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 stock up, and the routine of carrying ladders to mount panels. After 20 years defining, installing, and troubleshooting structure envelopes from Key Largo to Palm Beach, I've seen what holds up and what doesn't. When the goal is real security with year-round comfort, Miami-Dade approved, energy‑efficient impact windows surpass shutters in ways that exceed storm day. They alter 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 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 approved," what products matter, and how to get the setup right the very first time.
Miami-Dade County's Item Control Department sets one of the toughest standards in the nation for developing elements exposed to windborne particles. Approval is not a marketing sticker label. It is made through specific lab tests that simulate real cyclone conditions.
First comes big missile impact. A 9-pound 2x4 is shot at the glass at approximately 34 window replacement miles per hour. That imitates roofing tiles, branches, or pieces of fencing that fly in the eyewall. After the impact, the same system 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 just stiffer, especially in High Velocity Cyclone Zone requirements, that include Miami-Dade and Broward.
Wind ratings differ by opening size and design pressures, represented as PSF values. On ocean-facing homes or high-rises, I frequently specify systems rated at +60/ -80 PSF or greater. Inland or in more secured exposures, ratings in the +45/ -60 PSF range can suffice, however you size and specification based upon the website's wind map, developing height, and surrounding structures. An expert understands that a corner direct exposure at the second story demands different support than a protected window under a deep porch.
Hurricane shutters vs impact windows is not a one-to-one comparison. Shutters can meet code, and they're much better than 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 reside in location. You get continuous 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 effect glass is essentially a sandwich: 2 panes of glass bonded by a durable interlayer, typically PVB interlayer glass or SentryGlas. That interlayer damps noise. On tasks along hectic passages like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight paths, I have actually determined interior sound drops in the 5 to 10 decibel variety, sometimes more when paired with insulated glass units.
Security enhances since laminated glass withstands forced entry. A burglar can shatter the outer lite with a hammer, but the interlayer holds the shards. They fulfill a sticky, stubborn membrane rather of a quick course inside. Insurance underwriters understand this, which is why policies often provide credits for impact windows and doors. In my jobs, premiums typically drop 10 to 25 percent, depending upon the carrier and how many openings are protected.
Energy performance is the third 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 air conditioning need, 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 impact systems. Summertime afternoon peak load visited noise reduction glass approximately a lots of cooling, and the home's yearly electrical power use fell in between 12 and 18 percent. Results differ with shading, attic insulation, and heating and cooling efficiency, however the instructions is consistent.
Laminated impact glass is the heart of the system, but not all laminated products are equal.
Most residential cyclone windows utilize a PVB interlayer glass stack, frequently 0.030 to 0.090 inches thick in single or several plies. Thicker interlayers improve impact resistance and sound control, however 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 accomplish greater style pressures. For noise-sensitive sites, acoustic PVB formulas tweak the polymer to much better absorb sound in the 1,000 to 3,000 Hz variety, where traffic and voices sit.
Tempered glass windows turn up often in discussions due to the fact that tempered glass is more powerful in bending than annealed glass. That's true, and tempered lites are typically used as the outer or inner ply in an impact unit. But tempered alone is not impact-resistant in the cyclone sense. When it fails, it explodes into little cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening vulnerable. The impact efficiency comes from laminated building and construction, not tempering by itself. Many systems utilize a tempered outer lite laminated to a hardened inner lite, or both tempered, but constantly 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 variety while keeping visible light transmission around half or greater. Go too low on SHGC and the glass can look gray or green, specifically in larger openings. The sweet spot depends upon your façade orientation and shading. On east and west elevations, I often tighten SHGC and accept a small tint to manage early morning and afternoon blasts. On north elevations, I favor higher visible 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. Premium vinyl effect frames, when reinforced effectively, can carry out well for standard-sized openings and have better insulating values, however I avoid them for extremely wide sliders or tall storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad units look gorgeous in older Mediterranean Revival homes, but they demand careful maintenance and smart flashing. The Florida sun destroys cheap vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum surfaces rapidly. Look for powder-coated surfaces ranked for coastal exposure, and request composed warranty information in salt-air environments.
