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 next-door neighbors track tropical waves, the pre-storm rush to stockpile, and the routine of transporting ladders to install panels. After 20 years defining, setting up, and repairing structure envelopes from Secret Largo to Palm Beach, I've seen what holds up and what doesn't. When the goal is genuine security with year-round convenience, Miami-Dade approved, energy‑efficient impact windows surpass shutters in manner ins which exceed storm day. They alter how a house feels in August, how quiet your living room stays on a Saturday night, and how positive you are when a storm line spins up faster than predicted.
This is a practical take a look at why lots of South Florida property owners are moving from shutters to hurricane impact-resistant windows, how to read the requirements behind "Miami-Dade approved," what materials matter, and how to get the setup right the first time.
Miami-Dade County's Product Control Department sets one of the hardest benchmarks in the nation for developing parts exposed to windborne particles. Approval is not a marketing sticker label. It is made hurricane-resistant windows through particular laboratory tests that imitate real cyclone conditions.
First comes big missile impact. A 9-pound 2x4 is contended the glass at approximately 34 miles per hour. That mimics roofing system tiles, branches, or pieces of fencing that fly in the eyewall. After the impact, the very same system faces cyclic pressure loading, countless pressurization and depressurization cycles that simulate fast wind gusts over hours. If the glass stays in the frame without letting the envelope breach, it passes. The distinction between "fulfills Florida building regulations windows" and "Miami-Dade authorized windows" frequently lives in these test thresholds. Miami-Dade is simply stiffer, especially in High Speed Hurricane Zone requirements, that include Miami-Dade and Broward.
Wind rankings differ by opening size and style pressures, denoted as PSF values. On ocean-facing properties or high-rises, I typically define units ranked at +60/ -80 PSF or higher. Inland or in more protected direct exposures, rankings in the +45/ -60 PSF variety can be enough, but you size and specification based on the site's wind map, constructing height, and surrounding structures. An expert understands that a corner exposure at the second story demands various support 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 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 constant security, even if a pop-up storm surprises you while you're stuck on US 1. You likewise get benefits every day of the year.
Noise control is the most underappreciated benefit. Laminated effect glass is basically a sandwich: two panes of glass bonded by a resilient interlayer, usually PVB interlayer glass or SentryGlas. That interlayer damps sound. On jobs along busy corridors like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight paths, I have actually measured interior sound drops in the 5 to 10 decibel variety, in some cases more when paired with insulated glass units.
Security improves due to the fact that laminated glass resists required entry. An intruder can shatter the external lite with a hammer, but the interlayer holds the fragments. They fulfill a sticky, persistent membrane rather of a quick course inside. Insurance coverage underwriters know this, which is why policies often offer credits for effect doors and windows. In my jobs, premiums usually drop 10 to 25 percent, depending upon the carrier and the number of openings are protected.
Energy efficiency is the third pillar. Energy-efficient impact windows with modern-day low-E effect glass and warm-edge spacers can cut solar heat gain while maintaining noticeable light. That suggests less air conditioning need, particularly on west and south direct exposures where the afternoon sun penalizes interiors. In one Coral Gables retrofit, we replaced 1980s single-pane sliders with laminated low-E effect units. Summertime afternoon peak load stopped by approximately a lots of cooling, and the home's yearly electrical power usage fell between 12 and 18 percent. Results differ with shading, attic insulation, and HVAC effectiveness, however the instructions is consistent.
Laminated effect glass is the heart of the system, however not all laminated products are equal.
Most property typhoon windows utilize a PVB interlayer glass stack, typically 0.030 to 0.090 inches thick in single or several 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 sites, acoustic PVB formulations 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 come up frequently in discussions due to the fact that tempered glass is stronger in bending than annealed glass. That holds true, and tempered lites are commonly used as the external or inner ply in an impact system. But tempered alone is not impact-resistant in the typhoon sense. When it stops working, it takes off into little cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening vulnerable. The effect efficiency originates from laminated construction, not tempering by itself. Lots of systems utilize a tempered outer lite laminated to a hardened inner lite, or both tempered, however always bonded through a PVB or ionoplast interlayer.
Low-E finishes matter for comfort. 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 visible light transmission around 50 percent or higher. Go too low on SHGC and the glass can look gray or green, particularly in bigger openings. The sweet area depends upon your façade orientation and shading. On east and west elevations, I typically tighten SHGC and accept a minor tint to handle morning and afternoon blasts. On north elevations, I favor higher 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. Top quality vinyl effect frames, when reinforced properly, can perform well for standard-sized openings and have better insulating values, but I prevent them for really broad sliders or tall storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad systems look stunning in older Mediterranean Revival homes, however they require cautious maintenance and clever flashing. The Florida sun destroys inexpensive vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum surfaces rapidly. Try to find powder-coated surfaces rated for coastal direct exposure, and request composed service warranty information in salt-air environments.
