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 transporting ladders to install panels. After 20 years defining, installing, and fixing building envelopes from Key Largo to Palm Beach, I've seen what holds up and what does not. When the objective is genuine defense with year-round comfort, Miami-Dade approved, energy‑efficient impact windows exceed shutters in manner ins which surpass storm day. They change how a home 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 useful take a look at why lots of South Florida homeowners are moving from shutters to cyclone impact-resistant windows, how to check out the standards behind "Miami-Dade authorized," what products matter, and how to get the installation right the first time.
Miami-Dade County's Item Control Division sets one of the hardest criteria in the country for building parts exposed to windborne debris. Approval is not a marketing sticker. It is earned through particular lab tests that imitate genuine hurricane conditions.
First comes big missile impact. A 9-pound 2x4 is contended the glass at approximately 34 miles per hour. That simulates roofing system 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 mimic quick wind gusts over hours. If the glass remains in the frame without letting the envelope breach, it passes. The distinction between "meets Florida building regulations windows" and "Miami-Dade approved windows" often resides in these test thresholds. Miami-Dade is just stiffer, especially in High Velocity Hurricane Zone requirements, which include Miami-Dade and Broward.
Wind ratings differ by opening size and style pressures, represented as PSF worths. On ocean-facing properties or high-rises, I frequently specify systems rated at +60/ -80 PSF or higher. Inland or in more safeguarded exposures, rankings in the +45/ -60 PSF variety can suffice, however you size and spec based on the site's wind map, building height, and surrounding structures. An expert knows that a corner direct exposure at the second story needs various support than a sheltered window under a deep porch.
Hurricane shutters vs effect windows is not a one-to-one contrast. Shutters can fulfill code, and they're much better than nothing. But they ask you to do work at the worst possible time. When a watch turns to a warning and the forecast track tightens up, the last thing you desire is a ladder, a dead cordless drill, and a missing wing nut.
Impact windows reside in location. You get continuous 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 advantage. Laminated effect glass is essentially a sandwich: 2 panes of glass bonded by a durable interlayer, generally PVB interlayer glass or SentryGlas. That interlayer damps noise. On tasks along busy corridors like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight paths, I have actually determined interior noise drops in the 5 to 10 decibel range, in some cases more when coupled with insulated glass units.
Security enhances because laminated glass resists forced Impact resistant glass entry. An intruder can shatter the outer lite with a hammer, but the interlayer holds the shards. They satisfy a sticky, stubborn membrane instead of a quick path inside. Insurance coverage underwriters know this, which is why policies often provide credits for impact windows and doors. In my projects, premiums normally drop 10 to 25 percent, depending on the provider and the number of openings are protected.
Energy performance is the 3rd pillar. Energy-efficient impact windows with modern-day low-E effect glass and warm-edge spacers can cut solar heat gain while maintaining visible light. That indicates less cooling demand, specifically on west and south exposures where the afternoon sun punishes interiors. In one Coral Gables retrofit, we changed 1980s single-pane sliders with laminated low-E impact systems. Summertime afternoon peak load dropped by approximately a lots of cooling, and the home's annual electricity usage fell in between 12 and 18 percent. Results differ with shading, attic insulation, and HVAC efficiency, but the instructions is consistent.
Laminated impact glass is the heart of the system, however not all laminated products are equal.
Most domestic hurricane windows use a PVB interlayer glass stack, commonly 0.030 to 0.090 inches thick in single or multiple plies. Thicker interlayers improve effect resistance and sound control, however they include weight and cost. For oceanfront or high openings, you may see SGP (ionoplast) interlayers, which are stiffer and more powerful than PVB, permitting thinner areas to accomplish greater design pressures. For noise-sensitive sites, acoustic PVB formulas fine-tune the polymer to much better take in sound in the 1,000 to 3,000 Hz range, where traffic and voices sit.
Tempered glass windows show up often in conversations due to the fact that tempered glass is more powerful in bending than annealed glass. That's true, and tempered lites are typically utilized as the external or inner ply in an impact system. However tempered alone is not impact-resistant in the typhoon sense. When it stops working, it explodes into small cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening vulnerable. The impact performance originates from laminated building and construction, not tempering by itself. Numerous 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 comfort. A soft-coat low-E tuned for South Florida typically targets a solar heat gain coefficient in the 0.25 to 0.35 variety while keeping visible light transmission around half or higher. Go too low on SHGC and the glass can look gray or green, specifically in bigger openings. The sweet area depends on your façade orientation and shading. On east and west elevations, I often tighten SHGC and accept a slight tint to handle early morning and afternoon blasts. On north elevations, I favor greater noticeable transmittance for daylighting.
