October 18, 2025

Hurricane-Proof Assurance: Picking Miami-Dade Approved, Energy‑Efficient Impact 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 method neighbors track tropical waves, the pre-storm rush to stockpile, and the routine of transporting ladders to install panels. After twenty years specifying, installing, and repairing structure envelopes from Key Largo to Palm Beach, I have actually seen what holds up and what doesn't. When the goal is genuine security with year-round comfort, Miami-Dade authorized, energy‑efficient effect windows outperform shutters in ways that go beyond storm day. They change how a home feels in August, how peaceful your living room remains on a Saturday night, and how positive you are when a storm line spins up quicker than predicted.

This is a practical look at why numerous South Florida house owners are moving from shutters to typhoon impact-resistant windows, how to check out the requirements behind "Miami-Dade approved," what products matter, and how to get the installation right the very first time.

What "Miami-Dade Approved" actually means

Miami-Dade County's Product Control Division sets among the toughest benchmarks in the country for constructing parts exposed to windborne particles. Approval is not a marketing sticker. It is earned through specific laboratory tests that mimic genuine cyclone conditions.

First comes large rocket effect. A 9-pound 2x4 is contended the glass at approximately 34 miles per hour. That simulates roofing system tiles, branches, or pieces of fencing that fly in the eyewall. After the effect, the same unit 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 difference in between "fulfills Florida building regulations windows" and "Miami-Dade approved windows" often lives in these test thresholds. Miami-Dade is simply stiffer, particularly in High Velocity Typhoon Zone requirements, which include Miami-Dade and Broward.

Wind ratings vary by opening size and design pressures, represented as PSF worths. On ocean-facing homes or high-rises, I typically specify units rated at +60/ -80 PSF or higher. Inland or in more protected direct exposures, rankings in the +45/ -60 PSF variety can be enough, but you size and specification based on the site's wind map, constructing height, and surrounding structures. A professional understands that a corner direct exposure at the 2nd story needs different support than a protected window under a deep porch.

Why effect windows alter the daily experience, not simply storm season

Hurricane shutters vs effect windows is not a one-to-one contrast. Shutters can fulfill code, and they're better than 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 up, the last thing you desire is a ladder, a dead cordless drill, and a missing wing nut.

Impact windows live in location. You get constant protection, 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 busy passages like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight courses, I've measured interior sound drops in the 5 to 10 decibel range, in some cases more when paired with insulated glass units.

Security improves since laminated glass withstands forced entry. A burglar can shatter the external lite with a hammer, however the interlayer holds the fragments. They fulfill a sticky, persistent membrane instead of a quick course inside. Insurance underwriters know this, which is why policies often provide credits for effect doors and windows. In my jobs, premiums usually drop 10 to 25 percent, depending on the carrier and the number of openings are protected.

Energy efficiency is the 3rd pillar. Energy-efficient impact windows with contemporary low-E impact glass and warm-edge spacers can cut solar heat gain while maintaining visible light. That means less air conditioning need, 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 stopped by approximately a lots of cooling, and the home's annual electrical power usage fell in between 12 and 18 percent. Outcomes vary with shading, attic insulation, and heating and cooling efficiency, however the direction is consistent.

Material options that matter: glass, interlayers, and frames

Laminated impact glass is the heart of the system, but not all laminated items are equal.

Most property hurricane windows utilize a PVB interlayer glass stack, commonly 0.030 to 0.090 inches thick in single or several plies. Thicker interlayers enhance effect resistance and sound control, but they include weight and expense. For oceanfront or high openings, you might see SGP (ionoplast) interlayers, which are stiffer and more powerful than PVB, permitting thinner sections to accomplish greater design pressures. For noise-sensitive websites, acoustic PVB formulas 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 turn up often in conversations due to the fact that tempered glass is more powerful in flexing than annealed glass. That's true, and tempered lites are commonly utilized as the outer or inner ply in an impact system. However tempered alone is not impact-resistant in the cyclone sense. When it fails, it explodes into small cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening vulnerable. The impact performance originates from laminated construction, not tempering by itself. Many systems utilize a tempered outer lite laminated to a hardened inner lite, or both tempered, but always bonded through a PVB or ionoplast interlayer.

Low-E finishes 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 greater. Go too low on SHGC and the glass can look gray or green, particularly in bigger openings. The sweet area depends upon your exterior orientation and shading. On east and west elevations, I frequently tighten up SHGC and accept a minor tint to handle 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 control here due to the fact that they deal with big openings and won't swell. Thermal breaks and improved glazing gaskets have narrowed the energy gap with vinyl. Top quality vinyl effect frames, when strengthened correctly, can perform well for standard-sized openings and have better insulating worths, however I avoid them for very broad sliders or high storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad units look gorgeous in older Mediterranean Revival homes, but they demand mindful maintenance and wise flashing. The Florida sun destroys cheap vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum finishes rapidly. Try to find powder-coated finishes rated for coastal exposure, and request written service warranty information in salt-air environments.

