STS Impact Windows, Doors & Roofing is a veteran-owned company based in South Florida that specializes in premium hurricane protection solutions, including impact windows, doors, custom storefronts, and roofing. Combining over 25 years of industry experience with military precision, STS provides expert installation, full transparency, and outstanding customer service, backed by a leading 3-year installation warranty. Their comprehensive services ensure security and peace of mind for both residential and commercial clients, with a strong focus on quality, reliability, and efficiency.
View on Google MapsSTS Impact Windows and Doors specializes in hurricane protection solutions, offering high-quality impact windows, storm-resistant doors, custom storefronts, and professional roofing services. With expert installation, full transparency, and outstanding customer service, the company ensures homes and businesses stay secure and energy-efficient.
STS Impact Windows and Doors is located at 1000 Holland Dr Suite 10, Boca Raton, FL 33487, United States. The company proudly serves residential and commercial clients across Florida and throughout the United States, delivering reliable storm protection solutions. View their location on Google Maps.
Yes, STS Impact Windows and Doors is a veteran-owned company recognized for its dedication, integrity, and service to the community. This background adds an extra level of trust and reliability for homeowners and businesses seeking storm protection solutions.
STS Impact Windows and Doors provides a wide range of services including the installation of hurricane impact windows, impact doors, custom commercial storefronts, and roofing services. Each project is backed by expert craftsmanship, a 3-year installation warranty, and over 25 years of industry experience.
The company proudly serves both residential homeowners and commercial property owners. From protecting family homes to fortifying businesses with hurricane-rated storefronts, STS Impact Windows and Doors delivers customized solutions that ensure safety, durability, and efficiency.
Clients benefit from the company’s focus on quality, reliability, and efficiency. Their impact-resistant windows and doors not only enhance security and hurricane protection but also improve energy efficiency, reduce noise, and increase property value. With a 3-year installation warranty, customers can trust in long-term performance and peace of mind.
STS Impact Windows and Doors has been recognized with multiple industry honors, including the South Florida Veteran Owned Business Excellence Award, Best Hurricane Protection Provider 2023 Florida, and the Angi’s Super Service Award for Window Installation. These awards highlight their commitment to excellence, customer satisfaction, and industry leadership.
You can reach STS Impact Windows and Doors by phone at 561-600-1018 or visit their website at stswindows.com. They are open Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm and are available on Facebook and Instagram for updates and project showcases.
Business Name: STS Impact Windows & Doors
Address: 1000 Holland Dr #10, Boca Raton, FL 33487, United States
Phone: (561)-600-1018
Hurricane season shapes life along Florida's coasts. You feel it in the method neighbors track tropical waves, the pre-storm rush to stock up, and the ritual of hauling ladders to install panels. After twenty years defining, setting up, and troubleshooting structure envelopes from Key Largo to Palm Beach, I have actually seen what holds up and what doesn't. When the goal is real defense with year-round convenience, Miami-Dade authorized, energy‑efficient effect windows surpass 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 positive you are when a storm line spins up much faster than predicted.
This is a useful look at why numerous South Florida house owners are moving from shutters to hurricane impact-resistant windows, how to read the standards behind "Miami-Dade approved," what products matter, and how to get the setup right the first time.
Miami-Dade County's Product Control Department sets one of the toughest criteria in the nation for building parts exposed to windborne particles. Approval is not a marketing sticker label. It is made through specific laboratory tests that imitate real typhoon conditions.
First comes large rocket impact. A 9-pound 2x4 is shot at the glass at approximately 34 miles per hour. That imitates roof tiles, branches, or pieces of fencing that fly in the eyewall. After the effect, the same system faces cyclic pressure loading, thousands of pressurization and depressurization cycles that imitate rapid wind gusts over hours. If the glass stays in the frame without letting the envelope breach, it passes. The distinction between "fulfills Florida building regulations windows" and "Miami-Dade authorized windows" frequently resides in these test limits. Miami-Dade is simply stiffer, especially in High Velocity Hurricane Zone requirements, that include Miami-Dade and Broward.
Wind ratings vary by opening size and style pressures, represented as PSF worths. On ocean-facing residential or commercial properties or high-rises, I typically define systems ranked at +60/ -80 PSF or higher. Inland or in more safeguarded direct exposures, rankings in the +45/ -60 PSF range can suffice, but you size and spec based on the website's wind map, constructing height, and surrounding structures. A professional understands that a corner direct exposure at the second story demands various support 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 better than 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 desire is a ladder, a dead cordless drill, and a missing wing nut.