Window setup can make or break efficiency. A costly unit installed like a handyman swap-out will not pass a storm's tension test. The load path is the essence. Impact forces have 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 product. Hollow cells must be grouted or you require to strike the bond beam. Tapcons in soft, unfilled block are a failure waiting to happen. In wood-framed homes, structural screws must bite into strong trimmers, not simply sheathing. Shimming and plumb positioning matter so the locks engage easily and the weatherstripping compresses evenly.
The sealant joint is not simply visual. A correctly sized backer rod and premium polyurethane or silyl-modified polymer sealant develop a long lasting, flexible seal that handles thermal growth. Too little a bead and it tears under movement. Too huge and it treatments poorly. On seaside tasks, I never ever combine 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 combination with the water-resistive barrier are essential. If you count on sealant alone, water will find its method. That wetness 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 cyclone seasons later.
I have absolutely nothing versus well-designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are maintained and oiled, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even detachable panels kept thoroughly can protect homes efficiently. They also assist in certain cases.
Second homes or seasonal leasings where budget 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 hardly ever utilized in summertime, a clean motorized roll-down can be affordable, especially if pairing with impact doors and windows in other places stresses the budget plan. For house owners who plan to move within a year, shutters can be a brief bridge to compliance before a sale.
But shutters bring trade-offs. They darken your house when released, and they require action at precisely the time you are juggling insurance papers, gas cans, and family logistics. Throughout Hurricane 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 room. He made it through with stitches. His living-room window did not. Shutters likewise rattle and can vibrate under continual winds, sometimes loosening fasteners with time if not maintained.
For long-term owners who wish to set it and forget it, impact windows provide cyclone evidence windows coverage while protecting daytime and view. The convenience grows valuable once you've experienced one storm season with zero prep beyond locking the sash.
South Florida homes fight two battles: hidden load from humidity and reasonable load from direct solar heat gain. Effect glass upgrades can assist both if defined intelligently.
Low-E impact glass utilizes microscopically thin metal layers to show infrared energy while letting visible light through. With the ideal finish stacks, you can block a big part of radiant heat and UV. UV blockage in laminated units comes mainly from the interlayer itself, which normally filters 95 to 99 percent of UV, minimizing fading of materials and floor covering. Include the low-E, and you suppress the solar heat that drives your air conditioning crazy midafternoon.
I assess glass specifications with three numbers: U-factor, SHGC, and VT. While U-factor matters more up north, it still helps here by decreasing nighttime heat circulation and keeping the interior glass temperature closer to space temperature, which lowers condensation risk. SHGC drives just how much solar heat gets in. VT affects how intense the interior feels. Balance is crucial. Some property owners desire the crisp, clear look of greater VT, even if it indicates accepting a few degrees more heat in late afternoon, since their landscaping and roofing 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 contemporary low-E laminated double-glazed units can lower peak solar gains by 30 to half on the most exposed sides. Couple that with tuned overhangs, light-colored exterior surfaces, and a properly sized variable-speed a/c, and you start to develop resilience. If insulated glass units the grid goes down and you switch to a generator, a lower cooling load means a smaller sized generator and fewer gallons of fuel.
Miami-Dade Notice of Approval, or NOA, is the document you request for. It information the authorized setups, sizes, anchors, and pressures tested. It is inadequate to hear "these are Miami-Dade authorized windows" in a display room. Confirm the NOA matches the precise model and choices you are buying, consisting of the glazing makeup and hardware. If you remain in Broward or Miami-Dade, your permitting office will desire this paper trail.
Statewide, the Florida Item Approval system supplies FL numbers that show code compliance. In the remainder of the state outside the High Speed Typhoon Zone, Florida building regulations windows can count on Florida Product Approval without Miami-Dade particular NOAs. Numerous leading manufacturers bring both. Where budgets enable, I prefer NOA items even outside the zone because the testing is stiffer.
NFRC labels handle energy metrics. They won't inform you effect efficiency, however they reveal U-factor, SHGC, VT, and air leak. Aim for air leak at or listed below 0.3 cfm/ft ². Tighter is better for humidity control, however make sure your home still has balanced ventilation. Sealing the envelope and ignoring fresh air is a dish for indoor air quality complaints.
Impact windows cost more upfront than shutters. There's no spin around that. Set up costs differ with size, shape, finish, and gain access to. On simple single-family homes, per-opening costs frequently 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 plan to own the property for 5 years or more, the mathematics typically tilts in favor of effect windows, particularly when you factor the intangible of peace of mind. If you plan to offer within a year and require to show compliance rapidly, shutters might make more short-term sense. Context matters.
