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 install panels. After two decades defining, installing, and repairing structure envelopes from Secret Largo to Palm Beach, I have actually seen what holds up and what does not. When the objective is real defense with year-round convenience, Miami-Dade approved, energy‑efficient impact windows outshine shutters in ways that exceed storm day. They alter 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 much faster than predicted.
This is a custom tempered glass practical take a look at why many South Florida homeowners are moving from shutters to cyclone impact-resistant windows, how to check out the requirements behind "Miami-Dade approved," what products matter, and how to get the setup right the very first time.
Miami-Dade County's Item Control Department sets one of the hardest criteria in the country for constructing components exposed to windborne particles. Approval is not a marketing sticker label. It is made through specific lab tests that replicate genuine cyclone conditions.
First comes large missile impact. A 9-pound 2x4 is shot at the glass at roughly 34 miles per hour. That mimics roof tiles, branches, or pieces of fencing that fly in the eyewall. After the impact, the very same unit faces cyclic pressure loading, countless pressurization and depressurization cycles that simulate quick wind gusts over hours. If the glass remains in the frame without letting the envelope breach, it passes. The distinction between "fulfills Florida building code windows" and "Miami-Dade approved windows" frequently resides in these test limits. Miami-Dade is just stiffer, especially in High Speed Typhoon Zone requirements, that include Miami-Dade and Broward.
Wind ratings differ by opening size and design pressures, signified as PSF worths. On ocean-facing homes or high-rises, I typically define systems rated at +60/ -80 PSF or higher. Inland or in more safeguarded exposures, ratings in the +45/ -60 PSF variety can be adequate, but you size and spec based upon the website's wind map, constructing height, and surrounding structures. An expert knows that a corner exposure at the 2nd story demands different reinforcement than a sheltered window under a deep porch.
Hurricane shutters vs impact windows is not a one-to-one comparison. Shutters can fulfill code, and they're much better than 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, the last thing you want is a ladder, a dead cordless drill, and a missing wing nut.
Impact windows reside in place. You get continuous protection, even if a pop-up storm surprises you while you're stuck on United States 1. You likewise get advantages every day of the year.
Noise control is the most underappreciated advantage. Laminated impact glass is basically a sandwich: two panes of glass bonded by a durable interlayer, normally PVB interlayer glass or SentryGlas. That interlayer damps noise. On jobs along hectic passages like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight courses, I have actually measured interior noise drops in the 5 to 10 decibel variety, sometimes more when coupled with insulated glass units.
Security enhances due to the fact that laminated glass resists forced entry. An intruder can shatter the external lite with a hammer, however the interlayer holds the fragments. They satisfy a sticky, persistent membrane instead of a fast path inside. Insurance coverage underwriters know this, which is why policies often offer credits for impact doors and windows. In my jobs, premiums typically drop 10 to 25 percent, depending on the carrier and how many openings are protected.
Energy performance is the 3rd pillar. Energy-efficient effect windows with contemporary low-E effect glass and warm-edge spacers can cut solar heat gain while protecting visible light. That implies less air conditioning demand, especially on west and south exposures where the afternoon sun penalizes interiors. In one Coral Gables retrofit, we changed 1980s single-pane sliders with laminated low-E impact systems. Summertime afternoon peak load visited approximately a lots of cooling, and the home's yearly electricity use fell between 12 and 18 percent. Results vary with shading, attic insulation, and a/c effectiveness, however the instructions is consistent.
Laminated impact glass is the heart of the system, however not all laminated products are equal.
Most property hurricane windows utilize a PVB interlayer glass stack, commonly 0.030 to 0.090 inches thick in single or numerous plies. Thicker interlayers enhance effect resistance and sound control, however they include weight and expense. For oceanfront or tall openings, you may see SGP (ionoplast) interlayers, which are stiffer and stronger than PVB, allowing thinner areas to attain greater design pressures. For noise-sensitive websites, acoustic PVB formulas fine-tune 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 frequently in discussions due to the fact that tempered glass is stronger in flexing than annealed glass. That's true, and tempered lites are commonly utilized as the outer or inner ply in an effect unit. But tempered alone is not impact-resistant in the typhoon sense. When it stops working, it explodes into small cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening vulnerable. The impact efficiency comes from laminated building and construction, not tempering by itself. Lots of systems utilize a tempered external lite laminated to a hardened inner lite, or both tempered, however always bonded through a PVB or ionoplast interlayer.
Low-E coverings matter for comfort. A soft-coat low-E tuned for South Florida normally targets a solar heat gain coefficient in the 0.25 to 0.35 variety while keeping visible light transmission around half or higher. Go too short on SHGC and the glass can look gray or green, specifically in larger openings. The sweet spot depends on your exterior orientation and shading. On east and west elevations, I frequently tighten up SHGC and accept a slight 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 control here since they manage large openings and will not swell. Thermal breaks and improved glazing gaskets have actually narrowed the energy gap with vinyl. High-quality vinyl impact frames, when strengthened effectively, can carry out well for standard-sized openings and have much better insulating worths, however I avoid them for really broad sliders or tall storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad systems look lovely in older Mediterranean Revival homes, however they require mindful maintenance and smart flashing. The Florida sun damages inexpensive vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum surfaces quickly. Search for powder-coated surfaces rated for coastal exposure, and demand written guarantee information in salt-air environments.
