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 install panels. After two decades defining, installing, and troubleshooting structure envelopes from Secret Largo to Palm Beach, I've seen what holds up and what doesn't. When the objective is genuine security with year-round convenience, Miami-Dade approved, energy‑efficient impact windows outperform shutters in manner ins which go beyond storm day. They change how a home feels in August, how quiet your living-room remains on a Saturday night, and how positive you are when a storm line spins up quicker than predicted.
This is a useful look at why numerous South Florida homeowners are moving from shutters to hurricane impact-resistant windows, how to check out the standards behind "Miami-Dade authorized," what materials matter, and how to get the setup right the first time.

Miami-Dade County's Product Control Department sets one of the most difficult benchmarks in the nation for developing elements exposed to windborne particles. Approval is not a marketing sticker. It is made through particular laboratory tests that replicate real typhoon conditions.
First comes large missile effect. A 9-pound 2x4 is shot at the glass at approximately 34 miles per hour. That mimics roof tiles, branches, or pieces of fencing that fly in the eyewall. After the effect, the very same unit deals with cyclic pressure loading, thousands of pressurization and depressurization cycles that mimic fast wind gusts over hours. If the glass stays in the frame without letting the envelope breach, it passes. The difference in between "meets Florida building regulations windows" and "Miami-Dade authorized windows" typically resides in these test limits. Miami-Dade is simply stiffer, especially in High Speed Cyclone Zone requirements, which include Miami-Dade and Broward.
Wind ratings vary by opening size and design pressures, represented as PSF values. On ocean-facing homes or high-rises, I often define units ranked at +60/ -80 PSF or higher. Inland or in more protected direct exposures, scores in the +45/ -60 PSF range can be enough, however you size and spec based on the site's wind map, constructing 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 contrast. Shutters can satisfy code, and they're better than absolutely nothing. But they ask you to do work at the worst possible time. When a watch turns to a warning and the projection track tightens up, the last thing you want is a ladder, a dead cordless drill, and a missing wing nut.
Impact windows reside in location. You get continuous security, even if a pop-up storm surprises you while you're stuck on US 1. You also get advantages every day of the year.
Noise control is the most underappreciated advantage. Laminated effect glass is basically a sandwich: two panes of glass bonded by a durable interlayer, generally PVB interlayer glass or SentryGlas. That interlayer damps sound. best hurricane proof windows Boca Raton On tasks along busy passages like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight paths, I've determined interior noise drops in the 5 to 10 decibel variety, sometimes more when coupled with insulated glass units.
Security improves because laminated glass resists required entry. A robber can shatter the outer lite with a hammer, however the interlayer holds the shards. They meet a sticky, stubborn membrane instead of a quick path inside. Insurance coverage underwriters know this, which is why policies frequently provide credits for impact doors and windows. In my jobs, premiums typically drop 10 to 25 percent, depending on the carrier and how many openings are protected.
Energy efficiency is the 3rd pillar. Energy-efficient effect windows with contemporary low-E impact glass and warm-edge spacers can cut solar heat gain while protecting noticeable light. That means less air conditioning demand, specifically on west and south direct exposures where the afternoon sun punishes interiors. In one Coral Gables retrofit, we changed 1980s single-pane sliders with laminated low-E impact units. Summer afternoon peak load come by approximately a ton of cooling, and the home's yearly electrical energy usage fell between 12 and 18 percent. Outcomes differ with shading, attic insulation, and heating and cooling performance, but the direction is consistent.
Laminated effect glass is the heart of the system, however not all laminated products are equal.
Most domestic hurricane windows use a PVB interlayer glass stack, typically 0.030 to 0.090 inches thick in single or numerous plies. Thicker interlayers enhance impact resistance and sound control, however they include weight and cost. For oceanfront or high openings, you might see SGP (ionoplast) interlayers, which are stiffer and stronger than PVB, permitting thinner sections to achieve greater design pressures. For noise-sensitive sites, acoustic PVB solutions modify the polymer to much better soak up noise in the 1,000 to 3,000 Hz range, where traffic and voices sit.
Tempered glass windows show up frequently in discussions since tempered glass is stronger in flexing than annealed glass. That holds true, and tempered lites are frequently used as the outer or inner ply in an impact system. But tempered alone is not impact-resistant in the hurricane sense. When it stops working, it takes off into little cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening susceptible. The impact efficiency comes from laminated building and construction, not tempering by itself. Lots of systems use a tempered outer lite laminated to an annealed inner lite, or both tempered, however constantly bonded through a PVB or ionoplast interlayer.
Low-E coverings matter for comfort. A soft-coat low-E tuned for South Florida typically targets a solar heat gain coefficient in the 0.25 to 0.35 range while keeping visible light transmission around 50 percent or greater. Go too low on SHGC and the glass can look gray or green, especially in larger openings. The sweet spot depends on your exterior orientation and shading. On east and west elevations, I often tighten SHGC and accept a minor tint to handle early morning and afternoon blasts. On north elevations, I lean toward higher noticeable transmittance for daylighting.