Window setup can make or break efficiency. An expensive unit set up like a handyman swap-out will not pass a storm's stress UV blocking impact windows test. The load path is the crux. Effect 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 desire stainless or hot-dipped galvanized anchors embedded into strong product. Hollow cells must be grouted or you require to hit the bond beam. Tapcons in soft, unfilled block are a failure waiting to occur. In wood-framed homes, structural screws must bite into strong 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 effectively sized backer rod and premium polyurethane or silyl-modified polymer sealant develop a long lasting, versatile seal that deals with thermal growth. Too little a bead and it tears under motion. Too big and it treatments inadequately. On coastal jobs, I never ever match dissimilar 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 integration with the water-resistive barrier are crucial. If you depend on sealant alone, water will discover its method. That wetness might not show up as a drip. It might rot a sill plate gradually, then betray itself as a buckling flooring or a moldy smell 2 typhoon seasons later.
I have absolutely nothing versus well-designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are kept and lubricated, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even removable panels stored carefully can protect homes successfully. They likewise assist in certain cases.
Second homes or seasonal leasings where budget plan is tight often lean on shutters to fulfill the Florida building code windows requirement for protected openings. On specialized openings like a lanai that is rarely utilized in summer season, a tidy motorized roll-down can be sensible, specifically if pairing with effect windows and doors in other places worries the budget. For house owners who prepare to move within a year, shutters can be a short bridge to compliance before a sale.
But shutters bring compromises. They darken your home when released, and they require action at exactly the time you are juggling insurance coverage papers, gas cans, and family logistics. Throughout Typhoon Irma, I saw a next-door neighbor attempt 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 made it through 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 protection while protecting daylight and view. The convenience grows valuable once you have actually experienced one storm season with zero prep beyond noise reduction impact windows locking the sash.
South Florida homes battle two battles: latent load from humidity and reasonable load from direct solar heat gain. Impact glass upgrades can help both if defined intelligently.
Low-E impact glass uses microscopically thin metal layers to reflect infrared energy while letting noticeable light through. With the right coating stacks, you can obstruct a large portion of radiant heat and UV. UV obstruction in laminated units comes mainly ENERGY STAR windows from the interlayer itself, which normally filters 95 to 99 percent of UV, minimizing fading of fabrics and flooring. Add the low-E, and you curb the solar heat that drives your air conditioner insane midafternoon.
I assess glass specs with 3 numbers: U-factor, SHGC, and VT. While U-factor matters more up north, it still assists here by decreasing nighttime heat flow and keeping the interior glass temperature closer to room temperature, which reduces condensation threat. SHGC drives just how much solar heat enters. VT affects how intense the interior feels. Balance is essential. Some homeowners desire the crisp, clear appearance of higher VT, even if it means 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 waterside lots that show extreme light.
In useful terms, going from clear single-pane sliders to modern low-E laminated double-glazed units can decrease 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 start to build strength. If the grid goes down and you switch to a generator, a lower cooling load implies a smaller generator and less gallons of fuel.
Miami-Dade Notification of Approval, or NOA, is the document you request for. It details the authorized setups, sizes, anchors, and pressures checked. It is insufficient to hear "these are Miami-Dade approved windows" in a display room. Validate the NOA matches the precise design and choices you are purchasing, consisting of the glazing makeup and hardware. If you remain in Broward or Miami-Dade, your allowing office will desire this paper trail.
Statewide, the Florida Product Approval system provides FL numbers that reveal code compliance. In the rest of the state outside the High Speed Hurricane Zone, Florida building regulations windows can rely on Florida Product Approval without Miami-Dade particular NOAs. Numerous leading makers carry both. Where budgets enable, I prefer NOA items even outside the zone due to the fact that the testing is stiffer.
NFRC labels manage energy metrics. They won't inform you impact performance, but they reveal U-factor, SHGC, VT, and air leak. Go for air leak at or below 0.3 cfm/ft TWO. Tighter is better for humidity control, but ensure your home still has actually balanced 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. Installed costs differ with size, shape, finish, and gain access to. On simple single-family homes, per-opening expenses typically land in between 1,200 and 3,000 dollars for standard sizes. Big multi-panel sliders, custom-made arches, and coastal-grade finishes raise the numbers quickly.
Where you recover value:
If you prepare to own the home for five years or more, the math often tilts in favor of effect windows, especially when you factor the intangible of assurance. If you plan to sell within a year and need to reveal compliance rapidly, shutters might make more short-term sense. Context matters.
