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 stock up, and the ritual of transporting ladders to mount panels. After twenty years specifying, installing, and troubleshooting building envelopes from Secret Largo to Palm Beach, I've seen what holds up and what doesn't. When the objective is real security with year-round comfort, Miami-Dade approved, energy‑efficient effect windows exceed 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 confident you are when a storm line spins up much faster than predicted.
This is a practical take a look at why many South Florida property owners are moving from shutters to cyclone impact-resistant windows, how to read the standards behind "Miami-Dade authorized," what materials matter, and how to get the installation right the first time.
Miami-Dade County's Product Control Department sets one of the most difficult criteria in the country for building components exposed to windborne debris. Approval is not a marketing sticker label. It is made through specific laboratory tests that imitate real hurricane conditions.
First comes large missile effect. A 9-pound 2x4 is contended the glass at roughly 34 miles per hour. That simulates roofing tiles, branches, or pieces of fencing that fly in the eyewall. After the effect, the exact same unit 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 "fulfills Florida building code windows" and "Miami-Dade authorized windows" typically resides in these test thresholds. Miami-Dade is merely stiffer, especially in High Velocity Typhoon Zone requirements, that include Miami-Dade and Broward.
Wind rankings differ by opening size and style pressures, signified as PSF values. On ocean-facing residential or commercial properties or high-rises, I frequently specify systems rated at +60/ -80 PSF or greater. Inland or in more protected exposures, ratings in the +45/ -60 PSF variety can be sufficient, but you size and spec based on the website's wind map, developing height, and surrounding structures. A professional knows that a corner direct exposure at the second story demands various support than a protected window under a deep porch.
Hurricane shutters vs effect windows is not a one-to-one comparison. Shutters can meet code, and they're much better than absolutely nothing. However they ask you to do operate at the worst possible time. When a watch turns to a caution 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 location. You get constant 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: two panes of glass bonded by a durable interlayer, typically PVB interlayer glass or SentryGlas. That interlayer damps sound. On jobs along busy passages like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight paths, I've measured interior noise drops in the 5 to 10 decibel range, sometimes more when coupled with insulated glass units.
Security improves due to the fact that laminated glass withstands required entry. A robber can shatter the external lite with a hammer, but the interlayer holds the fragments. They meet a sticky, persistent membrane instead of a quick course inside. Insurance coverage underwriters know this, which is why policies typically offer credits for impact doors and windows. In my jobs, premiums generally drop 10 to 25 percent, depending on the provider and how many openings are protected.
Energy efficiency is the 3rd pillar. Energy-efficient effect windows with modern low-E effect glass and warm-edge spacers can cut solar heat affordable window installation gain while maintaining noticeable light. That implies less cooling need, specifically 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 effect units. Summer season afternoon peak load visited roughly a ton of cooling, and the home's yearly electrical power usage fell in between 12 and 18 percent. Outcomes differ with shading, attic insulation, and heating and cooling performance, however the direction is consistent.
Laminated effect glass is the heart of the system, but not all laminated items are equal.
Most residential cyclone windows utilize a PVB interlayer glass stack, frequently 0.030 to 0.090 inches thick in single or multiple plies. Thicker interlayers enhance effect resistance and sound control, but they add weight and expense. For oceanfront or high openings, you might see SGP (ionoplast) interlayers, which are stiffer and stronger than PVB, permitting thinner areas to accomplish greater style pressures. For noise-sensitive websites, acoustic PVB solutions modify the polymer to much better soak up noise in the 1,000 to 3,000 Hz variety, where traffic and voices sit.
Tempered glass windows show up frequently in discussions because tempered glass is more powerful in flexing than annealed glass. That's true, and tempered lites are typically used as the external or inner ply in an effect unit. But tempered alone is not impact-resistant in the cyclone sense. When it stops working, it blows up into little cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening susceptible. The impact efficiency comes from laminated construction, not tempering by itself. Many systems use a tempered external lite laminated to a hardened inner lite, or both tempered, but always bonded through a PVB or ionoplast interlayer.
Low-E coatings 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 noticeable light transmission around 50 percent or greater. Go too short on SHGC and the glass can look gray or green, particularly in larger openings. The sweet area depends upon your exterior orientation and shading. On east and west elevations, I frequently tighten up SHGC and accept a slight tint to handle early morning and afternoon blasts. On north elevations, I lean toward higher noticeable 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 actually narrowed the energy gap with vinyl. Premium vinyl impact frames, when enhanced properly, can carry out well for standard-sized openings and have much better insulating worths, however I prevent them for extremely large sliders or high storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad systems look stunning in older Mediterranean Revival homes, however they require cautious upkeep and clever flashing. The Florida sun damages low-cost vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum surfaces quickly. Look for powder-coated surfaces ranked for coastal exposure, and demand written warranty details in salt-air environments.
