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 neighbors track tropical waves, the pre-storm rush to stock up, and the ritual of transporting ladders to install panels. After two decades specifying, setting up, and repairing structure envelopes from Secret Largo to Palm Beach, I've seen what holds up and what does not. When the objective is genuine protection with year-round convenience, Miami-Dade approved, energy‑efficient effect windows surpass shutters in ways that surpass storm day. They alter how a house feels in August, how peaceful your living-room remains on a Saturday night, and how confident you are when a storm line spins up much faster than predicted.
This is a practical take a look at why lots of South Florida homeowners are moving from shutters to typhoon impact-resistant windows, how to read the requirements behind "Miami-Dade authorized," what products matter, and how to get the commercial window installation Boca Raton installation right the very first time.
Miami-Dade County's Item Control Division sets among the toughest criteria in the nation for developing components exposed to windborne debris. Approval is not a marketing sticker label. It is earned through particular lab tests that mimic real cyclone conditions.
First comes big rocket effect. A 9-pound 2x4 is shot at the glass at approximately 34 miles per hour. That imitates roofing tiles, branches, or pieces of fencing that fly in the eyewall. After the impact, the same system deals with cyclic pressure loading, countless pressurization and depressurization cycles that simulate fast wind gusts over hours. If the glass remains in the frame without letting the envelope breach, it passes. The distinction between "satisfies Florida building code windows" and "Miami-Dade approved windows" typically resides in these test limits. Miami-Dade is simply stiffer, particularly in High Speed Cyclone Zone requirements, which include Miami-Dade and Broward.
Wind rankings vary by opening size and design pressures, denoted as PSF values. On ocean-facing properties or high-rises, I often define units Boca Raton impact window installation rated at +60/ -80 PSF or greater. Inland or in more safeguarded direct exposures, scores in the +45/ -60 PSF variety can suffice, however you size and spec based on the website's wind map, constructing height, and surrounding structures. An expert knows that a corner direct exposure at the second story demands different support than a sheltered window under a deep porch.
Hurricane shutters vs impact windows is not a one-to-one contrast. Shutters can satisfy code, and they're much better than absolutely nothing. However they ask you to do work at the worst possible time. When a watch turns to a caution and the forecast track tightens up, the last thing you want is a ladder, a dead cordless drill, and a missing wing nut.
Impact windows live in place. You get continuous security, even if a pop-up storm surprises you while you're stuck on United States 1. You likewise get advantages every day of the year.
Noise control is the most underappreciated benefit. Laminated impact glass is essentially a sandwich: 2 panes of glass bonded by a durable interlayer, generally PVB interlayer glass or SentryGlas. That interlayer damps noise. On tasks along busy corridors like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight courses, I have actually measured interior sound drops in the 5 to 10 decibel range, sometimes more when coupled with insulated glass units.
Security improves because laminated glass withstands forced entry. A burglar can shatter the outer lite with a hammer, but the interlayer holds the fragments. They satisfy a sticky, stubborn membrane rather of a quick path inside. Insurance underwriters understand this, which is why policies often use credits for effect doors and windows. In my tasks, premiums normally drop 10 to 25 percent, depending upon the provider and the number of openings are protected.

Energy efficiency is the third pillar. Energy-efficient impact windows with contemporary low-E impact glass and warm-edge spacers can cut solar heat gain while maintaining noticeable light. That implies less cooling demand, particularly on west and south direct exposures where the afternoon sun punishes interiors. In one Coral Gables retrofit, we changed 1980s single-pane sliders with laminated low-E effect units. Summer season afternoon peak load dropped by approximately a ton of cooling, and the home's annual electrical energy usage fell in between 12 and 18 percent. Outcomes differ with shading, attic insulation, and a/c efficiency, however the direction is consistent.
Laminated effect glass is the heart of the system, however not all laminated items are equal.
Most domestic 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, however they add weight and cost. For oceanfront or high openings, you might see SGP (ionoplast) interlayers, which are stiffer and more powerful than PVB, enabling thinner areas to attain higher design pressures. For noise-sensitive sites, acoustic PVB formulas tweak the polymer to much better absorb noise in the 1,000 to 3,000 Hz range, where traffic and voices sit.
Tempered glass windows show up frequently in discussions because tempered glass is stronger in bending than annealed glass. That holds true, and tempered lites are frequently 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 blows up into little cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening susceptible. The effect performance originates from laminated building, not tempering by itself. Many systems utilize 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 visible light transmission around 50 percent 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 façade orientation and shading. On east and west elevations, I typically tighten SHGC and accept a small tint to manage 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 dominate here due to the fact that they deal with large openings and will not swell. Thermal breaks and enhanced glazing gaskets have narrowed the energy space with vinyl. Top quality vinyl impact frames, when enhanced effectively, can perform well for standard-sized openings and have much better insulating values, however I prevent them for extremely broad sliders or tall storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad units look stunning in older Mediterranean Revival homes, but they require careful upkeep and clever flashing. The Florida sun damages cheap vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum surfaces quickly. Try to find powder-coated surfaces ranked for seaside direct exposure, and demand composed service warranty details in salt-air environments.
