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 routine of transporting ladders to install panels. After twenty years specifying, installing, and fixing building envelopes from Key Largo to Palm Beach, I've seen what holds up and what does not. When the goal is genuine defense with year-round comfort, Miami-Dade approved, energy‑efficient effect windows outshine shutters in ways that go beyond storm day. They change how a house feels in August, how peaceful your living room remains on a Saturday night, and how positive you are when a storm line spins up quicker than predicted.
This is a practical take a look at why many South Florida homeowners are moving from shutters to cyclone impact-resistant windows, how to check out the requirements behind "Miami-Dade authorized," what materials matter, and how to get the setup right the first time.
Miami-Dade County's Product Control Division sets among the toughest standards in the country for building parts exposed to windborne particles. Approval is not a marketing sticker label. It is made through specific laboratory tests that simulate real hurricane conditions.
First comes big missile effect. A 9-pound 2x4 is shot at the glass at roughly 34 miles per hour. That mimics 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 imitate fast wind gusts over hours. If the glass remains in the frame without letting the envelope breach, it passes. The difference between "meets Florida building code windows" and "Miami-Dade authorized windows" typically resides in these test limits. Miami-Dade is merely stiffer, especially in High Velocity Cyclone Zone requirements, which include Miami-Dade and Broward.
Wind ratings differ by opening size and style pressures, represented as PSF worths. On ocean-facing properties or high-rises, I typically define units ranked at +60/ -80 PSF or higher. Inland or in more safeguarded direct exposures, scores in the +45/ -60 PSF variety can be adequate, but you size and specification based upon the site's wind map, building height, and surrounding structures. A professional knows that a corner direct exposure at the 2nd story demands various reinforcement 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 better than nothing. But they ask you to do work at the worst possible time. When a watch turns to a warning 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 reside in location. You get continuous defense, 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.

Noise control is the most underappreciated advantage. Laminated effect glass is basically a sandwich: two panes of glass bonded by a durable interlayer, normally PVB interlayer glass or SentryGlas. That interlayer damps sound. On jobs along hectic passages like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight courses, I have actually measured interior noise drops in the 5 to 10 decibel variety, often more when paired with insulated glass units.
Security improves because laminated glass resists forced entry. An intruder can shatter the external lite with a hammer, however the interlayer holds the fragments. They fulfill a sticky, stubborn membrane instead of a fast path inside. Insurance underwriters know this, which is why policies often offer credits for effect windows and doors. In my tasks, premiums normally drop 10 to 25 percent, depending on the carrier and the number of openings are protected.
Energy efficiency is the third pillar. Energy-efficient effect windows with modern-day low-E effect glass and warm-edge spacers can cut solar heat gain while protecting visible light. That implies less cooling need, 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 impact systems. Summer season afternoon peak load stopped by approximately a ton of cooling, and the home's yearly electrical power use fell in between 12 and 18 percent. Results vary with shading, attic insulation, and HVAC performance, however the instructions is consistent.

Laminated impact glass is the heart of the system, however not all laminated items are equal.
Most property cyclone windows utilize a PVB interlayer glass stack, frequently 0.030 to 0.090 inches thick in single or numerous plies. Thicker interlayers enhance impact 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 more powerful than PVB, enabling thinner sections to attain higher style pressures. For noise-sensitive websites, acoustic PVB solutions modify the polymer to better soak up sound in the 1,000 to 3,000 Hz variety, where traffic and voices sit.
Tempered glass windows show up frequently in conversations due to the fact that tempered glass is more powerful in flexing than annealed glass. That's true, and tempered lites are frequently utilized as the outer or inner ply in an impact system. But tempered alone is not impact-resistant in the hurricane sense. When it stops working, it blows up into small cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening susceptible. The impact efficiency comes from laminated building, not tempering by itself. Many systems use a tempered outer lite laminated to a hardened inner lite, or both tempered, but always bonded through a PVB or ionoplast interlayer.
Low-E finishes matter for comfort. A soft-coat low-E tuned for South Florida normally targets a solar heat gain coefficient in the 0.25 to 0.35 variety while keeping visible light transmission around 50 percent or higher. Go too low on SHGC and the glass can look gray or green, specifically in bigger openings. The sweet area depends on your exterior orientation and shading. On east and west elevations, I frequently tighten SHGC and accept a small tint to handle morning and afternoon blasts. On north elevations, I favor greater noticeable transmittance for daylighting.