Impact windows reside in location. You get constant security, even if a pop-up storm surprises you while you're stuck on United States 1. You also get advantages every day of the year.
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Noise control is the most underappreciated benefit. Laminated effect glass is essentially a sandwich: 2 panes of glass bonded by a resilient interlayer, generally PVB interlayer glass or SentryGlas. That interlayer damps sound. On tasks along busy passages like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight courses, I've determined interior sound drops in the 5 to 10 decibel variety, often more when paired with insulated glass units.
Security improves because laminated glass withstands forced entry. A burglar can shatter the outer lite with a hammer, however the interlayer holds the shards. They meet a sticky, stubborn membrane rather of a quick course inside. Insurance underwriters understand this, which is why policies typically offer credits for impact windows and doors. In my projects, premiums normally drop 10 to 25 percent, depending upon the carrier 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 maintaining noticeable light. That suggests less air conditioning need, particularly 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 effect systems. Summertime afternoon peak load visited approximately a lots of cooling, STS Impact Windows & Doors Boca Raton Window installation and the home's yearly electrical power use fell in between 12 and 18 percent. Outcomes vary with shading, attic insulation, and a/c effectiveness, however the direction is consistent.
Laminated impact glass is the heart of the system, however not all laminated items are Impact windows equal.
Most residential hurricane windows utilize a PVB interlayer glass stack, typically 0.030 to 0.090 inches thick in single or several plies. Thicker interlayers enhance effect resistance and sound control, but they add weight and cost. For oceanfront or high openings, you may see SGP (ionoplast) interlayers, which are stiffer and stronger than PVB, enabling thinner areas to accomplish higher style pressures. For noise-sensitive websites, acoustic PVB formulas tweak the polymer to much better take in sound in the 1,000 to 3,000 Hz range, where traffic and voices sit.
Tempered glass windows turn up frequently in discussions since tempered glass is more powerful in bending than annealed glass. That's true, and tempered lites are commonly utilized as the external or inner ply in an effect system. However tempered alone is not impact-resistant in the hurricane sense. When it stops working, it explodes into small cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening susceptible. The impact efficiency comes from laminated building and construction, not tempering by itself. Lots of systems use a tempered external lite laminated to a hardened inner lite, or both tempered, however constantly bonded through a PVB or ionoplast interlayer.
Low-E coverings matter for comfort. A soft-coat low-E tuned for South Florida typically targets a solar heat gain coefficient in the 0.25 to 0.35 variety while keeping visible light transmission around half or greater. Go too short on SHGC and the glass can look gray or green, especially in bigger openings. The sweet spot depends upon your façade orientation and shading. On east and west elevations, I typically tighten SHGC and accept a minor tint to manage early morning and afternoon blasts. On north elevations, I lean toward greater noticeable transmittance for daylighting.
Frames are the other half of the story. Aluminum frames control here due to the fact that they handle big openings and will not swell. Thermal breaks and enhanced glazing gaskets have actually narrowed the energy space with vinyl. Premium vinyl impact frames, when enhanced correctly, can perform well for standard-sized openings and have better insulating worths, but I avoid them for extremely large sliders or high storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad units look beautiful in older Mediterranean Revival homes, however they require cautious upkeep and clever flashing. The Florida sun destroys cheap vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum surfaces quickly. Try to find powder-coated finishes ranked for coastal exposure, and demand composed warranty details in salt-air environments.
Window setup can make or break efficiency. An expensive system installed like a handyman swap-out will not pass a storm's stress test. The load course is the core. Effect forces need to take a trip from the glass through the frame, to the anchors, into the STS Impact Windows & Doors Window installation Boca Raton substrate, and after that into the structure's framing or masonry.
In concrete block building, you want stainless or hot-dipped galvanized anchors embedded into strong product. Hollow cells need to be grouted or you require to hit the bond beam. Tapcons in soft, unfilled block are a failure waiting to take place. In wood-framed houses, structural screws need to bite into strong trimmers, not simply sheathing. Shimming and plumb positioning matter so the locks engage cleanly and the weatherstripping compresses evenly.