Window setup can make or break efficiency. A costly unit set up like a handyman swap-out will not pass a storm's tension test. The load path is the essence. Effect forces need to take a trip from the glass through the frame, to the anchors, into the substrate, and after that into the structure's framing or masonry.
In concrete block building and construction, you want stainless or hot-dipped galvanized anchors embedded into solid product. Hollow cells need to 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 homes, structural screws must bite into solid trimmers, not just sheathing. Shimming and plumb positioning matter so the locks engage cleanly and the weatherstripping compresses evenly.
The sealant joint is not simply aesthetic. An appropriately sized backer rod and high-quality polyurethane or silyl-modified polymer sealant develop a durable, flexible seal that deals with thermal expansion. Too little a bead and it tears under movement. Too huge and it cures badly. On seaside tasks, I never ever pair different metals without a barrier, and I constantly 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 integration with the water-resistive barrier are vital. If you rely 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 floor or a moldy smell 2 cyclone seasons later.
I have nothing versus properly designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are kept and oiled, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even removable panels stored carefully can safeguard homes successfully. They also assist in certain cases.
Second homes or seasonal leasings where spending plan is tight sometimes lean on shutters to fulfill the Florida building regulations windows requirement for safeguarded openings. On specialized openings like a lanai that is seldom utilized in summer season, a tidy motorized roll-down can be reasonable, especially if coupling with impact doors and windows elsewhere stresses 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 your home when deployed, and they require action at exactly the time you are handling insurance coverage documents, gas cans, and family logistics. During Cyclone Irma, I enjoyed a next-door neighbor try to mount 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 survived with stitches. His living-room window did not. Shutters likewise rattle and can vibrate under continual winds, sometimes loosening fasteners gradually if not maintained.
For long-term owners who want to set it and forget it, impact windows provide hurricane proof windows coverage while maintaining daytime and view. The convenience grows valuable once you have actually experienced one storm season with zero preparation beyond locking the sash.
South Florida homes fight two battles: latent load from humidity and practical load from direct solar heat gain. Impact glass upgrades can assist both if specified intelligently.
Low-E effect glass utilizes microscopically thin metal layers to reflect infrared energy while letting visible light through. With the best finish stacks, you can block a big portion of radiant heat and UV. UV obstruction in laminated systems comes mostly from the interlayer itself, which normally filters 95 to 99 percent of UV, lowering fading of fabrics and flooring. Add the low-E, and you curb the solar heat that drives your air conditioning crazy midafternoon.
I examine glass specifications with 3 numbers: U-factor, SHGC, and VT. While U-factor matters more up north, it still assists here by decreasing nighttime heat circulation and keeping the interior glass temperature level closer to room temperature, which minimizes condensation danger. SHGC drives how much solar heat goes into. VT influences how brilliant the interior feels. Balance is crucial. Some house owners want the crisp, clear appearance of higher VT, even if it suggests accepting a couple of degrees more heat in late afternoon, since their landscaping and roof 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 modern low-E laminated double-glazed units can reduce peak solar gains by 30 to 50 percent on the most exposed sides. Couple that with tuned overhangs, light-colored outside finishes, and an effectively sized variable-speed HVAC, and you begin to construct strength. If the grid decreases and you switch to a generator, a lower cooling load indicates a smaller generator and fewer gallons of fuel.
Miami-Dade Notice of Approval, or NOA, is the file you ask for. It details the authorized configurations, sizes, anchors, and pressures evaluated. It is insufficient to hear "these are Miami-Dade approved windows" in a display room. Confirm the NOA matches the exact design and alternatives you are buying, including the glazing makeup and hardware. If you remain in Broward or Miami-Dade, your allowing office will desire this paper trail.
Statewide, the Florida Item Approval system provides FL numbers that show code compliance. In the rest of the state outside the High Velocity Typhoon Zone, Florida building code windows can depend on Florida Item Approval without Miami-Dade particular NOAs. Many leading producers bring both. Where spending plans permit, I prefer NOA products even outside the zone since the testing is stiffer.