Frames are the other half of the story. Aluminum frames control here due to the fact that they deal with big openings and will not swell. Thermal breaks and enhanced glazing gaskets have narrowed the energy space with vinyl. Premium vinyl impact frames, when strengthened effectively, can carry out well for standard-sized openings and have better insulating worths, but I prevent them for extremely large sliders or tall storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad units look lovely in older Mediterranean Revival homes, however they require careful upkeep and wise flashing. The Florida sun damages cheap vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum finishes quickly. Look for powder-coated finishes ranked for seaside direct exposure, and demand written service warranty information in salt-air environments.
Window installation can make or break efficiency. An expensive system set up like a handyman swap-out will not pass a storm's stress test. The load path is the essence. Effect forces need to take a trip from the glass through the frame, to the anchors, into the substrate, and then into the structure's framing or masonry.

In cinder block building and construction, you want stainless or hot-dipped galvanized anchors embedded into strong product. Hollow cells should be grouted or you need to strike the bond beam. Tapcons in soft, unfilled block are a failure waiting to occur. In wood-framed houses, structural screws need to bite into solid trimmers, not just sheathing. Shimming and plumb positioning matter so the locks engage easily and the weatherstripping compresses evenly.
The sealant joint is not just visual. An effectively sized backer rod and top quality polyurethane or silyl-modified polymer sealant create a resilient, versatile seal that manages thermal expansion. Too little a bead and it tears under motion. Too big and it treatments improperly. On seaside jobs, I never ever match different metals without a barrier, and I always specify corrosion-resistant fasteners. Ten years later, you will see who took shortcuts.
Flashing is the other non-negotiable. Pan flashing at sills, self-adhered membranes at jambs and heads, and integration with the water-resistive barrier are essential. If you count on sealant alone, water will find its method. That moisture might not show up as a drip. It might rot a sill plate gradually, then betray itself as a buckling floor or a moldy odor two hurricane seasons later.
I have nothing versus properly designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are preserved and oiled, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even detachable panels kept thoroughly can secure homes effectively. They also assist in specific cases.
Second homes or seasonal leasings where budget plan is tight in some cases lean on shutters to meet the Florida building code windows requirement for secured openings. On specialized openings like a lanai that is hardly ever utilized in summer season, a tidy motorized roll-down can be reasonable, especially if coupling with impact windows and doors somewhere else stresses the spending plan. For property owners who prepare to move within a year, shutters can be a short bridge to compliance before a sale.
But shutters bring trade-offs. They darken your house when deployed, and they need action at Boca Raton hurricane window installation specifically the time you are handling insurance coverage documents, gas cans, and family logistics. During Typhoon Irma, I enjoyed a neighbor attempt to mount steel panels hours before landfall. The ladder sank in saturated soil, a panel slipped, and we spent the next hour in the urgent care waiting space. He endured with stitches. His living room window did not. Shutters also rattle and can vibrate under sustained winds, in some cases loosening fasteners with time if not maintained.
For long-term owners who wish to set it and forget it, effect windows provide hurricane proof windows coverage while preserving daylight and view. The convenience grows important once you have actually experienced one storm season with zero prep beyond locking the sash.
South Florida homes fight 2 fights: hidden load from humidity and sensible load from direct solar heat gain. Impact glass upgrades can help both if specified intelligently.
Low-E impact glass uses microscopically thin metallic layers to show infrared energy while letting visible light through. With the best coating stacks, you can obstruct a big part of convected heat and UV. UV obstruction in laminated systems comes mainly from the interlayer itself, which usually filters 95 to 99 percent of UV, reducing fading of materials and flooring. Include the low-E, and you curb the solar heat that drives your a/c insane midafternoon.
I evaluate glass specs with three numbers: U-factor, SHGC, and VT. While U-factor matters more up north, it still helps here by reducing nighttime heat flow and keeping the interior glass temperature level closer to room temperature, which lowers condensation threat. SHGC drives how much solar heat goes into. VT influences how brilliant the interior feels. Balance is essential. Some homeowners want the crisp, clear look of greater VT, even if it suggests accepting a couple of degrees more heat in late afternoon, because their landscaping and roofing overhangs currently do some shading. Others choose a more powerful tint for glare control on waterside lots that show harsh 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 outside surfaces, and a properly sized variable-speed HVAC, and you begin to build durability. If the grid goes down and you switch to a generator, a lower cooling load suggests a smaller generator and less gallons of fuel.
Miami-Dade Notification of Acceptance, or NOA, is the document you request. It information the authorized configurations, sizes, anchors, and pressures checked. It is inadequate to hear "these are Miami-Dade approved windows" in a showroom. Verify the NOA matches the precise design and choices you are buying, including the glazing makeup and hardware. If you are in Broward or Miami-Dade, your permitting workplace 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 code windows can depend on Florida Item Approval without Miami-Dade particular NOAs. Many top manufacturers bring both. Where spending plans allow, I choose NOA products even outside the zone due to the fact that the testing is stiffer.
