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 troubleshooting building envelopes from Secret Largo to Palm Beach, I've seen what holds up and what doesn't. When the goal is genuine defense with year-round convenience, Miami-Dade approved, energy‑efficient effect windows outshine shutters in manner ins which go beyond storm day. They change 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 useful take a look at why many South Florida homeowners are moving from shutters to hurricane impact-resistant windows, how to read the requirements behind "Miami-Dade approved," what materials matter, and how to get the installation right the very first time.
Miami-Dade County's Item Control Department sets among the toughest benchmarks in the country for developing parts exposed to windborne debris. Approval is not a marketing sticker. It is earned through specific lab tests that imitate real cyclone conditions.
First comes big missile impact. A 9-pound 2x4 is contended the glass at approximately 34 miles per hour. That simulates roofing tiles, branches, or pieces of fencing that fly in the eyewall. After the effect, the exact 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 difference in between "satisfies Florida building code windows" and "Miami-Dade authorized windows" frequently resides in these test thresholds. Miami-Dade is just stiffer, particularly in High Speed Typhoon Zone requirements, which include Miami-Dade and Broward.
Wind scores differ by opening size and style pressures, signified as PSF worths. On ocean-facing residential or commercial properties or high-rises, I frequently define units ranked at +60/ -80 PSF or greater. Inland or in more safeguarded exposures, ratings in the +45/ -60 PSF range can suffice, however you size and specification based on the website's wind map, building height, and surrounding structures. An expert knows that a corner direct exposure at the 2nd story needs various reinforcement than a sheltered window under a deep porch.
Hurricane shutters vs impact windows is not a one-to-one comparison. 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 warning and the projection track tightens, the last thing you desire is a ladder, a dead cordless drill, and a missing wing nut.
Impact windows live in place. You get constant security, even if a pop-up storm surprises you while you're stuck on US 1. You also get benefits 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 resistant interlayer, normally PVB interlayer glass or SentryGlas. That interlayer damps noise. On jobs along hectic passages like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight paths, I've determined interior noise drops in the 5 to 10 decibel range, in some cases more when paired with insulated glass units.
Security enhances because laminated glass withstands forced entry. A robber can shatter the outer lite with a hammer, but the interlayer holds the fragments. They meet a sticky, stubborn membrane rather of a quick course inside. Insurance coverage underwriters know this, which is why policies often offer credits for impact doors and windows. In my tasks, premiums generally drop 10 to 25 percent, depending on the carrier and the number of openings are protected.
Energy performance is the third pillar. Energy-efficient impact windows with modern-day low-E effect glass and warm-edge spacers can cut solar heat gain while preserving noticeable light. That means less air conditioning demand, especially on west and south direct 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 stopped by roughly a lots of cooling, and the home's yearly electrical power usage fell between 12 and 18 percent. Outcomes vary with shading, attic insulation, and HVAC efficiency, but the instructions is consistent.
Laminated effect glass is the heart of the system, however not all laminated products are equal.
Most property typhoon windows use a PVB interlayer glass stack, frequently 0.030 to 0.090 inches thick in single or numerous plies. Thicker interlayers enhance effect resistance and sound control, however they add weight and expense. For oceanfront or high openings, you may see SGP (ionoplast) interlayers, which are stiffer and more powerful than PVB, allowing thinner sections to attain greater design pressures. For noise-sensitive sites, acoustic PVB formulations fine-tune the polymer to much better take in sound in the 1,000 to 3,000 Hz variety, where traffic and voices sit.
Tempered glass windows turn up often in discussions since tempered glass is more powerful in flexing than annealed glass. That holds true, and tempered lites are frequently used as the outer or inner ply in an impact unit. However tempered alone is not impact-resistant in the hurricane sense. When it fails, it explodes into small cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening susceptible. The impact efficiency originates from laminated building and construction, not tempering by itself. Many systems utilize a tempered external lite laminated to an annealed inner lite, or both tempered, however constantly bonded through a PVB or ionoplast interlayer.
Low-E coatings 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 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 façade orientation and shading. On east and west elevations, I typically tighten up SHGC and accept a small tint to manage morning and afternoon blasts. On north elevations, I favor greater visible transmittance for daylighting.
Frames are the other half of the story. Aluminum frames dominate here because they deal with big openings and will not swell. Thermal breaks and enhanced glazing gaskets have narrowed the energy space with vinyl. Top quality vinyl impact frames, when reinforced appropriately, can perform well for standard-sized openings and have much better insulating worths, however I avoid them for very broad sliders or tall storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad systems look lovely in older Mediterranean Revival homes, however they require careful maintenance and smart flashing. The Florida sun destroys inexpensive vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum finishes rapidly. Search for powder-coated surfaces ranked for seaside direct exposure, and demand written warranty information in salt-air environments.