I focus on hardware and devices. Multi-point locks on sashes and awnings enhance seal compression and security. For sliders, robust tandem rollers in stainless real estates slide smoother and last longer on sandy patios. Look at the sill style on sliding doors. Weep systems need 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 style. Reflective films can contravene of neighborhood watch or produce mirror-like glare toward surrounding residential or commercial properties. In seaside environments, highly reflective glass can confuse birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Local pros understand which finishings balance performance with compliance.
Color stability is a big offer. Dark bronze or black frames look great on modern-day homes, however in Florida sun cheap surfaces chalk and fade. AAMA 2605-rated finishings offer the very best color retention and chalk resistance. I specify them for seaside exposures whenever budgets allow.
Historic districts often need profiles that imitate old wood sash sightlines. There are impact-rated windows that fit these requirements, however lead times lengthen and costs climb. Expect extra evaluation by architectural boards, and line up a contractor knowledgeable about these submissions.
Condos have another layer of governance. Associations often specify a narrow list of approved products for harmony. They also appreciate sound control in between systems. If your structure sits directly on Collins Avenue or deals with a busy beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated options. Work with building management on staging and lift access. Weekend work windows and restricted parking can include days and dollars.
Large openings, like a 16-foot-wide slider, require unique attention in design pressure, deflection, and operating hardware. Not every unit that looks durable in a display room satisfies the wind loads on a ninth-floor veranda. Do not rely on catalog maximum sizes. Use the NOA tables that correspond to your site's zone, positive and unfavorable pressures, and mullion combinations if any.
The finest jobs begin with a determined survey and exposure analysis. You map each opening, keep in mind the substrate, and identify any framing irregularities or settlement cracks. Throughout proposal, the contractor reveals you the NOA and the Florida Item Approval, lists anchor types, and discusses how each opening will be flashed and sealed. They plan for stucco or drywall repair work, not pretend no damage will occur.
On install day, they eliminate one opening at a time to keep the house safe and secure. They secure floors, pull 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 crew checks squareness and diagonals before setting sealant. They photo anchors for the authorization file, specifically if they will be concealed. After glazing, they water-test with a regulated spray to verify drainage paths and seals. The inspector sees a neat jobsite, clear labels, and paperwork in order.
Six months later on, your windows still close with 2 fingers, locks bite smoothly, and there is no secret rattle throughout thunderstorms. You did not have to require a roller modification after the very first week. That is the standard.
Impact rating does not equal breakproof. Laminated glass can split under serious impacts, however it must stay in the frame and hold together. After a storm that sends debris into the glass, you may see star fractures or spidering. The window did its job. Replace the sash or IGU after the event.
Window films do not convert non-impact windows into hurricane impact-resistant windows. They can add shatter resistance, however they do not replacement for a tested, anchored system. Your insurance provider and structure department will not count films as secured openings.
Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient impact windows minimize air leakage. That's terrific, but it increases the significance of a correctly sized heating and cooling with excellent dehumidification. If your system is extra-large, the thermostat pleases rapidly and stops working to pull enough moisture from the air. Ask your HVAC pro to examine reasonable heat ratio, airflow, and run time. You desire consistent, longer cycles, not brief bursts.
Maintenance is straightforward however not optional. Tidy weep holes on sliders, wash salt spray from frames, and lubricate hardware each year with a silicone-based item that will not gum up in heat. Small practices extend lifespan.
There are genuine factors to blend options. A pair of hardly ever used garage windows can keep detachable panels to shave budget plan. A deep-set patio with very little sun exposure might do great 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 kitchens or cabana openings where grease and smoke would age elegant hardware prematurely.
If you choose shutters, buy quality. Stainless fasteners, smooth tracks, and motors with handbook overrides for roll-downs make a distinction. Appoint obligation for implementation and practice once outside of a storm watch. Inventory your hardware. The day you need 32 wing nuts is not the morning you wish to find you have 29.

Impact windows are not only about surviving the huge one. They improve daily living. The living room stays 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 much of my clients, that intangible is the deciding factor. They understand storms will come. They also know life in South Florida is too good to live inside a fortress that only wakes up in August. Miami-Dade approved windows provide 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, begin with a site-specific assessment. Match your direct exposures to design pressures, pick the right laminated glass stack for wind and heat, choose frames that fit the architecture and conditions, and work with a team that respects the load course. Done right, energy‑efficient impact windows provide what shutters can not: protection that never ever asks for a ladder and a better home every day of the year.