Window installation can make or break efficiency. A pricey unit set up like a handyman swap-out will not pass a storm's stress test. The load course is the core. Impact forces have to take a trip from the glass through the frame, to the anchors, into the substrate, and then into the structure's framing or masonry.
In concrete block building, you desire stainless or hot-dipped galvanized anchors embedded into solid material. Hollow cells should be grouted or you need 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 solid trimmers, not just sheathing. Shimming and plumb positioning matter so the locks engage easily and the weatherstripping compresses evenly.
The sealant joint is not just aesthetic. A properly sized backer rod and high-quality polyurethane or silyl-modified polymer sealant produce a durable, versatile seal that manages thermal growth. Too small a bead and it tears under motion. Too huge and it treatments improperly. On coastal jobs, I never ever match different metals without a barrier, and I always specify 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 essential. If you count on sealant alone, water will discover its method. That moisture might disappoint up as a drip. It might rot a sill plate slowly, then betray itself as a buckling flooring or a musty odor two hurricane seasons later.
I have nothing against properly designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are kept and lubed, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even detachable panels saved carefully can secure homes successfully. They likewise help in particular cases.
Second homes or seasonal rentals where budget plan is tight in some cases lean on shutters to meet the Florida building regulations windows requirement for secured openings. On specialized openings like a lanai that is rarely utilized in summer, a tidy motorized roll-down can be affordable, especially if pairing with effect doors and windows in other places stresses the budget plan. For homeowners who plan to move within a year, shutters can be a brief bridge to compliance before a sale.
But shutters bring trade-offs. They darken the house when released, and they require action at exactly the time you are juggling insurance coverage documents, gas cans, and family logistics. During Hurricane Irma, I watched a next-door neighbor attempt 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 made it through with stitches. His living room window did not. Shutters likewise rattle and can vibrate under sustained winds, sometimes loosening fasteners over time if not maintained.
For long-term owners who want to set it and forget it, effect windows provide cyclone evidence windows coverage while protecting daylight and view. The benefit grows important once you've experienced one storm season with zero prep beyond locking the sash.
South Florida homes fight two battles: latent load from humidity and sensible load from direct solar heat gain. Impact glass upgrades can assist both if defined intelligently.
Low-E effect glass utilizes microscopically thin metal layers to show infrared energy while letting visible light through. With the right finishing stacks, you can obstruct a big part of radiant heat and UV. UV obstruction in laminated systems comes largely from the interlayer itself, which typically filters 95 to 99 percent of UV, lowering fading of materials and flooring. Add the low-E, and you suppress the solar heat that drives your AC crazy midafternoon.
I evaluate 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 space temperature, which reduces condensation threat. SHGC drives how much solar heat gets in. VT affects how intense the interior feels. Balance is key. Some property owners want the crisp, clear look of higher VT, even if it means accepting a few degrees more heat in late afternoon, since their landscaping and roof overhangs currently do some shading. Others prefer a stronger tint for glare control on waterside lots that show severe light.
In useful terms, going from clear single-pane sliders to modern-day low-E laminated double-glazed units can reduce peak solar gains by 30 to half on the most exposed sides. Couple that with tuned overhangs, light-colored outside surfaces, and an appropriately sized variable-speed a/c, and you start to construct resilience. If the grid goes down and you switch to a generator, a lower cooling load means a smaller sized generator and fewer gallons of fuel.
Miami-Dade Notice of Approval, or NOA, is the document you ask for. Low-E impact glass It information the approved setups, sizes, anchors, and pressures tested. It is not enough to hear "these are Miami-Dade approved windows" in a showroom. Validate the NOA matches the precise model and options you are buying, consisting of the glazing makeup and hardware. If you remain in Broward or Miami-Dade, your allowing office will want this paper trail.
Statewide, the Florida Product Approval system offers FL numbers that reveal code compliance. In the remainder of the state outside the High Velocity Hurricane Zone, Florida building regulations windows can count on Florida Product Approval without Miami-Dade specific NOAs. Many top makers carry both. Where budget plans allow, I choose NOA items even outside the zone since the screening is stiffer.
NFRC labels handle energy metrics. They won't tell you impact performance, but they reveal U-factor, SHGC, VT, and polycarbonate panels air leak. Aim for air leak at or below 0.3 cfm/ft TWO. Tighter is much better for humidity control, but make certain your home still has balanced ventilation. Sealing the envelope and neglecting fresh air is a recipe for indoor air quality complaints.
