sashes and awnings improve seal compression and security. For sliders, robust tandem rollers in stainless housings slide smoother and last longer on sandy patio areas. Take a look at the sill style on sliding doors. Weep systems need to 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 associations or produce mirror-like glare towards neighboring properties. In coastal environments, highly reflective glass can puzzle birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Regional pros understand which finishes balance efficiency with compliance.
Color stability is a big deal. Dark bronze or black frames look wonderful on contemporary homes, however in Florida sun inexpensive finishes chalk and fade. AAMA 2605-rated coatings offer the very best color retention and chalk resistance. I define them for seaside exposures whenever spending plans allow.
Historic districts frequently need profiles that simulate old wood sash sightlines. There are impact-rated windows that fit these requirements, however lead times lengthen and costs climb. Expect additional evaluation by architectural boards, and line up a professional acquainted with these submissions.
Condos have another layer of governance. Associations sometimes define a narrow list of authorized items for uniformity. They likewise appreciate sound control in between systems. If your structure sits straight on Collins Avenue or faces a busy beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated options. Deal with building management on staging and lift access. Weekend work windows and minimal parking can add days and dollars.
Large openings, like a 16-foot-wide slider, need special attention in style pressure, deflection, and operating hardware. Not every unit that looks strong in a display room meets the wind loads on a ninth-floor veranda. Do not count on brochure maximum sizes. Utilize the NOA tables that correspond to your site's zone, favorable and unfavorable pressures, and mullion combinations if any.
The finest projects begin with a determined survey and exposure analysis. You map each opening, note the substrate, and identify any framing abnormalities or settlement fractures. Throughout proposition, 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 plan for stucco or drywall repairs, not pretend no damage will occur.
On set up day, they remove one opening at a time to keep your house protected. They secure floors, pull back window treatments, and cap sprinklers. Old frames bring out care to protect interior finishes. New systems get dry-fit, shimmed, and anchored per the schedule. The team checks squareness and diagonals before setting best window installation Boca Raton 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 drainage courses and seals. The inspector sees a cool jobsite, clear labels, and paperwork in order.
Six months later, your windows still close with two fingers, locks bite efficiently, and there is no secret rattle throughout thunderstorms. You did not need to call for a roller change after the very first week. That is the standard.
Impact ranking does not equivalent breakproof. Laminated glass can break under serious impacts, however it must remain in the frame and hold together. After a storm that sends out debris into the glass, you may see star fractures or spidering. The window did its task. Change the sash or IGU after the event.
Window movies do not transform non-impact windows into typhoon impact-resistant windows. They can add shatter resistance, but they do not substitute for a checked, anchored system. Your insurance provider and building department will not count movies as secured openings.
Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient impact windows lower air leakage. That's fantastic, however it increases the importance of an effectively sized HVAC with good dehumidification. If your system is extra-large, the thermostat satisfies rapidly and fails to pull enough moisture from the air. Ask your a/c pro to examine reasonable heat ratio, airflow, and run time. You want constant, longer cycles, not short bursts.
Maintenance is simple however not optional. Tidy weep holes on sliders, wash salt spray from frames, and oil hardware yearly with a silicone-based item that will not gum up in heat. Small practices extend lifespan.
There are genuine reasons to mix services. A set of hardly ever used garage windows can keep detachable panels to shave budget. A deep-set deck with very little sun exposure may do great with accordion shutters if you focus on other upgrades like a brand-new roofing deck accessory or a prepared garage door. Shutters can likewise safeguard outside kitchen areas 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. Appoint responsibility for release and practice when beyond a storm watch. Inventory your hardware. The day you require 32 wing nuts is not the morning you want to find you have 29.
Impact windows are not only about enduring the big one. They improve daily living. The living room stays cooler and quieter. The AC cycles calmly instead 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 much shorter. You lock the sashes, set storm mode on the alarm, and concentrate on people instead of panels.
For a number of my customers, that intangible is the deciding factor. They understand storms will come. They likewise understand life in South Florida is too excellent to live inside a fortress that just wakes up in August. Miami-Dade authorized windows provide you both: a clear view of Biscayne Bay on a breezy February early morning and peaceful self-confidence when the spaghetti models point our method September.
If you are weighing the choice, begin with a site-specific evaluation. Match your direct exposures to design pressures, select the right laminated glass stack for wind and heat, select frames that fit the architecture and conditions, and work with a crew that appreciates the load course. Done right, energy‑efficient impact windows deliver what shutters can not: defense that never asks for a ladder and a much better home every day of the year.