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 ritual of transporting ladders to mount panels. After 20 years specifying, setting up, and repairing building envelopes from Key Largo to Palm Beach, I have actually seen what holds up and what doesn't. When the objective is real protection with year-round convenience, Miami-Dade approved, energy‑efficient impact windows exceed shutters in manner ins which surpass storm day. They alter how a house feels in August, how peaceful your living room stays on a Saturday night, and how confident you are when a storm line spins up much faster than predicted.
This is a useful look at why many South Florida homeowners are moving from shutters to typhoon impact-resistant windows, how to read the standards behind "Miami-Dade approved," what materials matter, and how to get the installation right the very first time.
Miami-Dade County's Product Control Division sets among the hardest criteria in the nation for developing elements exposed to windborne particles. Approval is not a marketing sticker. It is made through particular laboratory tests that mimic real cyclone conditions.
First comes large rocket effect. A 9-pound 2x4 is contended the glass at roughly 34 miles per hour. That mimics 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 imitate fast wind gusts over hours. If the glass remains in the frame without letting the envelope breach, it passes. The distinction between "meets Florida building code windows" and "Miami-Dade approved windows" often lives in these test thresholds. Miami-Dade is just stiffer, particularly in High Speed Typhoon Zone requirements, that include Miami-Dade and Broward.
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Wind ratings differ by opening size and style pressures, denoted as PSF values. On ocean-facing homes or high-rises, I often specify systems ranked at +60/ -80 PSF or higher. Inland or in more secured direct 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. A professional knows that a corner direct exposure at the second story needs various support 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 better than nothing. However they ask you to do work at the worst possible time. When a watch turns to a caution 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 live in location. You get continuous defense, 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 essentially a sandwich: two panes of glass bonded by a resilient interlayer, typically PVB interlayer glass or SentryGlas. That interlayer damps sound. On tasks along hectic passages like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight paths, I've measured interior sound drops in the 5 to 10 decibel variety, sometimes more when paired with insulated glass units.
Security enhances since laminated glass resists forced entry. A robber can shatter the external lite with a hammer, however the interlayer holds the fragments. They meet a sticky, persistent membrane instead of a fast course inside. Insurance underwriters know this, which is why policies often provide credits for effect doors and windows. In my tasks, premiums normally drop 10 to 25 percent, depending on the carrier and how many openings are protected.
Energy performance is the third pillar. Energy-efficient impact windows with contemporary low-E effect glass and warm-edge spacers can cut solar heat gain while preserving noticeable light. That implies less a/c need, especially on west and south direct exposures where the afternoon sun punishes interiors. In one Coral Gables retrofit, we replaced 1980s single-pane sliders with laminated low-E effect systems. Summertime afternoon peak load come by approximately a lots of cooling, and the home's yearly electricity usage fell in between 12 and 18 percent. Outcomes vary with shading, attic insulation, and HVAC efficiency, however the direction is consistent.
Laminated effect glass is the heart of the system, however not all laminated products are equal.
Most residential typhoon windows utilize a PVB interlayer glass stack, typically 0.030 to 0.090 inches thick in single or multiple plies. Thicker interlayers improve effect resistance and sound control, but they include weight and expense. For oceanfront or high openings, you might see SGP (ionoplast) interlayers, which are stiffer and stronger than PVB, permitting thinner areas to accomplish greater style pressures. For noise-sensitive sites, acoustic PVB formulations tweak the polymer to better take in noise in the 1,000 to 3,000 Hz variety, where traffic and voices sit.
Tempered glass windows show up frequently in discussions due to the fact that tempered glass is more powerful in flexing than annealed glass. That's true, and tempered lites are commonly used as the outer or inner ply in an impact unit. However tempered alone is not impact-resistant in the typhoon sense. When it stops working, it blows up into little cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening susceptible. The effect efficiency originates from laminated building and construction, not tempering by itself. Lots of systems utilize a tempered external lite laminated to an annealed inner lite, or both tempered, but constantly bonded through a PVB or ionoplast interlayer.
Low-E finishings matter for convenience. A soft-coat low-E tuned for South Florida generally 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 low on SHGC and the glass can look gray or green, especially in bigger openings. The sweet area depends on your exterior orientation and shading. On east and west elevations, I frequently tighten up SHGC and accept a slight tint to manage early morning and afternoon blasts. On north elevations, I lean toward higher visible transmittance for daylighting.