I focus on hardware and accessories. Multi-point locks on sashes and awnings enhance seal compression and security. For sliders, robust tandem rollers in stainless real estates move smoother and last longer on sandy patio areas. Look at the sill style on moving doors. Weep systems ought to 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 films can contravene of neighborhood watch or produce mirror-like glare toward surrounding homes. In seaside ecosystems, highly reflective glass can puzzle birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Local pros know which coatings balance efficiency with compliance.
Color stability is a big offer. Dark bronze or black frames look wonderful on modern homes, however in Florida sun low-cost finishes chalk and fade. AAMA 2605-rated coatings provide the very best color retention and chalk resistance. I specify them for seaside direct exposures whenever spending plans allow.
Historic districts typically require profiles that imitate old wood sash sightlines. There are impact-rated windows that fit these requirements, but lead times lengthen and costs climb. Expect additional review by architectural boards, and line up a specialist knowledgeable about these submissions.
Condos have another layer of governance. Associations in some cases specify a narrow list of approved items for uniformity. They also care about noise control between units. If your structure sits straight on Collins Opportunity or faces a hectic beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated options. Deal with building management on staging and lift access. Weekend work windows and minimal parking can add days and dollars.
Large openings, like a 16-foot-wide slider, require special attention in design pressure, deflection, and running hardware. Not every unit that looks durable in a display room meets the wind loads on a ninth-floor terrace. Do not depend on brochure optimum sizes. Use the NOA tables that represent your site's zone, favorable and unfavorable pressures, and mullion combinations if any.
ENERGY STAR windowsThe finest jobs start with a measured study and exposure analysis. You map each opening, keep in mind the substrate, and recognize any framing irregularities or settlement fractures. Throughout proposal, the specialist shows you the NOA and the Florida Item 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 remove 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 maintain interior surfaces. New units get dry-fit, shimmed, and anchored per the schedule. The crew checks squareness and diagonals before setting sealant. They photograph anchors for the permit file, particularly if they will be concealed. After glazing, they water-test with a regulated spray to validate drainage paths and seals. The inspector sees a cool jobsite, clear labels, and paperwork in order.
Six months later on, your windows still close with 2 fingers, locks bite efficiently, and there is no mystery rattle during thunderstorms. You did not have to require a roller adjustment after the very first week. That is the standard.
Impact ranking does not equivalent breakproof. Laminated glass can split under serious effects, however it must stay 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 movies do not convert non-impact windows into typhoon impact-resistant windows. They can add shatter resistance, however they do not substitute for a tested, anchored system. Your insurer and building department will not count movies as secured openings.
Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient effect windows decrease air leak. That's terrific, however it increases the significance of an effectively sized HVAC with good dehumidification. If your system is extra-large, the thermostat pleases rapidly and fails to pull enough moisture from the air. Ask your a/c pro ASTM impact testing to inspect reasonable heat ratio, air flow, and run time. You desire steady, longer cycles, not brief bursts.
Maintenance is uncomplicated but not optional. Tidy weep holes on sliders, wash salt spray from frames, and oil hardware annually with a silicone-based product that will not gum up in heat. Little habits extend lifespan.
There are genuine reasons to blend solutions. A pair of hardly ever used garage windows can keep removable panels to shave spending plan. A deep-set deck with minimal sun exposure may do fine with accordion shutters if you focus on other upgrades like a brand-new roofing system deck attachment or a prepared garage door. Shutters can likewise safeguard outside cooking areas or cabana openings where grease and smoke would age expensive hardware prematurely.
If you choose shutters, invest in quality. Stainless fasteners, smooth tracks, and motors with handbook bypasses for roll-downs make a distinction. Assign obligation 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 wish to discover you have 29.
Impact windows are not Low-E impact glass just about surviving the big one. They improve daily living. The living-room remains cooler and quieter. The air conditioning cycles calmly instead 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 typhoon threatens, your preparation list gets much shorter. You lock the sashes, set storm mode on the alarm, and concentrate on individuals instead of panels.
For many of my customers, that intangible is the deciding element. They understand storms will come. They likewise understand life in South Florida is too good to live inside a fortress that only gets up in August. Miami-Dade approved windows offer you both: a clear view of Biscayne Bay on a breezy February early morning and peaceful confidence when the spaghetti designs point our method September.
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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, choose frames that fit the architecture and conditions, and employ a team that respects the load path. Done right, energy‑efficient effect windows provide what shutters can not: defense that never ever requests a ladder and a better home every day of the year.