Window setup can make or break performance. A pricey system set up like a handyman swap-out will not pass a storm's tension test. The load course is the essence. Impact forces need to travel from the glass through the frame, to the anchors, into the substrate, and after that into the structure's framing or masonry.
In cinder block building, you want stainless or hot-dipped galvanized anchors embedded into strong material. Hollow cells must be grouted or you require to strike the bond beam. Tapcons in soft, unfilled block are a failure waiting to happen. In wood-framed houses, structural screws must 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 visual. An effectively sized backer rod and high-quality polyurethane or silyl-modified polymer sealant produce a durable, versatile seal that manages thermal expansion. Too little a bead and it tears under movement. Too big and it treatments inadequately. On coastal jobs, I never ever pair different metals without a barrier, and I always define 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 rely on sealant alone, water will discover its way in. That moisture might not show up as a drip. It might rot a sill plate slowly, then betray itself as a buckling floor or a moldy odor two typhoon seasons later.
I have absolutely nothing versus properly designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are preserved and oiled, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even detachable panels kept carefully can secure homes efficiently. They also assist in specific cases.
Second homes or seasonal rentals where budget is tight in some cases 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, particularly if pairing with effect doors and windows somewhere else stresses the budget plan. For property owners 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 deployed, and they need action at exactly the time you are juggling insurance papers, gas cans, and household logistics. Throughout Typhoon Irma, I saw 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 immediate care waiting room. He endured with stitches. His living room window did not. Shutters likewise rattle and can vibrate window egress requirements under sustained winds, in some cases loosening fasteners gradually if not maintained.
For long-lasting owners who wish to set it and forget it, impact windows give typhoon proof windows coverage while maintaining daytime and view. The benefit grows valuable once you've experienced one storm season with zero preparation beyond locking the sash.
South Florida homes battle two battles: latent load from humidity and practical load from direct solar heat gain. Effect glass upgrades can assist both if specified intelligently.
Low-E impact glass utilizes microscopically thin metallic layers to show infrared energy while letting noticeable light through. With the right finish stacks, you can block a large portion of convected heat and UV. UV obstruction in laminated units new construction windows comes mainly from the interlayer itself, which usually filters 95 to 99 percent of UV, decreasing fading of fabrics and flooring. Add the low-E, and you curb the solar heat that drives your air conditioner crazy midafternoon.
I evaluate glass specs with 3 numbers: U-factor, SHGC, and VT. While U-factor matters more up north, it still helps here by minimizing nighttime heat circulation and keeping the interior glass temperature level closer to space temperature, which reduces condensation threat. SHGC drives how much solar heat enters. VT affects how intense the interior feels. Balance is essential. Some homeowners want the crisp, clear appearance of greater VT, even if it suggests accepting a few degrees more heat in late afternoon, because their landscaping and roof overhangs already do some shading. Others choose a stronger tint for glare control on waterside lots that reflect harsh light.
In practical terms, going from clear single-pane sliders to modern-day low-E laminated double-glazed units can minimize peak solar gains by 30 to half on the most exposed sides. Couple that with tuned overhangs, light-colored exterior surfaces, and a properly sized variable-speed HVAC, and you start to develop resilience. If the grid decreases and you change to a generator, a lower cooling load implies a smaller sized generator and less gallons of fuel.

Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance, or NOA, is the file you ask for. It details the authorized configurations, sizes, anchors, and pressures evaluated. It is not enough to hear "these are Miami-Dade approved windows" in a display room. Validate the NOA matches the specific design and alternatives you are purchasing, including the glazing makeup and hardware. If you are in Broward or Miami-Dade, your permitting 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 Hurricane Zone, Florida building code windows can count on Florida Product Approval without Miami-Dade specific NOAs. Many top producers carry both. Where budgets permit, I choose NOA products even outside the zone since the testing is stiffer.
NFRC labels handle energy metrics. They will not tell you impact efficiency, however they reveal U-factor, SHGC, VT, and air leakage. Aim for air leakage at or listed below 0.3 cfm/ft TWO. Tighter is much better for humidity control, however ensure your home still has actually stabilized ventilation. Sealing the envelope and overlooking fresh air is a recipe for indoor air quality complaints.
Impact windows cost more upfront than shutters. There's no spin around that. Installed expenses differ with size, shape, finish, and gain access to. On straightforward single-family homes, per-opening costs often land between 1,200 and 3,000 dollars for standard sizes. Big multi-panel sliders, customized arches, and coastal-grade finishes raise the numbers quickly.