Frames are the other half of the story. Aluminum frames control here since they manage big openings and won't swell. Thermal breaks and improved glazing gaskets have actually narrowed the energy gap with vinyl. Top quality vinyl effect frames, when reinforced correctly, can carry out well for standard-sized openings and have much better insulating values, but I avoid them for really broad sliders or tall storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad systems look lovely in older Mediterranean Revival homes, however they require careful upkeep and smart flashing. The Florida sun destroys inexpensive vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum finishes rapidly. Try to find powder-coated surfaces ranked for seaside direct exposure, and demand composed service warranty details in salt-air environments.
Window installation can make or break efficiency. A costly system installed like a handyman swap-out will not pass a storm's tension test. The load course is the essence. Effect forces have to take a trip 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 building, you desire stainless or hot-dipped galvanized anchors embedded into solid material. Hollow cells should be grouted or you need to hit the bond beam. Tapcons in soft, unfilled block are a failure waiting to take place. In wood-framed homes, structural screws must bite into strong trimmers, not just sheathing. Shimming and plumb alignment matter so the locks engage easily and the weatherstripping compresses evenly.
The sealant joint is not just aesthetic. A properly sized backer rod and premium polyurethane or silyl-modified polymer sealant create a long lasting, versatile seal that manages thermal expansion. Too little a bead and it tears under motion. Too huge and it cures poorly. On seaside jobs, I never ever pair different metals without a barrier, and I always specify corrosion-resistant fasteners. Ten 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 important. If you count on sealant alone, water will find its way in. That moisture may not show up as a drip. It might rot a sill plate slowly, then betray itself as a buckling flooring or a musty odor two typhoon seasons later.
I have nothing versus properly designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are maintained and oiled, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even detachable panels saved carefully can protect homes effectively. They likewise help in particular cases.
Second homes or seasonal rentals where spending 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 summer season, a clean motorized roll-down can be reasonable, especially if coupling with effect doors and windows somewhere else stresses the budget plan. For house owners who prepare to move within a year, shutters can be a brief bridge to compliance before a sale.
But shutters bring trade-offs. They darken your house when deployed, and they need action at precisely the time you are handling insurance coverage documents, gas cans, and family logistics. During Cyclone 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 in time if not maintained.
For long-term owners who wish to set it and forget it, effect windows offer cyclone proof windows coverage while maintaining daylight and view. The convenience grows valuable once you have actually experienced one storm season with zero prep beyond locking the sash.
South Florida homes combat two fights: latent load from humidity and sensible load from direct solar heat gain. Effect glass upgrades can help both if defined intelligently.
Low-E effect glass uses microscopically thin metallic layers to show infrared energy while letting visible light through. With the best covering stacks, you can block a large part of radiant heat and UV. UV blockage in laminated units comes mainly from the interlayer itself, which typically filters 95 to 99 percent of UV, lowering fading of fabrics and floor low-E impact glass covering. Add the low-E, and you curb the solar heat that drives your air conditioning crazy midafternoon.
I assess glass specs with 3 numbers: U-factor, SHGC, and VT. While U-factor matters more up north, it still helps here by lowering nighttime heat circulation and keeping the interior glass temperature closer to space temperature, which decreases condensation threat. SHGC drives just how much solar heat goes into. VT influences how bright the interior feels. Balance is key. Some homeowners want the crisp, clear appearance of higher VT, even if it indicates accepting a couple of degrees more heat UV blocking glass in late afternoon, due to the fact that their landscaping and roofing overhangs already do some shading. Others choose a stronger tint for glare control on waterside lots that reflect 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 50 percent on the most exposed sides. Couple that with tuned overhangs, light-colored outside surfaces, and an appropriately insurance discounts for impact windows sized variable-speed a/c, and you start to develop strength. If the grid goes down and you switch to a generator, a lower cooling load implies a smaller generator and fewer gallons of fuel.
Miami-Dade Notification of Approval, or NOA, is the document you ask for. It details the approved configurations, sizes, anchors, and pressures evaluated. It is insufficient to hear "these are Miami-Dade approved windows" in a display room. Validate the NOA matches the exact model 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 provides FL numbers that reveal 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. Lots of leading makers bring both. Where budget plans allow, I prefer NOA items even outside the zone since the screening is stiffer.
NFRC labels manage energy metrics. They won't inform you impact performance, however they reveal U-factor, SHGC, VT, and air leakage. Go for air leakage at or below 0.3 cfm/ft TWO. Tighter is much better for humidity control, however make certain your home still has stabilized 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 expenses differ with size, shape, surface, and gain access to. On straightforward single-family homes, per-opening expenses frequently land between 1,200 and 3,000 dollars for standard sizes. Big multi-panel sliders, custom arches, and coastal-grade surfaces raise the numbers quickly.
Where you recover value:
If you plan to own the home for five years or more, the math frequently tilts in favor of impact windows, especially when you factor the intangible of comfort. If you plan to impact-resistant windows offer within a year and need to show compliance rapidly, shutters might make more short-term sense. Context matters.