NFRC labels manage energy metrics. They will not tell you impact efficiency, but they show U-factor, SHGC, VT, and air leakage. Aim for air leak at or below 0.3 cfm/ft ². Tighter is better for humidity control, however make sure your home still has actually 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. Installed costs vary with size, shape, finish, and gain access to. On straightforward single-family homes, per-opening costs frequently land between 1,200 and 3,000 dollars for basic sizes. Large multi-panel sliders, customized arches, and coastal-grade surfaces raise the numbers quickly.
Where you recoup worth:
If you prepare to own the home for five years or more, the math often tilts in favor of effect windows, particularly when you factor the intangible of assurance. If you prepare to sell within a year and require to show compliance rapidly, shutters might make more short-term sense. Context matters.
I take note of hardware and devices. Multi-point locks on sashes and awnings enhance seal compression and security. For sliders, robust tandem rollers in stainless housings slide smoother and last longer on sandy outdoor patios. Take a look at the sill design on sliding doors. Weep systems should 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 fashion. Reflective films can run afoul of neighborhood watch or produce mirror-like glare towards surrounding homes. In coastal environments, highly reflective glass can puzzle birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Regional pros know which coatings balance efficiency with compliance.
Color stability is a huge offer. Dark bronze or black frames look wonderful on modern homes, but in Florida sun inexpensive surfaces chalk and fade. AAMA 2605-rated coverings supply the very best color retention and chalk resistance. I define them for seaside exposures whenever budget plans allow.
Historic districts frequently 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 additional evaluation by architectural boards, and line up a contractor acquainted with these submissions.
Condos have another layer of governance. Associations sometimes specify a narrow list of authorized products for uniformity. They likewise care about sound control between units. If your structure sits straight on Collins Avenue or deals with a busy beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated options. Work with structure 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 operating hardware. Not every unit that looks durable in a display room fulfills the wind loads on a ninth-floor veranda. Do not depend on catalog maximum sizes. Utilize the NOA tables that represent your site's zone, favorable and unfavorable pressures, and mullion combinations if any.
The finest projects start with a measured study and direct exposure analysis. You map each opening, keep in mind the substrate, and identify any framing abnormalities or settlement fractures. Throughout proposition, the professional shows you the NOA and the Florida Item Approval, notes 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 eliminate one opening at a time to keep the house safe. They safeguard floorings, draw back window treatments, and cap sprinklers. Old frames bring out care to protect interior surfaces. New units get dry-fit, shimmed, and anchored per the schedule. The crew checks squareness and diagonals before setting sealant. They picture anchors for the license file, specifically if they will be concealed. After glazing, they water-test with a controlled spray to validate drain courses and seals. The inspector sees a cool jobsite, clear labels, and paperwork in order.
Six months later on, your windows still close with two fingers, locks bite smoothly, and there is no secret rattle during thunderstorms. You did not need to call for a roller modification after the first week. That is the standard.
Impact ranking does not equivalent breakproof. Laminated glass can break under severe impacts, however it ought to stay in the frame and hold together. After a storm that sends out particles into the glass, you might see star cracks or spidering. The window did its task. Replace the sash or IGU after the event.
Window films do not transform non-impact windows into hurricane impact-resistant windows. They can include shatter resistance, but they do not substitute for an evaluated, anchored system. Your insurance company and structure department will not count films as safeguarded openings.
Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient impact windows decrease air leakage. That's terrific, however it increases the importance of a correctly sized a/c with good dehumidification. If your system is oversized, the thermostat pleases rapidly and fails to pull enough moisture from the air. Ask your HVAC pro to examine reasonable heat ratio, air flow, and run time. You desire consistent, longer cycles, not brief bursts.
Maintenance is straightforward however not optional. Clean weep holes on sliders, wash salt spray from frames, and lubricate hardware each year with a silicone-based product that will not gum up in heat. Little practices extend lifespan.
There are legitimate reasons to blend solutions. A pair of rarely utilized garage windows can keep detachable panels to shave budget. A deep-set patio with very little sun exposure may do great with accordion shutters if you focus on other upgrades like a new roofing system deck attachment or a fortified garage door. Shutters can also protect outdoor kitchen areas or cabana openings where grease and smoke would age expensive hardware prematurely.
If you pick shutters, buy quality. Stainless fasteners, smooth tracks, and motors with handbook bypasses for roll-downs make a distinction. Designate duty for deployment and practice when outside of a storm watch. Inventory your hardware. The day you need 32 wing nuts is not the early morning you wish to find 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 air conditioning cycles calmly rather 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 typhoon threatens, your preparation list gets shorter. You lock the sashes, set storm mode on the alarm, and focus on people rather than panels.
For much of my clients, that intangible is the choosing factor. They understand storms will come. They likewise understand life in South Florida is too excellent to live inside a fortress that just awakens in August. Miami-Dade approved 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 choice, begin with a site-specific evaluation. Match your direct exposures to develop pressures, select the best laminated glass stack for wind and heat, select frames that fit the architecture and conditions, and work with a team that appreciates the load course. Done right, energy‑efficient effect windows provide what shutters can not: defense that never ever requests for a ladder and a much better home every day of the year.