The concealed hero: installation that appreciates the load path

Window setup can make or break performance. A costly system installed like a handyman swap-out will not pass a storm's stress test. The load path is the crux. Impact forces have to travel from the glass through the frame, bay and bow windows to the anchors, into the substrate, and then into the structure's framing or masonry.

In cinder block building, you want stainless or hot-dipped galvanized anchors embedded into solid product. Hollow cells need to be grouted or you need to hit the bond beam. Tapcons in soft, unfilled block are a failure waiting to occur. In wood-framed houses, structural screws must bite into solid trimmers, not just sheathing. Shimming and plumb alignment matter so the locks engage easily and the weatherstripping compresses evenly.

The sealant joint is not just visual. A properly sized backer rod and top quality polyurethane or silyl-modified polymer sealant create a durable, versatile seal that deals with thermal growth. Too small a bead and it tears under motion. Too huge and it remedies improperly. On coastal tasks, I never combine different metals without a barrier, and I always define 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 find its method. That wetness might disappoint up as a drip. It might rot a sill plate slowly, then betray itself as a buckling flooring or a moldy smell 2 cyclone seasons later.

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

I have absolutely nothing against properly designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are kept and lubricated, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even detachable panels saved thoroughly can protect homes effectively. They also assist in particular cases.

Second homes or seasonal rentals where spending plan is tight sometimes lean on shutters to meet the Florida building code windows requirement for secured openings. On specialized openings like a lanai that is hardly ever utilized in summer, a tidy motorized roll-down can be sensible, especially if pairing with effect windows and doors in other places stresses the spending 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 your home when deployed, and they need action at specifically the time you are juggling insurance papers, gas cans, and household logistics. During Cyclone Irma, I saw a 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 immediate care waiting room. He made it through with stitches. His living room window did not. Shutters also rattle and can vibrate under continual winds, sometimes loosening up fasteners in time if not maintained.

For long-lasting owners who want to set it and forget it, effect windows provide hurricane evidence windows protection while protecting daytime and view. The benefit grows important once you've experienced one storm season with zero preparation beyond locking the sash.

The energy story: how glass specs translate to convenience and bills

South Florida homes combat two fights: hidden load from humidity and practical load from direct solar heat gain. Impact glass upgrades can assist both if specified intelligently.

Low-E impact glass utilizes microscopically thin metallic layers to show infrared energy while letting visible light through. With the right finishing stacks, you can block a large portion of radiant heat and UV. UV obstruction in laminated units comes mostly from the interlayer itself, which usually filters 95 to 99 percent of UV, lowering fading of fabrics and floor covering. Add the low-E, and you curb the solar heat that drives your a/c insane midafternoon.

I evaluate glass specifications with 3 numbers: U-factor, SHGC, and VT. While U-factor matters more up north, it still assists here by reducing nighttime heat circulation and keeping the interior glass temperature closer to room temperature level, which reduces condensation danger. SHGC drives just how much solar heat enters. VT affects how brilliant the interior feels. Balance is key. Some house owners desire the crisp, clear look of higher VT, even if it implies accepting a few degrees more heat in late afternoon, since their landscaping and roofing overhangs currently do some shading. Others choose a more powerful tint for glare control on waterfront lots that show severe light.

In useful terms, going from clear single-pane sliders to modern low-E laminated double-glazed systems can lower peak solar gains by 30 to half on the most exposed sides. Couple that with tuned overhangs, light-colored outside surfaces, and an effectively sized variable-speed a/c, and you begin to develop strength. If the grid goes down and you change to a generator, a lower cooling load means a smaller 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 document you request. It information the authorized configurations, sizes, anchors, and pressures tested. It is insufficient to hear "these are Miami-Dade authorized windows" in a display room. Validate the NOA matches the exact model and options you are purchasing, including the glazing makeup and hardware. If you are in Broward or Miami-Dade, your allowing workplace will desire this paper trail.

Statewide, the Florida Product Approval system provides FL numbers that impact door installation reveal code compliance. In the rest of the state outside the High Speed Typhoon Zone, Florida building regulations windows can rely on Florida Product Approval without Miami-Dade specific NOAs. Numerous leading manufacturers carry both. Where budgets enable, I choose NOA products even outside the zone because the screening is stiffer.

NFRC labels handle energy metrics. They will not tell you effect efficiency, however they show U-factor, SHGC, VT, and air leak. Aim for air leakage at or listed below 0.3 cfm/ft TWO. Tighter is better for humidity control, but make sure your home still has balanced ventilation. Sealing the envelope and neglecting fresh air is a recipe for indoor air quality complaints.