Frames are the other half of the story. Aluminum frames control here since they deal with big openings and will not swell. Thermal breaks and enhanced glazing gaskets have narrowed the energy gap with vinyl. Premium vinyl effect frames, when strengthened correctly, can perform well for standard-sized openings and have better insulating worths, but I avoid them for really large sliders or high storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad systems look beautiful in older Mediterranean Revival homes, but they require cautious maintenance and clever flashing. The Florida sun destroys inexpensive vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum surfaces quickly. Look for powder-coated surfaces rated for seaside direct exposure, and demand composed guarantee information in salt-air environments.
Window setup can make or break performance. A costly system installed like a handyman swap-out will not pass a storm's tension test. The load path is the crux. Impact forces need 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 construction, you desire stainless or hot-dipped galvanized anchors embedded into strong material. Hollow cells need to be grouted or you need to hit the bond beam. Tapcons in soft, unfilled block are a failure waiting to happen. In wood-framed homes, structural screws should 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 effectively sized backer rod and premium polyurethane or silyl-modified polymer sealant create a durable, flexible seal that manages thermal expansion. Too little a bead and it tears under movement. Too big and it cures improperly. On seaside tasks, I never ever combine 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 combination with the water-resistive barrier are important. If you count on sealant alone, water will find its method. That moisture might disappoint up as a drip. It may rot a sill plate slowly, then betray itself as a buckling flooring or a musty smell two cyclone seasons later.
I have nothing against well-designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are kept and oiled, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even detachable panels kept carefully can safeguard homes efficiently. They also help in particular cases.
Second homes or seasonal rentals where spending plan is tight sometimes lean on shutters to meet the Florida building regulations windows requirement for protected openings. On specialized openings like a lanai that is hardly ever utilized in summertime, a clean motorized roll-down can be reasonable, specifically if coupling with impact windows and doors in other places worries the budget. For homeowners who plan to move within a year, shutters can be a short 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 handling insurance coverage papers, gas cans, and family logistics. Throughout Typhoon Irma, I viewed a neighbor try to install 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 space. He endured with stitches. His living room window did not. Shutters likewise rattle and can vibrate under continual winds, sometimes loosening up fasteners over time if not maintained.
For long-lasting owners who wish to set it and forget it, impact windows provide hurricane evidence windows coverage while maintaining daytime and view. The benefit grows important once you've experienced one storm season with absolutely no prep beyond locking the sash.
South Florida homes battle 2 fights: hidden load from humidity and practical load from direct solar heat gain. Effect glass upgrades can help both if defined intelligently.
Low-E impact glass uses microscopically thin metallic layers to show infrared energy while letting visible light through. With the right covering stacks, you can obstruct a big part of convected heat and UV. UV blockage in laminated systems comes mostly from the interlayer itself, which typically filters 95 to 99 percent of UV, minimizing fading of materials and flooring. Include the low-E, and you suppress the solar heat that drives your air conditioning crazy midafternoon.
I evaluate glass specifications 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 closer to room temperature, which decreases condensation danger. SHGC drives how much solar heat enters. VT influences how brilliant the interior feels. Balance is crucial. Some property owners desire the crisp, clear look of greater VT, even if it means accepting a couple of degrees more heat in late afternoon, since their landscaping and roofing system overhangs currently do some shading. Others prefer a stronger tint for glare control on waterfront lots that show severe light.
In useful terms, going from clear single-pane sliders to modern low-E laminated double-glazed systems can decrease peak solar gains by 30 to half on the most exposed sides. Couple that with tuned overhangs, light-colored outside finishes, and an appropriately sized variable-speed HVAC, and you begin to develop durability. If the grid decreases and you switch to a generator, a lower cooling load suggests a smaller generator and fewer gallons of fuel.
Miami-Dade Notice of Approval, 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 showroom. Verify the NOA matches the precise noise reduction glass design and alternatives you are buying, consisting of the glazing makeup and hardware. If you are in Broward or Miami-Dade, your permitting workplace will want 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 Cyclone Zone, Florida building regulations windows can depend on Florida Product Approval without Miami-Dade specific NOAs. Lots of leading producers bring both. Where budget plans allow, I prefer NOA products even outside the zone because the screening is stiffer.
NFRC labels handle energy metrics. They will not inform you impact performance, but they reveal U-factor, SHGC, VT, and air leakage. Go for air leak at or listed below 0.3 cfm/ft ². Tighter is much better for humidity control, but ensure your home still has actually stabilized ventilation. Sealing the envelope and disregarding fresh air is a dish for indoor air quality complaints.
