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 neighbors track tropical waves, the pre-storm rush to stockpile, and the routine of hauling ladders to mount panels. After twenty years specifying, installing, and repairing building envelopes from Key Largo to Palm Beach, I have actually seen what holds up and what does not. When the objective is genuine defense with year-round convenience, Miami-Dade authorized, energy‑efficient effect windows outperform shutters in manner ins which surpass storm day. They change how a home feels in August, how quiet your living-room stays on a Saturday night, and how confident you are when a storm line spins up quicker than predicted.
This is a useful look at why lots of South Florida homeowners are moving from shutters to cyclone impact-resistant windows, how to check out the standards behind "Miami-Dade approved," what materials matter, and how to get the setup right the very first time.
Miami-Dade County's Product Control Division sets one of the most difficult standards in the country for building components exposed to windborne particles. Approval is not a marketing sticker. It is made through specific lab tests that simulate real hurricane conditions.
First comes big missile effect. A 9-pound 2x4 is shot at the glass at approximately 34 miles per hour. That simulates roof tiles, branches, or pieces of fencing that fly in the eyewall. After the impact, the very same unit faces cyclic pressure loading, thousands of pressurization and depressurization cycles that simulate quick wind gusts over hours. If the glass stays in the frame without letting the envelope breach, it passes. The difference in between "fulfills Florida building code windows" and "Miami-Dade approved windows" frequently resides in these test limits. Miami-Dade is simply stiffer, particularly in High Velocity Typhoon Zone requirements, which include Miami-Dade and Broward.
Wind rankings differ by opening size and design pressures, denoted as PSF values. On ocean-facing properties or high-rises, I frequently define systems rated at +60/ -80 PSF or higher. Inland or in more safeguarded direct exposures, scores in the +45/ -60 PSF variety can be sufficient, however you size and specification based on the site's wind map, developing height, and surrounding structures. An expert knows that a corner direct exposure at the second story needs different support than a protected window under a deep porch.
Hurricane shutters vs impact windows is not a one-to-one contrast. Shutters can satisfy 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 warning 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 live in location. You get continuous protection, 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 advantage. Laminated effect glass is basically a sandwich: two panes of glass bonded by a resistant interlayer, usually PVB interlayer glass or SentryGlas. That interlayer damps sound. On tasks along busy corridors like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight courses, I've measured interior noise drops in the 5 to 10 decibel variety, in some cases more when coupled with insulated glass units.
Security improves due to the fact that laminated glass withstands forced entry. An intruder can shatter the external lite with a hammer, but the interlayer holds the shards. They meet a sticky, persistent membrane instead of a quick path inside. Insurance coverage underwriters understand this, which is why policies frequently provide credits for impact windows and doors. In my projects, premiums generally 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 means less cooling demand, specifically on west and south exposures where the afternoon sun penalizes interiors. In one Coral Gables retrofit, we replaced 1980s single-pane sliders with laminated low-E effect systems. Summer afternoon peak load come by approximately a lots of cooling, and the home's yearly electrical energy use fell 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 use a PVB interlayer glass stack, typically 0.030 to 0.090 inches thick in single or numerous plies. Thicker interlayers improve effect resistance and sound control, however they include weight and cost. For oceanfront or high openings, you may see SGP (ionoplast) interlayers, which are stiffer and more powerful than PVB, allowing thinner sections to achieve greater design pressures. For noise-sensitive websites, acoustic PVB solutions tweak the polymer to 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 stronger in bending than annealed glass. That holds true, and tempered lites are typically utilized as the outer or inner ply in an effect system. But tempered alone is not impact-resistant in the cyclone sense. When it stops working, it explodes into little cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening vulnerable. The impact efficiency comes from laminated building, not tempering by itself. Lots of systems utilize a tempered outer lite laminated to an annealed inner lite, or both tempered, however constantly bonded through a PVB or ionoplast interlayer.
Low-E finishes matter for convenience. A soft-coat low-E tuned for South Florida usually targets a solar heat gain coefficient in the 0.25 to 0.35 variety while keeping visible light transmission around 50 percent or greater. Go too short on SHGC and the glass can look gray or green, especially in larger openings. The sweet spot depends upon your façade orientation and shading. On east and west elevations, I typically tighten up 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 dominate here since they deal with big openings and won't swell. Thermal breaks and enhanced glazing gaskets have narrowed the energy space with vinyl. Top quality vinyl impact frames, when reinforced properly, can carry out well for standard-sized openings and have better insulating worths, however I prevent them for extremely broad sliders or high storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad units look beautiful in older Mediterranean Revival homes, but they demand cautious upkeep and clever flashing. The Florida sun destroys cheap vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum surfaces quickly. Look for powder-coated finishes ranked for coastal direct exposure, and demand written guarantee details in salt-air environments.