Window installation can make or break performance. A costly system set up like a handyman swap-out will not pass a storm's stress test. The load course is the essence. 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 cinder block building, you desire stainless or hot-dipped galvanized anchors embedded into solid product. Hollow cells must be grouted or you require to strike the bond beam. Tapcons in soft, unfilled block are a failure waiting to take place. In wood-framed houses, structural screws should bite into strong trimmers, not just sheathing. Shimming and plumb alignment matter so the locks engage cleanly and the weatherstripping compresses evenly.
The sealant joint is not just aesthetic. An appropriately sized backer rod and high-quality polyurethane or silyl-modified polymer sealant create a long lasting, flexible seal that deals with thermal expansion. Too little a bead and it tears under motion. Too huge and it remedies inadequately. On seaside 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 important. If you depend on sealant alone, water will discover its method. That moisture may not show up as a drip. It may rot a sill plate slowly, then betray itself as a buckling flooring or a musty odor 2 typhoon seasons later.
I have nothing versus well-designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are maintained and lubricated, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even detachable panels stored thoroughly can secure homes effectively. They likewise help in specific cases.
Second homes or seasonal rentals where spending plan is tight sometimes lean on shutters to fulfill the Florida building regulations windows requirement for protected openings. On specialized openings like a lanai that is rarely used in summer, a tidy motorized roll-down can be sensible, especially if coupling with effect windows and doors in other places worries the budget plan. For homeowners who prepare 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 deployed, and they need action at specifically the time you are juggling insurance coverage papers, gas cans, and household logistics. During Typhoon Irma, I saw a 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 urgent care waiting room. He endured with stitches. His living-room window did not. Shutters also 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, impact windows offer cyclone proof windows coverage while preserving daytime and view. The convenience grows valuable once you've experienced one storm season with absolutely no prep beyond locking the sash.
South Florida homes fight 2 battles: latent load from humidity and sensible load from direct solar heat gain. Impact glass upgrades can help both if specified intelligently.
Low-E impact glass uses microscopically thin metal layers to show infrared energy while letting visible light through. With the ideal coating stacks, you can block a big part of radiant heat and UV. UV clog in laminated systems comes mostly from the interlayer itself, which generally filters 95 to 99 percent of UV, minimizing fading of fabrics and floor covering. Include the low-E, and you curb the solar heat that drives your air conditioning insane midafternoon.
I examine glass specs with three 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 level closer to room temperature, which lowers condensation danger. SHGC drives how much solar heat goes into. VT affects how intense the interior feels. Balance is essential. Some homeowners desire the crisp, clear appearance of higher VT, even if it suggests accepting a few degrees more heat in late afternoon, since their landscaping and roofing system overhangs already do some shading. Others prefer a stronger tint for glare control on waterside lots that reflect extreme 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 outside surfaces, and a properly sized variable-speed heating and cooling, and you start to develop durability. If the grid decreases and you switch to a generator, a lower cooling load suggests a smaller sized generator and fewer gallons of fuel.
Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance, or NOA, is the document you request for. It details the approved setups, sizes, anchors, and pressures evaluated. It is not enough to hear "these are Miami-Dade authorized windows" in a display room. Validate the NOA matches the precise model and alternatives you are purchasing, including the glazing makeup and hardware. If you are in Broward or Miami-Dade, your permitting office will want this paper trail.
Statewide, the Florida Product Approval system supplies FL numbers that show code compliance. In the rest of the state outside the High Velocity Cyclone Zone, Florida building code windows can depend on Florida Item Approval without Miami-Dade specific NOAs. Many leading makers carry both. Where budget plans permit, I choose NOA products even outside the zone since the screening is stiffer.
NFRC labels deal with energy metrics. They won't inform you impact performance, but they show U-factor, SHGC, VT, and air leak. Go for air leak at or below 0.3 cfm/ft TWO. Tighter is better for humidity control, however make sure your home still has actually stabilized ventilation. Sealing the envelope and neglecting fresh air is a dish for indoor air quality complaints.
Impact windows cost more upfront than shutters. There's no spin around that. Set up costs vary with size, shape, finish, and gain access to. On straightforward single-family homes, per-opening expenses often land between 1,200 and 3,000 dollars for standard sizes. Large multi-panel sliders, customized arches, and coastal-grade surfaces raise the numbers quickly.
Where you recoup worth:
If you prepare to own the residential or commercial property for 5 years or more, the mathematics typically tilts in favor of effect windows, especially when you factor the intangible of assurance. If you plan to offer within a year and require to show compliance quickly, shutters may make more short-term sense. Context matters.