Frames are the other half of the story. Aluminum frames dominate here due to the fact that they manage large openings and will not swell. Thermal breaks and enhanced glazing gaskets have narrowed the energy space with vinyl. Premium vinyl impact frames, when strengthened appropriately, can perform well for standard-sized openings and have much better insulating values, but I avoid them for extremely wide 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 smart flashing. The Florida sun damages inexpensive vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum surfaces rapidly. Look for powder-coated finishes rated for seaside exposure, and demand written guarantee details in salt-air environments.
Window setup can make or break efficiency. A costly unit set up like a handyman swap-out will not pass a storm's stress test. The load path 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 concrete block 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 take place. In wood-framed houses, structural screws should 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 aesthetic. An effectively sized stormproof window maintenance backer rod and premium polyurethane or silyl-modified polymer sealant develop a durable, flexible seal that deals with thermal growth. Too small a bead and it tears under motion. Too huge and it cures inadequately. On seaside jobs, I never ever pair different metals without a barrier, and I always specify 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 essential. If you count on sealant alone, water will discover its method. That moisture might not show up as a drip. It may rot a sill plate gradually, then betray itself as a buckling floor or a moldy odor two hurricane seasons later.
I have nothing against well-designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are kept and lubricated, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even removable panels saved thoroughly can protect homes successfully. They likewise assist in certain cases.
Second homes or seasonal rentals where budget plan is tight sometimes lean on shutters to meet the Florida building code windows requirement for secured openings. On specialized openings like a lanai that is seldom used in summertime, a clean motorized roll-down can be reasonable, especially if pairing with impact doors and windows elsewhere worries the budget. For homeowners who prepare to move within a year, shutters can be a brief bridge to compliance before a sale.
But shutters bring compromises. They darken your house when deployed, and they require action at precisely the time you are handling insurance papers, gas cans, and family logistics. During Typhoon Irma, I watched a neighbor attempt to mount 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 space. He survived with stitches. His living room window did not. Shutters likewise rattle and can vibrate under sustained winds, often loosening fasteners in time if not maintained.
For long-term owners who wish to set it and forget it, effect windows offer typhoon proof windows protection while preserving 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 two battles: latent load from humidity and practical load from direct solar heat gain. Impact glass upgrades can help both if defined intelligently.
Low-E impact glass utilizes microscopically thin metallic layers to show infrared energy while letting noticeable light through. With the ideal finish stacks, you can obstruct a large portion of radiant heat and UV. UV obstruction in laminated systems comes largely from the interlayer itself, which typically filters 95 to 99 percent of UV, decreasing fading of fabrics and floor covering. Add the low-E, and you curb the solar heat that drives your a/c crazy 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 reducing nighttime heat flow and keeping the interior glass temperature level closer to space temperature level, which reduces condensation threat. SHGC drives how much solar heat enters. VT affects how bright the interior feels. Balance is crucial. Some homeowners want the crisp, clear appearance of greater VT, even if it indicates 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 waterside lots that reflect extreme light.
In practical terms, going from clear single-pane sliders to contemporary low-E laminated double-glazed units can lower peak solar gains by 30 to 50 percent on the most exposed sides. Couple that with tuned overhangs, light-colored exterior finishes, and an appropriately sized variable-speed HVAC, and you begin to build strength. If the grid goes down and you switch to a generator, a lower cooling load suggests a smaller sized generator and fewer low-E hurricane glass gallons of fuel.
Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance, or NOA, is the file you request for. It details the authorized configurations, sizes, anchors, and pressures tested. It is inadequate to hear "these are Miami-Dade approved windows" in a showroom. Confirm the NOA matches the specific design and options 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 offers FL numbers that reveal code compliance. In the rest of the state outside the High Velocity Cyclone Zone, Florida building regulations windows can count on Florida Item Approval without Miami-Dade specific NOAs. Lots of top makers bring both. Where budget plans permit, I choose NOA products even outside the zone because the testing is stiffer.
NFRC labels manage energy metrics. They will not tell you impact performance, however they show U-factor, SHGC, VT, and air leak. 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 balanced ventilation. Sealing the envelope and neglecting 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 expenses differ with size, shape, surface, and access. On straightforward single-family homes, per-opening costs frequently land in between 1,200 and 3,000 dollars for basic 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 property for 5 years or more, the mathematics typically 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 reveal compliance quickly, shutters may make more short-term sense. Context matters.