Window installation can make or break performance. An expensive unit installed like a handyman swap-out will not pass a storm's tension test. The load course is the essence. Effect forces have to travel from the glass through the frame, to the anchors, into the substrate, and then 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 happen. In wood-framed houses, structural screws should bite into solid trimmers, not simply sheathing. Shimming and plumb alignment matter so the locks engage easily 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 develop a durable, flexible seal that deals with thermal growth. Too little a bead and it tears under motion. Too big and it cures badly. On coastal jobs, I never match different metals without a barrier, and I constantly define corrosion-resistant fasteners. 10 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 crucial. If you count on sealant alone, water will find 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 2 typhoon seasons later.
I have absolutely nothing against well-designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are maintained and lubricated, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even removable panels saved carefully can safeguard homes efficiently. They likewise assist in certain cases.
Second homes or seasonal leasings where spending plan is tight in some cases lean on shutters to satisfy the Florida building regulations windows requirement for secured openings. On specialized openings like a lanai that is seldom used in summer season, a clean motorized roll-down can be reasonable, specifically if coupling with impact windows and doors in other places stresses the budget. For house owners 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 the house when released, and they require action at exactly the time you are handling insurance coverage papers, gas cans, and family logistics. During Cyclone Irma, I enjoyed a neighbor try 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 likewise rattle and can vibrate under sustained winds, in some cases loosening fasteners gradually if not maintained.
For long-lasting owners who wish to set it and forget it, effect windows give typhoon evidence windows coverage while maintaining daytime and view. The convenience grows valuable once you've experienced one storm season with absolutely no preparation beyond locking the sash.
South Florida homes combat 2 fights: latent load from humidity and practical load from direct solar heat gain. Impact glass upgrades can assist both if defined intelligently.
Low-E impact glass uses microscopically thin metal layers to reflect infrared energy while letting noticeable light through. With the best coating stacks, you can block a big portion of convected heat and UV. UV blockage in laminated systems comes mainly from the interlayer itself, which generally filters 95 to 99 percent of UV, minimizing fading of fabrics and flooring. Include the low-E, and you curb the solar heat that drives your AC crazy midafternoon.
I evaluate glass specs with 3 numbers: U-factor, SHGC, and VT. While U-factor matters more up north, it still assists here by reducing nighttime heat circulation and keeping the interior glass temperature level closer to space temperature level, which lowers condensation risk. SHGC drives how much solar heat enters. VT affects how bright the interior feels. Balance is key. Some property owners want the crisp, clear appearance of higher VT, even if it implies accepting a few degrees more heat in late afternoon, because their landscaping and roof overhangs currently do some shading. Others choose a stronger tint for glare control on waterfront lots that reflect severe light.
In practical terms, going from clear single-pane sliders to contemporary low-E laminated double-glazed systems can minimize peak solar gains by 30 to 50 percent on the most exposed sides. Couple that with tuned overhangs, light-colored exterior surfaces, and an effectively sized variable-speed heating and cooling, and you begin to construct strength. If the grid decreases and you change to a generator, a lower cooling load suggests a smaller sized generator and less gallons of fuel.
Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance, or NOA, is the document you request for. It information the approved setups, sizes, anchors, and pressures evaluated. It is insufficient to hear "these are Miami-Dade approved windows" in a display room. Validate the NOA matches the precise model and alternatives you are buying, 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 Product Approval system supplies FL numbers that show code compliance. In the rest of the state outside the High Speed Hurricane Zone, Florida building code windows can rely on Florida Item Approval without Miami-Dade specific NOAs. Lots of leading storm surge protection windows manufacturers carry both. Where budget plans permit, I choose NOA products even outside the zone since the testing is stiffer.
NFRC labels manage energy metrics. They will not tell you effect performance, however they show 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 make certain your home still has actually stabilized ventilation. Sealing the envelope and ignoring fresh air is a recipe for indoor air quality complaints.