NFRC labels handle energy metrics. They won't inform you impact efficiency, but they show U-factor, SHGC, VT, and air leakage. Aim for air leak at or below 0.3 cfm/ft ². Tighter is better for humidity control, but make certain your home still has balanced ventilation. Sealing the envelope and disregarding fresh air is a dish for indoor air quality complaints.
Impact windows cost more upfront than shutters. There's no spin around that. Installed costs vary with size, shape, finish, and access. On uncomplicated single-family homes, per-opening expenses typically land between 1,200 and 3,000 dollars for standard sizes. Big multi-panel sliders, custom arches, and coastal-grade surfaces raise the numbers quickly.
Where you recoup value:
If you plan to own the home for 5 years or more, the mathematics typically tilts in favor of impact windows, especially when you factor the intangible of assurance. If you plan to sell within a year and require to show compliance quickly, shutters may 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 outdoor patios. Take a look at the sill style on moving doors. Weep systems ought to be crafted 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 toward neighboring residential or commercial properties. In coastal ecosystems, extremely reflective glass can confuse birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Local pros know which finishes balance performance with compliance.
Color stability is a huge deal. Dark bronze or black frames look wonderful on modern-day homes, however in Florida sun cheap finishes chalk and fade. AAMA 2605-rated finishes provide the best color retention and chalk resistance. I define them for coastal direct exposures whenever budgets allow.
Historic districts often require profiles that simulate old wood sash sightlines. There are impact-rated windows that fit these requirements, but lead times extend and costs climb. Expect extra 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 approved items for harmony. They likewise appreciate noise control between systems. If your building sits straight on Collins Avenue or faces a busy beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated options. Work with building management on staging and lift gain access to. Weekend work windows and restricted 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 veranda. Do not depend on catalog maximum sizes. Use the NOA tables that correspond to your website's zone, favorable and unfavorable pressures, and mullion combinations if any.
The best projects start with a measured study and direct exposure analysis. You map each opening, keep in mind the substrate, and determine any framing abnormalities or settlement fractures. Throughout proposition, the contractor shows you the NOA and the Florida Item Approval, notes 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 install day, they remove one opening at a time to keep your house secure. They safeguard floorings, draw 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 photograph anchors for the authorization file, especially if they will be concealed. After glazing, they water-test with a controlled spray to validate drainage paths and seals. The inspector sees a cool jobsite, clear labels, and documents in order.
Six months later on, your windows still close with 2 fingers, locks bite smoothly, and there is no secret rattle during thunderstorms. You did not have to require a roller adjustment after the very first week. That is the standard.
Impact score does not equal breakproof. Laminated glass can split under severe effects, however it must stay 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 convert non-impact windows into typhoon impact-resistant windows. They can include shatter resistance, but they do not replacement for an evaluated, anchored system. Your insurance company and structure department will not count films as secured openings.
Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient effect windows decrease air leak. That's terrific, but it increases the significance of an effectively sized heating and cooling with great dehumidification. If your system is large, the thermostat pleases rapidly and fails to pull enough moisture from the air. Ask your HVAC pro to check reasonable heat ratio, airflow, and run time. You desire steady, longer cycles, not brief bursts.
Maintenance is straightforward but not optional. Clean weep holes on sliders, wash salt spray from frames, and lubricate hardware annually with a silicone-based product that will not gum up in heat. Small practices extend lifespan.
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There are legitimate factors to mix solutions. A set of hardly ever used garage windows can keep removable panels to shave budget. A deep-set deck with minimal sun direct exposure might do fine with accordion shutters if you prioritize other upgrades like a brand-new roof deck attachment or a prepared garage door. Shutters can also protect outside cooking areas or cabana openings where grease and smoke would age fancy hardware prematurely.
If you choose shutters, purchase quality. Stainless fasteners, smooth tracks, and motors with handbook bypasses for roll-downs make a difference. Appoint duty 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 want to find you have 29.
Impact windows are not just about enduring the huge one. They improve daily living. The living-room remains cooler and quieter. The air conditioning 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 cyclone threatens, your preparation list gets shorter. You lock the sashes, set storm mode on the alarm, and concentrate on people instead of panels.
For a lot of my customers, that intangible is the deciding factor. They understand storms will come. They also understand life in South Florida is too great 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 morning and peaceful confidence when the spaghetti designs point our method September.
If you are weighing the choice, start with a site-specific evaluation. Match your direct exposures to develop pressures, select the right laminated glass stack for wind and heat, choose frames that fit the architecture and conditions, and employ a team that appreciates the load course. Done right, energy‑efficient impact windows provide what shutters can not: defense that never requests a ladder and a better home every day of the year.