Impact windows cost more in advance than shutters. There's no spin around that. Installed expenses differ with size, shape, surface, and access. On straightforward single-family homes, per-opening expenses typically land in 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 home for 5 years or more, the math often tilts in favor of effect windows, particularly when you factor the intangible of peace of mind. If you plan to sell 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 casements and awnings improve seal compression and security. For sliders, robust tandem rollers in stainless real estates move smoother and last longer on sandy patios. Look at the sill design 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 fashion. Reflective movies can contravene of neighborhood watch or produce mirror-like glare towards surrounding properties. In coastal communities, extremely reflective glass can puzzle birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Local pros understand which coatings balance efficiency with compliance.
Color stability is a huge offer. Dark bronze or black frames look fantastic on modern homes, but in Florida sun cheap finishes chalk and fade. AAMA 2605-rated coverings offer the best color retention and chalk resistance. I specify them for coastal direct exposures whenever budgets allow.
Historic districts frequently need profiles that mimic old wood sash sightlines. There are impact-rated windows that fit these requirements, but lead times lengthen and costs climb. Expect extra review by architectural boards, and line up a professional knowledgeable about these submissions.
Condos have another layer of governance. Associations in some cases define a narrow list of authorized products for uniformity. They likewise appreciate sound control in between units. If your building sits straight on Collins Opportunity or faces a hectic beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated choices. Deal with building management on staging and lift gain access to. Weekend work windows and limited 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 system that looks sturdy in a showroom satisfies the wind loads on a ninth-floor terrace. Do not count on catalog optimum sizes. Use the NOA tables that represent your website's zone, favorable and negative pressures, and mullion mixes if any.

The finest tasks start with a measured study and exposure analysis. You map each opening, note the substrate, and determine any framing abnormalities or settlement cracks. Throughout proposal, the contractor reveals you the NOA and the Florida Product 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 install day, they get rid of one opening at a time to keep the house secure. They safeguard floors, draw back window treatments, and cap sprinklers. Old frames come out with care to preserve interior finishes. New systems get dry-fit, shimmed, and anchored per the schedule. The team checks squareness and diagonals before setting sealant. They photo anchors for the permit file, specifically if they will be hidden. After glazing, they water-test with a regulated spray to confirm drain paths and seals. The inspector sees a neat jobsite, clear labels, and paperwork in order.
Six months later, your windows still close with 2 fingers, locks bite smoothly, and there is no mystery rattle during thunderstorms. You did not have to call for a roller change after the very first week. That is the standard.
Impact ranking does not equal breakproof. Laminated glass can crack under severe impacts, but it ought to remain 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 films do not transform non-impact windows into hurricane impact-resistant windows. They can add shatter resistance, however they do not replacement for an evaluated, anchored system. Your insurance company and building department will not count films as protected openings.
Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient impact windows lower air leakage. That's great, but it increases the significance of an appropriately sized HVAC with good dehumidification. If your system is large, the thermostat pleases quickly and stops working to pull enough moisture from the air. Ask your heating and cooling pro to inspect reasonable heat ratio, air flow, and run time. You desire steady, longer cycles, not short bursts.
Maintenance is uncomplicated 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 routines extend lifespan.
There are genuine reasons to blend options. A pair of hardly ever used garage windows can keep detachable panels to shave spending plan. A deep-set deck with minimal sun exposure may do great with accordion shutters if you focus on other upgrades like a new roof deck accessory or a fortified garage door. Shutters can likewise secure outside cooking areas or cabana openings where grease and smoke would age elegant hardware prematurely.
If you pick shutters, buy quality. Stainless fasteners, smooth tracks, and motors with manual overrides for roll-downs make a distinction. Designate responsibility for release and practice as soon as outside of a storm watch. Inventory your hardware. The day you require 32 wing nuts is not the early morning you want to find you have 29.
Impact windows are not only about surviving the big one. They reshape 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 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 individuals rather than panels.
For many of my customers, that intangible is the deciding factor. They know storms will come. They also know life in South Florida is too great to live inside a fortress that only wakes up in August. Miami-Dade authorized windows offer you both: a clear view of Biscayne Bay on a breezy February morning and quiet self-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 design pressures, select the ideal laminated glass stack for wind and heat, choose frames that fit the architecture and conditions, and work with a crew that appreciates the load course. Done right, energy‑efficient effect windows deliver what shutters can not: protection that never ever requests a ladder and a much better home every day of the year.