I take notice 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 slide smoother and last longer on sandy outdoor patios. Take a look at the sill design on moving doors. Weep systems must be crafted to drain pipes heavy rainfall without letting wind-driven water blow back in. Ask to see a cutaway sample in the showroom.

Tint colors and reflectivity are more than style. Reflective movies can run afoul of neighborhood associations or produce mirror-like glare toward neighboring properties. In coastal communities, highly reflective glass can confuse birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Regional pros know which coverings balance performance with compliance.
Color stability is a big offer. Dark bronze or black frames look fantastic on contemporary homes, but 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 frequently need profiles that simulate old wood sash sightlines. There are impact-rated windows that fit these requirements, but lead times extend and costs climb. Expect extra review by architectural boards, and line up a contractor knowledgeable about these submissions.
Condos have another layer of governance. Associations often define a narrow list of authorized items for uniformity. They also care about sound control in between units. If your structure sits directly on Collins Opportunity or deals with a busy beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated alternatives. Work with structure management on staging and lift access. Weekend work windows and limited parking can add days and dollars.
Large openings, like a 16-foot-wide slider, need unique attention in style pressure, deflection, and running hardware. Not every unit that looks strong in a showroom satisfies the wind loads on a ninth-floor terrace. Do not depend on brochure optimum sizes. Use the NOA tables that represent your website's zone, positive and negative pressures, and mullion combinations if any.
The best jobs begin with a measured survey and direct exposure analysis. You map each opening, keep in mind the substrate, and recognize any framing abnormalities or settlement fractures. Throughout proposition, the contractor reveals you the NOA and the Florida Item Approval, lists anchor types, and describes how each opening will be flashed and sealed. They prepare for stucco or drywall repair work, not pretend no damage will occur.
On install day, they eliminate one opening at a time to keep your house secure. They secure floorings, draw back window treatments, and cap sprinklers. Old frames bring out care to protect interior surfaces. 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 permit file, especially if they will be concealed. After glazing, they water-test with a regulated spray to confirm drainage courses and seals. The inspector sees a cool jobsite, clear labels, and documents in order.
Six months later on, your windows still close with two fingers, locks bite smoothly, and there is no mystery rattle throughout thunderstorms. You did not have to call for a roller adjustment after the very first week. That is the standard.
Impact score does not equivalent breakproof. Laminated glass can break under severe effects, but it must stay in the frame and hold together. After a storm that sends debris into the glass, you might see star fractures or spidering. The window did its task. Change the sash or IGU after the event.
Window films do not convert non-impact windows into typhoon impact-resistant windows. They can add shatter resistance, but they do not replacement for a checked, anchored system. Your insurer and building department will not count films as secured openings.

Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient effect windows minimize air leakage. That's great, however it increases the value of a correctly sized a/c with great dehumidification. If your system is large, the thermostat satisfies quickly and stops working to pull enough moisture from the air. Ask your HVAC pro to inspect practical heat ratio, airflow, and run time. You desire constant, longer cycles, not brief bursts.
Maintenance is uncomplicated however not optional. Clean weep holes on sliders, wash salt spray from frames, and oil hardware every year with a silicone-based item that will not gum up in heat. Small routines extend lifespan.
There are legitimate reasons to mix services. A pair of rarely used garage windows can keep removable panels to shave budget. A deep-set patio with very little sun direct exposure may do fine with accordion shutters if you focus on other upgrades like a brand-new roofing deck accessory or a prepared garage door. Shutters can likewise safeguard outdoor kitchen areas or cabana openings where grease and smoke would age expensive hardware prematurely.
If you choose shutters, purchase quality. Stainless fasteners, smooth tracks, and motors with manual overrides for roll-downs make a difference. Appoint responsibility for release and practice as soon as beyond a storm watch. Inventory your hardware. The day you require 32 wing nuts is not the morning you want to discover you have 29.
Impact windows are not only about enduring the huge one. They improve daily living. The living-room stays 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 hurricane threatens, your preparation list gets shorter. You lock the sashes, set storm mode on the alarm, and concentrate on individuals instead of panels.
For a lot of my customers, that intangible is the choosing aspect. They understand storms will come. They likewise know life in South Florida is too good to live inside a fortress that only awakens in August. Miami-Dade authorized windows provide you both: a clear view of Biscayne Bay on a breezy February early morning and peaceful self-confidence when the spaghetti models point our method September.
If you are weighing the choice, start with a site-specific assessment. Match your direct exposures to design pressures, select the right laminated glass stack for wind and heat, select frames that fit the architecture and conditions, and hire a team that appreciates the load course. Done right, energy‑efficient impact windows provide what shutters can not: defense that never requests a ladder and a better home every day of the year.