Impact windows cost more in advance than shutters. There's no spin around that. Set up costs differ with size, shape, finish, and access. On straightforward single-family homes, per-opening commercial storefront glazing expenses often land between 1,200 and 3,000 dollars for standard sizes. Large multi-panel sliders, custom arches, and coastal-grade finishes raise the numbers quickly.
Where you recover value:
If you prepare to own the home for five years or more, the mathematics frequently tilts in favor of effect windows, particularly when you factor the intangible of peace of mind. If you plan to sell within a year and require to reveal compliance rapidly, shutters might make more short-term sense. Context matters.
I take notice of hardware and accessories. Multi-point locks on sashes and awnings improve seal compression and security. For sliders, robust tandem rollers in stainless real estates move smoother and last longer on sandy patios. Look at the sill design on moving doors. Weep systems should 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 style. Reflective films can run afoul of neighborhood watch or produce mirror-like glare towards neighboring homes. In coastal communities, highly reflective glass can confuse birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Local pros know which finishings balance performance with compliance.
Color stability is a big deal. Dark bronze or black frames look fantastic on modern-day homes, however in Florida sun cheap surfaces chalk and fade. AAMA 2605-rated coverings offer the best color retention and chalk resistance. I specify them for seaside direct exposures whenever budgets allow.
Historic districts typically require profiles that imitate old wood sash sightlines. There are impact-rated windows that fit these requirements, but lead times lengthen and costs climb. Anticipate additional review by architectural boards, and line up a contractor acquainted with these submissions.
Condos have another layer of governance. Associations often define a narrow list of authorized products for harmony. They likewise care about sound control in between units. If your structure sits directly on Collins Opportunity or faces a hectic beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated options. Work with building management on staging and lift access. Weekend work windows and restricted parking can include days and dollars.
Large openings, like a 16-foot-wide slider, need unique attention in design pressure, deflection, and running hardware. Not every system that looks tough in a showroom fulfills the wind loads on a ninth-floor balcony. Do not rely on catalog optimum sizes. Use the NOA tables that correspond to your website's zone, positive and unfavorable pressures, and mullion combinations if any.
The best tasks begin with a determined study and exposure analysis. You map each opening, note the substrate, and identify any framing abnormalities or settlement fractures. Throughout proposition, the professional reveals you the NOA and the Florida Product Approval, notes anchor types, and explains 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 eliminate one opening at a time to keep your house secure. They protect floorings, draw back window treatments, and cap sprinklers. Old frames bring out 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 picture anchors for the authorization file, particularly if they will be concealed. After glazing, they water-test with a regulated spray to verify drain paths and seals. The inspector sees a neat jobsite, clear labels, and paperwork in order.
Six months later on, your windows still close with two fingers, locks bite smoothly, and there is no secret rattle throughout thunderstorms. You did not have to call for a roller adjustment after the first week. That is the standard.
Impact rating does not equal breakproof. Laminated glass can split under extreme impacts, but it must remain in the frame and hold together. After a storm that sends out debris 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 typhoon impact-resistant windows. They can add shatter resistance, however they do not alternative to an evaluated, anchored system. Your insurance company and structure department will not count movies as secured openings.
Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient effect windows minimize air leak. That's excellent, however it increases the importance of a properly sized HVAC with good dehumidification. If your system is extra-large, the thermostat pleases rapidly and stops working to pull enough moisture from the air. Ask your HVAC pro to check practical heat ratio, air flow, and run time. You want constant, longer cycles, not short bursts.
Maintenance is uncomplicated however not optional. Tidy weep holes on sliders, wash salt spray from frames, and oil hardware each year with a silicone-based item that will not gum up in heat. Little routines extend lifespan.
There are legitimate factors to mix solutions. A pair of rarely used garage windows can keep detachable panels to shave spending plan. A deep-set porch with minimal sun direct exposure may do great with accordion shutters if you focus on other upgrades like a new roofing deck accessory or a prepared garage door. Shutters can also safeguard outdoor kitchen areas or cabana openings where grease and smoke would age fancy hardware prematurely.
If you pick shutters, buy quality. Stainless fasteners, smooth tracks, and motors with manual bypasses for roll-downs make a distinction. Designate responsibility for implementation and practice when beyond a storm watch. Inventory your hardware. The day you need 32 wing nuts is not the early morning you want to discover 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 air conditioning cycles calmly rather of racing at 4 p.m. tempered glass replacement You sleep without freight trains of wind sound when a squall line passes at 2 a.m. When a typhoon threatens, your preparation list gets shorter. You lock the sashes, set storm mode on the alarm, and focus on individuals rather than panels.
For many of my customers, that intangible is the deciding factor. 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 give you both: a clear view of Biscayne Bay on a breezy February morning and quiet self-confidence when the spaghetti designs point our way in September.
If you are weighing the option, begin with a site-specific assessment. Match your exposures to design pressures, pick the ideal laminated glass stack for wind and heat, choose frames that fit the architecture and conditions, and hire a crew that appreciates the load path. Done right, energy‑efficient effect windows deliver what shutters can not: defense that never requests a ladder and a better home every day of the year.