I take note of hardware and devices. Multi-point locks on sashes 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 sliding doors. Weep systems must be engineered 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 run afoul of neighborhood watch or produce mirror-like glare toward surrounding residential or commercial properties. In coastal environments, extremely reflective glass can confuse birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Regional pros know which finishings 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 finishes chalk and fade. AAMA 2605-rated coatings provide the very best color retention and chalk resistance. I define them for coastal direct exposures whenever spending plans allow.
Historic districts frequently 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 cost of impact windows and doors 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 between units. If your structure sits directly on Collins Opportunity or faces a hectic beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated alternatives. Deal with building management on staging and lift access. Weekend work windows and minimal parking can include days and dollars.
Large openings, like a 16-foot-wide slider, need unique attention in design pressure, deflection, and operating hardware. Not every system that looks durable in a showroom satisfies the wind loads on a ninth-floor balcony. Do not rely on brochure maximum sizes. Utilize the NOA tables that represent your website's zone, favorable and unfavorable pressures, and mullion mixes if any.
The finest projects start with a measured study and exposure analysis. You map each opening, note the substrate, and identify any framing abnormalities or settlement cracks. During proposal, the professional shows you the NOA and the Florida Product Approval, lists anchor types, and discusses how each opening will be flashed and sealed. They plan for stucco or drywall repairs, not pretend no damage will occur.
On set up day, they remove one opening at a time to keep your house secure. They protect floors, pull back window treatments, and cap sprinklers. Old frames come out with care to preserve interior finishes. New units get dry-fit, shimmed, and anchored per the schedule. The crew checks squareness and diagonals before setting sealant. They photo anchors for the license file, specifically if they will be concealed. After glazing, they water-test with a controlled spray to verify drain courses and seals. The inspector sees a neat jobsite, clear labels, and paperwork in order.
Six months later on, your windows still close with two fingers, locks bite efficiently, and there is no mystery rattle during thunderstorms. You did not have to call for a roller adjustment after the very first week. That is the standard.
Impact score does not equal breakproof. Laminated glass can crack under serious impacts, but it needs to remain in the frame and hold together. After a storm that sends out 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 movies do not convert non-impact windows into typhoon impact-resistant windows. They can add shatter resistance, but they do not substitute for an evaluated, anchored system. Your insurance provider and building department will not count films as secured openings.
Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient effect windows lower air leak. That's terrific, however it increases the importance of an appropriately sized heating and cooling with great dehumidification. If your system is extra-large, the thermostat pleases rapidly and stops working to pull enough moisture from the air. Ask your heating and cooling pro to examine practical heat ratio, airflow, and run time. You want constant, longer cycles, not short bursts.
Maintenance is uncomplicated but not optional. Clean weep holes on sliders, wash salt spray from frames, and oil hardware each year with a silicone-based product that will not gum up in heat. Small habits extend lifespan.
There are legitimate factors to mix services. A set of seldom used garage windows can keep removable panels to shave budget. A deep-set porch with very little sun exposure may do fine with accordion shutters if you prioritize other upgrades like a brand-new roofing deck attachment or a fortified garage door. Shutters can likewise protect outdoor kitchens or cabana openings where grease and smoke would age expensive hardware prematurely.
If you choose shutters, buy quality. Stainless fasteners, smooth tracks, and motors with manual bypasses for roll-downs make a distinction. Designate responsibility for implementation and practice once beyond a storm watch. Inventory your hardware. The day you need 32 wing nuts is not the morning you wish to discover you have 29.
Impact windows are not just about enduring the big one. They improve daily living. The living room stays 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 hurricane threatens, your preparation list gets much shorter. You lock the sashes, set storm mode on the alarm, and concentrate on people rather than panels.
For many of my clients, that intangible is the choosing element. They understand storms will come. They also know life in South Florida is too excellent to live inside a fortress that only awakens in August. Miami-Dade approved 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 way in September.
If you are weighing the choice, start with a site-specific evaluation. Match your direct exposures to design pressures, choose the best laminated glass stack for wind and heat, select frames that fit the architecture and conditions, and employ a crew that respects the load course. Done right, energy‑efficient effect windows provide what shutters can not: security that never requests for a ladder and a much better home every day of the year.