I pay attention to hardware and accessories. Multi-point locks on sashes and awnings enhance seal compression and security. For sliders, robust tandem rollers in stainless housings slide smoother and last longer on sandy patio areas. Look at the sill style on sliding 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 movies can run afoul of neighborhood associations or produce mirror-like glare toward neighboring homes. In seaside 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 offer. Dark bronze or black frames look wonderful on modern-day homes, but in Florida sun cheap surfaces chalk and fade. AAMA 2605-rated finishings supply the best color retention and chalk resistance. I specify them for seaside direct exposures whenever spending plans allow.
Historic districts often require profiles that imitate old wood sash sightlines. There are impact-rated windows that fit these requirements, but lead times extend and costs climb. Anticipate additional review by architectural boards, and line up a contractor familiar with these submissions.
Condos have another layer of governance. Associations in some cases define a narrow list of authorized products for harmony. They also care about sound control in between units. If your structure sits straight on Collins Opportunity or deals with a hectic beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated alternatives. Work with building management on staging and lift gain access to. Weekend work windows and limited parking can add days and dollars.
Large openings, like a 16-foot-wide slider, need unique attention in style pressure, deflection, and running hardware. Not every system that looks sturdy in a display room satisfies the wind loads on a ninth-floor terrace. Do not count on catalog optimum sizes. Use the NOA tables that correspond to your site's zone, favorable and negative pressures, and mullion combinations if any.
The best tasks begin with a determined survey and exposure analysis. You map each opening, note the substrate, and determine any framing abnormalities or settlement fractures. During proposal, the professional shows you the NOA and the Florida Item Approval, lists anchor types, and discusses 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 get rid of one opening at a time to keep your house protected. They protect floors, draw back window treatments, and cap sprinklers. Old best window installation options Boca Raton frames bring out care to protect interior surfaces. New systems get dry-fit, shimmed, and anchored per the schedule. The crew checks squareness and diagonals before setting sealant. They picture anchors for the license file, specifically if they will be concealed. After glazing, they water-test with a regulated spray to confirm drainage paths and seals. The inspector sees a cool jobsite, clear labels, and documentation in order.
Six months later, your windows still close with 2 fingers, locks bite efficiently, and there is no mystery rattle throughout thunderstorms. You did not have to call for a roller adjustment after the very first week. That is the standard.
Impact ranking does not equal breakproof. Laminated glass can break under extreme impacts, but it needs to stay in the frame and hold together. After a storm that sends out particles into the glass, you may see star fractures or spidering. The window did its job. Change the sash or IGU after the event.
Window movies do not convert non-impact windows into cyclone impact-resistant windows. They can add shatter resistance, however they do not alternative to an evaluated, anchored system. Your insurance company and building department will not count movies as secured openings.
Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient effect windows lower air leakage. That's terrific, however it increases the value of a properly sized a/c with excellent dehumidification. If your system is oversized, the thermostat satisfies quickly and stops working to pull enough moisture from the air. Ask your HVAC pro to check reasonable heat ratio, air flow, and run time. You want steady, longer cycles, not short bursts.
Maintenance is straightforward however not optional. Tidy weep holes on sliders, wash salt spray from frames, and lubricate hardware annually with a silicone-based item that will not gum up in heat. Small practices extend lifespan.
There are genuine factors to blend services. A set of rarely used garage windows can keep detachable panels to shave spending plan. A deep-set porch with very little sun direct exposure may do great with accordion shutters if you focus on other upgrades like a new roofing system deck attachment or a fortified garage door. Shutters can also safeguard outside kitchens or cabana openings where grease and smoke would age expensive hardware prematurely.
If you choose shutters, invest in quality. Stainless fasteners, smooth tracks, and motors with handbook overrides for roll-downs make a distinction. Assign obligation for deployment and practice as soon as beyond a storm watch. Inventory your hardware. The day you require 32 wing nuts is not the early morning you wish to discover you have 29.
Impact windows are not just about enduring the big one. They improve daily living. The living-room remains cooler and quieter. The AC cycles calmly rather of racing at 4 p.m. You sleep without freight trains of wind 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 concentrate on individuals rather than panels.
For many of my customers, that intangible is the choosing factor. They know storms will come. They also know life in South Florida is too good to live inside a fortress that just awakens in August. Miami-Dade approved windows give you both: a clear view of Biscayne Bay on a breezy February early morning and quiet confidence when the spaghetti models point our method September.
If you are weighing the option, start with a site-specific assessment. Match your exposures to design pressures, select the best laminated glass stack for wind and heat, select frames that fit the architecture and conditions, and employ a team that appreciates the load path. Done right, energy‑efficient effect windows deliver what shutters can not: defense that never ever asks for a ladder and a better home every day of the year.