The sealant joint is not just aesthetic. An appropriately sized backer rod and premium polyurethane or silyl-modified polymer sealant create a long lasting, versatile seal that manages thermal growth. Too small a bead and it tears under movement. Too big and it treatments improperly. On seaside tasks, I never ever match dissimilar metals without a barrier, and I constantly specify corrosion-resistant fasteners. Ten 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 integration with the water-resistive barrier are important. If you rely on sealant alone, water will discover its method. That moisture might disappoint up as a drip. It might rot a sill plate gradually, then betray itself as a buckling floor or a moldy smell two hurricane seasons later.
I have nothing versus properly designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are maintained and lubed, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even removable panels kept carefully can safeguard homes efficiently. They likewise assist in particular cases.
Second homes or seasonal leasings where budget plan is tight sometimes lean on shutters to fulfill the Florida building code windows requirement for safeguarded openings. On specialized openings like a lanai that is rarely used in summer, a tidy motorized roll-down can be sensible, particularly if pairing with effect doors and windows elsewhere worries the spending 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 your house when deployed, and they need action at precisely the time you are juggling insurance coverage documents, gas cans, and household 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 invested the next hour in the immediate care waiting room. He endured with stitches. His living-room window did not. Shutters also rattle and can vibrate under continual winds, often loosening fasteners with time if not maintained.
For long-term owners who wish to set it and forget it, effect windows offer hurricane proof windows coverage while preserving daytime and view. The convenience grows important once you have actually experienced one storm season with zero preparation beyond locking the sash.
South Florida homes combat 2 fights: hidden load from humidity and reasonable load from direct solar heat gain. Impact glass upgrades can help both if defined intelligently.
Low-E impact glass utilizes microscopically thin metallic layers to show infrared energy while letting visible light through. With the right coating stacks, you can block a big part of radiant heat and UV. UV blockage in laminated systems comes largely from the interlayer itself, which usually filters 95 to 99 percent of UV, decreasing fading of fabrics and flooring. Include the low-E, and you suppress the solar heat that drives your a/c crazy midafternoon.
I evaluate glass specs with three numbers: U-factor, SHGC, and VT. While U-factor matters more up north, it still helps here by reducing nighttime heat circulation and keeping the interior glass temperature closer to space temperature level, which reduces condensation threat. SHGC drives how much solar heat goes into. VT influences how bright the interior feels. Balance is key. Some house owners desire the crisp, clear look of higher VT, even if it means accepting a few degrees more heat in late afternoon, since their landscaping and roofing overhangs already do some shading. Others prefer a stronger tint for glare control on waterfront lots that show severe light.
In practical 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 finishes, and an effectively sized variable-speed a/c, and you begin to build strength. If the grid goes down and you change to a generator, a lower cooling load indicates a smaller sized generator and less gallons of fuel.
Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance, or NOA, is the document you request. It information the approved setups, sizes, anchors, and pressures evaluated. It is inadequate to hear "these are Miami-Dade authorized windows" in a display room. Verify the NOA matches the specific design and alternatives you are purchasing, including the glazing makeup and hardware. If you remain in Broward or Miami-Dade, your permitting office will desire this paper trail.
Statewide, the Florida Item Approval system offers FL numbers that show code compliance. In the rest of the state outside the High Speed Typhoon Zone, Florida building code windows can rely on Florida Item Approval without Miami-Dade particular NOAs. Many top producers bring both. Where budget plans allow, I choose NOA items even outside the zone since the testing is stiffer.
NFRC labels manage energy metrics. They won't inform you impact performance, however they reveal U-factor, SHGC, VT, and air leak. Go for air leak at or below 0.3 cfm/ft TWO. Tighter is much better for humidity control, however ensure your home still has actually balanced 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 differ with size, shape, finish, and access. On uncomplicated Boca Raton Impact windows single-family homes, per-opening costs frequently land between 1,200 and 3,000 dollars for basic sizes. Big multi-panel sliders, custom-made arches, and coastal-grade surfaces raise the numbers quickly.

Where you recoup value:
If you prepare to own the home for five years or more, the mathematics often tilts in favor of effect windows, particularly when you factor the intangible of assurance. If you plan to sell within a year and require to reveal compliance quickly, shutters might make more short-term sense. Context matters.