Dollars and sense: what to anticipate on expense, savings, and resale

Impact windows cost more upfront than shutters. There's no spin around that. Installed expenses vary with size, shape, finish, and access. On straightforward single-family homes, per-opening expenses frequently 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 worth:

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

If you plan to own the home for five years or more, the mathematics often tilts in favor of impact windows, particularly when you factor the intangible of comfort. If you plan to sell within a year and need to show compliance quickly, shutters may make more short-term sense. Context matters.

Details that separate great systems from excellent ones

I focus on hardware and accessories. Multi-point locks on sashes and awnings improve seal compression and security. For sliders, robust tandem rollers in stainless real estates glide smoother and last longer on sandy patios. Take a look at the sill style on moving doors. Weep systems need to be engineered to drain 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 contravene of neighborhood associations or produce mirror-like glare towards neighboring residential or commercial properties. In coastal environments, highly reflective glass can puzzle birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Regional pros understand which coverings balance performance with compliance.

Color stability is a huge deal. Dark bronze or black frames look great on modern-day homes, however in Florida sun low-cost finishes chalk and fade. AAMA 2605-rated finishes supply the best color retention and chalk resistance. I specify them for coastal direct exposures whenever spending plans allow.

Special cases: historic homes, apartments, and tricky openings

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

Condos have another layer of governance. Associations sometimes define a narrow list of approved products for harmony. They also care about noise control between units. If your structure sits directly on Collins Avenue or deals with a busy beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated options. Deal with structure management on staging and lift gain access to. Weekend work windows and minimal parking can include days and dollars.

Large openings, like a 16-foot-wide slider, require unique attention in design pressure, deflection, and running hardware. Not every system that looks sturdy in a showroom fulfills the wind loads on a ninth-floor terrace. Do not rely on catalog maximum sizes. Utilize the NOA tables that correspond to your website's zone, positive and unfavorable pressures, and mullion combinations if any.

What a clean task appears like from study to last inspection

The best tasks start with a determined study and exposure analysis. You map each opening, note the substrate, and identify any framing abnormalities or settlement cracks. Throughout proposition, the contractor shows you the NOA and the Florida Product Approval, lists anchor types, and explains how each opening will be flashed and sealed. They prepare for stucco or drywall repairs, not pretend no damage will occur.

On set up day, they get rid of one opening at a time to keep your house safe and secure. They safeguard floorings, pull back window treatments, and cap sprinklers. Old frames come out with care to maintain interior surfaces. New systems 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, specifically if they will be concealed. After glazing, they water-test with a regulated spray to verify drainage courses and seals. The inspector sees a cool jobsite, clear labels, and documentation in order.

Six months later, your windows still close with two fingers, locks bite efficiently, and there is no secret rattle during thunderstorms. You did not have to call for a roller change after the very first week. That is the standard.

Frequently misconstrued points that cost homeowners later

Impact rating does not equivalent breakproof. Laminated glass impact window warranties can crack under severe impacts, however it ought to remain in the frame and hold together. After a storm that sends particles into the glass, you might see star fractures or spidering. The window did its task. Change the sash or IGU after the event.

Window movies do not convert non-impact windows into cyclone impact-resistant windows. They can include shatter resistance, however they do not substitute for a checked, anchored system. Your insurance provider and building department will not count films as protected openings.

Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient effect windows reduce air leak. That's fantastic, but it increases the significance of a properly sized a/c with excellent dehumidification. If your system is extra-large, the thermostat satisfies quickly and stops working to pull enough moisture from the air. Ask your heating and cooling pro to check sensible heat ratio, airflow, and run time. You want constant, longer cycles, not short bursts.

Maintenance is straightforward however not optional. Tidy weep holes on sliders, wash salt spray from frames, and lube hardware yearly 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 blend options. A set of hardly ever used garage windows can keep detachable panels to shave budget. A deep-set patio with very little sun direct exposure might do great with accordion shutters if you focus on other upgrades like a new roofing system deck attachment or a prepared garage door. Shutters can also secure outside kitchens or cabana openings where grease and smoke would age fancy hardware prematurely.

If you pick shutters, purchase quality. Stainless fasteners, smooth tracks, and motors with handbook overrides for roll-downs make a distinction. Designate obligation for release and practice when outside of 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: comfort you can feel on a quiet Tuesday

Impact windows are not only about making it through the big one. They reshape 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 typhoon threatens, your preparation list gets much shorter. You lock the sashes, set storm mode on the alarm, and focus on individuals instead of panels.

For many of my clients, that intangible is the deciding factor. They understand storms will come. They likewise understand life in South Florida is too good to live inside a fortress that just awakens in August. Miami-Dade authorized windows offer you both: a clear view of Biscayne Bay on a breezy February early morning and peaceful confidence when the spaghetti designs point our way in September.

If you are weighing the option, begin with a site-specific evaluation. Match your direct exposures to design pressures, choose the ideal laminated glass stack for wind and heat, choose frames that fit the architecture and conditions, and work with a team that respects the load course. Done right, energy‑efficient impact windows provide what shutters can not: defense that never requests for a ladder and a 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.