Where you recover worth:
If you prepare to own the property for five years or more, the mathematics often tilts in favor of impact windows, especially when you factor the intangible of peace of mind. If you prepare to offer within a year and need to show compliance rapidly, shutters might make more short-term sense. Context matters.
I focus on hardware and accessories. Multi-point locks on casements and awnings improve 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 moving doors. Weep systems must be engineered to drain heavy rains 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 contravene of neighborhood watch or produce mirror-like glare toward surrounding residential or commercial properties. In coastal ecosystems, highly reflective glass can confuse birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Regional pros understand which coatings balance efficiency with compliance.
Color stability is a huge deal. Dark bronze or black frames look great on modern homes, but in Florida sun inexpensive surfaces chalk and fade. AAMA 2605-rated coatings supply the best color retention and chalk resistance. I specify them for seaside exposures whenever spending plans allow.
Historic districts typically need profiles that mimic 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 specialist familiar with these submissions.
Condos have another layer of governance. Associations in some cases specify a narrow list of approved products for harmony. They likewise care about noise control in between systems. If your building sits directly on Collins Avenue or faces a hectic beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated choices. Deal with structure management on staging and lift access. Weekend work windows and minimal parking can add days and dollars.
Large openings, like a 16-foot-wide slider, need special attention in style pressure, deflection, and operating hardware. Not every system that looks sturdy in a showroom fulfills the wind loads on a ninth-floor veranda. Do not count on catalog maximum sizes. Utilize the NOA tables that correspond to your site's zone, favorable and unfavorable pressures, and mullion combinations if any.
The finest projects begin with a measured study and direct exposure analysis. You map each opening, keep in mind the substrate, and recognize any framing abnormalities or settlement cracks. Throughout proposition, the specialist shows you the NOA and the Florida Item 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 get rid of one opening at a time to keep the house protected. They safeguard floors, draw back window treatments, and cap sprinklers. Old frames bring out 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, specifically if they will be concealed. After glazing, they water-test with a controlled spray to confirm drainage courses and seals. The inspector sees a cool jobsite, clear labels, and documents in order.
Six months later, your windows still close with 2 fingers, locks bite smoothly, and there is no mystery rattle throughout thunderstorms. You did not have to require a roller adjustment after the first week. That is the standard.
Impact ranking does not equal breakproof. Laminated glass can crack under extreme impacts, but it must stay in the frame and hold together. After a storm that sends particles into the glass, you might see star fractures or spidering. The window did its job. Replace the sash or IGU after the event.
Window movies do not convert non-impact windows into hurricane impact-resistant windows. They can add shatter resistance, however they do not substitute for a tested, anchored system. Your insurer and structure department will not count films as secured openings.
Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient effect windows lower air leakage. That's excellent, but it increases the significance of a properly sized heating and cooling with good dehumidification. If your system is large, the thermostat pleases rapidly and stops working to pull enough moisture from the air. Ask your a/c pro to inspect reasonable heat ratio, airflow, and run time. You want steady, longer cycles, not short bursts.
Maintenance is simple but not optional. Buy hurricane windows near me Tidy weep holes on sliders, wash salt spray from frames, and lube hardware yearly with a silicone-based product that will not gum up in heat. Little habits extend lifespan.

There are genuine factors to mix services. A High velocity hurricane zone windows pair of hardly ever utilized garage windows can keep detachable panels to shave budget. A deep-set deck with very little sun exposure may do great with accordion shutters if you focus on other upgrades like a brand-new roof deck accessory or a prepared garage door. Shutters can also secure outside cooking areas or cabana openings where grease and smoke would age fancy hardware prematurely.

If you pick shutters, purchase quality. Stainless fasteners, smooth tracks, and motors with handbook bypasses for roll-downs make a distinction. Appoint obligation for implementation and practice as soon as beyond a storm watch. Inventory your hardware. The day you require 32 wing nuts is not the morning you wish to discover you have 29.
Impact windows are not only about enduring the big 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 hurricane threatens, your preparation list gets much shorter. You lock the sashes, set storm mode on the alarm, and focus on people rather than panels.
For much of my customers, that intangible is the deciding element. They understand storms will come. They likewise understand life in South Florida is too excellent to live inside a fortress that only wakes up 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 method September.
If you are weighing the option, begin with a site-specific evaluation. Match your exposures to create pressures, select the right laminated glass stack for wind and heat, choose frames that fit the architecture and conditions, and employ a crew that respects the load path. Done right, energy‑efficient impact windows deliver what shutters can not: protection that never asks for a ladder and a much better home every day of the year.