Impact windows cost more in advance than shutters. There's no spin around that. Set up costs differ with size, shape, finish, and access. On uncomplicated single-family homes, per-opening costs 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 worth:
If you plan to own the residential or commercial property for 5 years or more, the math often tilts in favor of impact windows, particularly when you factor the intangible of assurance. If you plan to sell within a year and need to show compliance rapidly, shutters may 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 real estates move smoother and last longer on sandy outdoor patios. Look at the sill style on moving doors. Weep systems ought to be crafted 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 watch or produce mirror-like glare towards surrounding homes. In seaside communities, extremely reflective glass can puzzle birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Local pros know which finishes balance efficiency with compliance.
Color stability is a big deal. Dark bronze or black frames look wonderful on modern-day homes, but in Florida sun cheap surfaces chalk and fade. AAMA 2605-rated finishes offer the best color retention and chalk resistance. I specify them for seaside direct exposures whenever budget plans allow.
Historic districts often require profiles that simulate old wood sash sightlines. There are impact-rated windows that fit these requirements, however lead times extend and costs climb. Anticipate additional review by architectural boards, and line up a professional knowledgeable about these submissions.
Condos have another layer of governance. Associations often specify a narrow list of approved products for harmony. They also care about sound control in between systems. If your structure sits straight on Collins Avenue or faces a busy beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated options. Deal with building management on staging and lift access. Weekend work windows and limited parking can add 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 veranda. Do not rely on catalog optimum sizes. Use the NOA tables that correspond to your website's zone, favorable and negative pressures, and mullion mixes if any.
The best projects begin with a determined survey and direct exposure analysis. You map each opening, note the substrate, and determine any framing abnormalities or settlement fractures. During proposal, the specialist reveals you the NOA and the Florida Product Approval, lists anchor types, and describes how each opening will be flashed and sealed. They plan for stucco or drywall repairs, not pretend no damage will occur.
On install day, they get rid of one opening at a time to keep your home protected. They secure floors, draw back window treatments, and cap sprinklers. Old frames come Miami-Dade NOA windows out with care to maintain interior finishes. New systems get dry-fit, shimmed, and anchored per the schedule. The team checks squareness and diagonals before setting sealant. They picture anchors for the authorization file, particularly if they will be concealed. After glazing, they water-test with a controlled spray to confirm drain paths and seals. The inspector sees a neat jobsite, clear labels, and documentation in order.
Six months later on, your windows still close with two fingers, locks bite smoothly, and there is no secret rattle throughout thunderstorms. You did not have to call for a roller modification after the first week. That is the standard.
Impact rating does not equivalent breakproof. Laminated glass can split under severe effects, but it ought to stay in the frame and hold together. After a storm that sends out debris into the glass, you might see star fractures or spidering. The window did its job. Change the sash or IGU after the event.
Window movies do not transform non-impact windows into hurricane impact-resistant windows. They can add shatter resistance, but they do not substitute for an evaluated, anchored system. Your insurance company and structure department will not count movies as secured openings.
Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient effect windows reduce air leakage. That's excellent, however it increases the value of a correctly sized heating and cooling with good dehumidification. If your system is extra-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 consistent, longer cycles, not short bursts.
Maintenance is simple 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. Little practices extend lifespan.
There are genuine reasons to blend solutions. A set of seldom 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 new roofing system deck accessory or a fortified garage door. Shutters can also protect outside cooking areas or cabana openings where grease and smoke would age fancy hardware prematurely.
If you select shutters, invest in quality. Stainless fasteners, smooth tracks, and motors with handbook overrides for roll-downs make insulated glass units a distinction. Appoint obligation for deployment and practice once beyond a storm watch. Inventory your hardware. The day you need 32 wing nuts is not the early morning you want to discover you have 29.
Impact windows are not only about enduring the huge one. They improve daily living. The living room remains cooler and quieter. The a/c cycles calmly instead of racing at 4 p.m. You sleep without freight trains of wind sound when a squall line passes at 2 a.m. When a cyclone threatens, your preparation list gets much shorter. You lock the sashes, set storm mode on the alarm, and focus on individuals instead of panels.
For much of my clients, that intangible is the choosing factor. They know storms will come. They likewise understand life in South Florida is too excellent to live inside a fortress that just gets up in August. Miami-Dade authorized windows offer you both: a clear view of Biscayne Bay on a breezy February morning and peaceful 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 exposures to create pressures, pick the ideal laminated glass stack for wind and heat, select frames that fit the architecture and conditions, and employ a crew that appreciates the load path. 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.