When it comes to preparing for hurricane season, one of the most important things you can do is keep water, wind, and debris out of your home.
Related: Download Our Hurricane Guide
When windows or doors break, it often results in the home’s elements, separating from one another with catastrophic results. In the past, homeowners only had the option of boarding up their windows with plywood. Today, hurricane resistant impact windows and doors are a solution with proven reliability. There’s no better way to protect your home and have peace of mind during hurricane season than with impact windows and doors.
Take a Long-Term View
There is a trend of hurricanes growing stronger and retaining their strength further inland year-over-year. To learn more about this, explore our “How to Choose Impact Windows” whitepaper that discusses how the risk area has grown, and why it may continue to increase. Additionally, hurricane impact doors and windows are a long-term investment that can last years with proper maintenance. These are both critical factors that put expenses and material choices in perspective. Investing in the best impact windows and doors will ensure you are ready for anything this hurricane season may and future storms. In most cases, installing hurricane impact windows will lower property insurance costs, offering another long-term financial benefit.
Related: How Impact Windows Work Overtime
Identify Your Hurricane Risk
One in every 45 tropical storms will transform into a Category 5 hurricane and retain that devastating strength upon reaching the shore. After Hurricane Andrew, in 1992, the state of Florida created new requirements to protect its citizens. Building officials in Miami-Dade, Florida, developed construction code requirements, which are still among the most stringent in the country, to help save homes and lives during future storms. Throughout Florida, the risk is different depending on the location of your home. With a little research and partnering with an authorized impact window and door dealer, you can quickly determine your risk, what is required by law, and the ideal hurricane doors and windows for your home.
Related: CGI Products and Severe weather events
Wood, Vinyl, or Aluminum Windows and Doors?
An intense hurricane can tear windows and doors from a home if the frames are not adequately reinforced. Wood, vinyl, and aluminum are common choices for either window or door frames. Wood is affordable and an excellent insulator, but it does require maintenance (especially in coastal areas) and is the most prone to weakening with age. Vinyl is durable and typically less expensive than other materials, but the thicker frame appearance may not match your aesthetic. Aluminum is the most reliable choice but can require preventative maintenance to deter rust and corrosion.
Impact Window Glass Options
Once you start researching, you may be asking yourself, “How do I decipher the kinds of hurricane window glass options?”
• Laminated Glass:
Laminated glass is two sheets of glass bonded together with a robust and transparent interlayer. A silicone glazing process helps keep laminated glass from breaking away from the frame. Once sealed, the glass “sandwich” behaves as a single unit and is transparent like ordinary glass.
• Laminated Insulating Glass:
Laminated insulating glass is composed of three panes of glass: two panes of glass bonded together with a strong, clear interlayer for impact resistance and one pane for added insulation. The additional pane of glass is added to a laminated unit with hermetically sealed air space in between. It is commonly used in colder climates where the temperature difference is greater than 50 degrees between inside and outside during the winter.
An authorized window and door dealer can help you determine which glass type is ideal for your home.
Understanding Window Styles: A Guide To Window Style Selection
Protect Your Home with Impact Doors and Windows
Proper preparation for hurricane season is essential. Once you understand your hurricane risk and how it may change in the future, you will be ready to choose hurricane windows and doors. If you’d like to learn more about preparing your home, download our “CGI 2020 Hurricane Guide.”