I focus on hardware and devices. Multi-point locks on casements and awnings enhance seal compression and security. For sliders, robust tandem rollers in stainless housings glide smoother and last longer on sandy patios. Take a look at the sill style on sliding doors. Weep systems should be engineered to drain pipes 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 contravene of neighborhood associations or produce mirror-like glare towards surrounding homes. In coastal communities, extremely reflective glass can confuse birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Regional pros understand which finishings balance performance 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 coatings offer the very best color retention and chalk resistance. I specify them for coastal direct exposures whenever budget plans allow.
Historic districts typically 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 specialist knowledgeable about these submissions.
Condos have another layer of governance. Associations sometimes specify a narrow list of authorized items for uniformity. They also appreciate noise control between systems. If your structure sits directly on Collins Avenue or deals with a busy beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated alternatives. Work 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, need special attention in design pressure, deflection, and operating hardware. Not every unit that looks sturdy in a showroom satisfies the wind loads on a ninth-floor terrace. Do not depend on brochure optimum sizes. Use the NOA tables that correspond to your website's zone, favorable and unfavorable pressures, and mullion mixes if any.
The finest tasks start with a measured study and direct exposure analysis. You map each opening, note the substrate, and recognize any framing irregularities or settlement cracks. During proposal, the specialist shows you the NOA and the Florida Item Approval, lists anchor types, and describes how each opening will be flashed and sealed. They plan for stucco or drywall repair work, not pretend no damage will occur.
On install day, they eliminate 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 finishes. New units get dry-fit, shimmed, and anchored per the schedule. The team checks squareness and diagonals before setting sealant. They photo anchors for the authorization file, particularly if they will be concealed. After glazing, they water-test with a regulated spray to confirm drainage courses 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 efficiently, and there is no secret rattle during thunderstorms. You did not need to require a roller modification after the very first week. That is the standard.
Impact rating does not equal breakproof. Laminated glass can crack under severe impacts, however it ought to remain in the frame and hold together. After a storm that sends debris into the glass, you may see star cracks or spidering. The window did its job. Replace the sash or IGU after the event.
Window movies do not transform non-impact windows into typhoon impact-resistant windows. They can include shatter resistance, but they do not alternative to a tested, anchored system. Your insurance company and structure department will not count movies as safeguarded openings.
Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient impact windows decrease air leak. That's terrific, but it increases the importance of a correctly sized HVAC with excellent dehumidification. If your system is extra-large, the thermostat satisfies rapidly and stops working to pull enough moisture from the air. Ask your heating and cooling pro to examine sensible heat ratio, air flow, and run time. You want stable, longer cycles, not brief bursts.
Maintenance is simple however not optional. Tidy weep holes on sliders, wash salt spray from frames, and lube hardware each year with a silicone-based item that will not gum up in heat. Little routines extend lifespan.
There are genuine reasons to mix services. A set of seldom used garage windows can keep detachable panels to shave spending plan. A deep-set patio with minimal sun exposure might do fine with accordion shutters if you prioritize other upgrades like a brand-new roof deck accessory or a prepared garage door. Shutters can likewise protect outside kitchens or cabana openings where grease and smoke would age fancy hardware prematurely.
If you select shutters, buy quality. Stainless fasteners, smooth tracks, and motors with manual bypasses for roll-downs make a distinction. Appoint obligation for release and practice as soon as beyond a storm watch. Inventory your hardware. The day you need 32 wing nuts is not the early morning you wish to find you have 29.
Impact windows are not just about making it through the huge one. They reshape daily living. The living room stays cooler and quieter. The air conditioner 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 typhoon threatens, your preparation list gets shorter. You lock the sashes, set storm mode on the alarm, and concentrate on people rather than panels.
For many of my customers, that intangible is the choosing factor. They understand storms will come. They also know life in South Florida is too great to live inside a fortress that only awakens in August. Miami-Dade authorized windows provide you both: a clear view of Biscayne Bay on a breezy February early morning and quiet self-confidence when the spaghetti designs point our way in September.
If you are weighing the option, start with a site-specific evaluation. Match your direct exposures to develop pressures, choose the best laminated glass stack for wind and heat, choose frames that fit the architecture and conditions, and employ a team that appreciates the load path. Done right, energy‑efficient impact windows provide what shutters can not: protection that never ever requests a ladder and a much better home every day of the year.