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 next-door neighbors track tropical waves, the pre-storm rush to stockpile, and the routine of hauling ladders to install panels. After two decades defining, installing, and fixing structure envelopes from Key Largo to Palm Beach, I have actually seen what holds up and what does not. When the objective is genuine protection with year-round convenience, Miami-Dade authorized, energy‑efficient impact windows outperform shutters in ways that surpass storm day. They change how a home 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 useful take a look at why numerous South Florida house owners are moving from shutters to cyclone 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 Item Control Department sets one of the most difficult standards in the country for developing parts exposed to windborne debris. Approval is not a marketing sticker label. It is earned through specific lab tests that imitate real hurricane conditions.
First comes big rocket effect. A 9-pound 2x4 is contended the glass at approximately 34 miles per hour. That mimics roofing 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 fast wind gusts over hours. If the glass remains in the frame without letting the envelope breach, it passes. The difference between "meets Florida building code windows" and "Miami-Dade authorized windows" frequently resides in these test limits. Miami-Dade is just stiffer, especially in High Velocity Cyclone Zone requirements, that include Miami-Dade and Broward.
Wind ratings differ by opening size and style pressures, signified as PSF worths. On ocean-facing residential or commercial properties or high-rises, I often define units ranked at +60/ -80 PSF or greater. Inland or in more secured direct exposures, scores in the +45/ -60 PSF range can be sufficient, however you size and specification based upon the site's wind map, building height, and surrounding structures. A professional knows that a corner exposure at the 2nd story needs various support than a protected window under a deep porch.
Hurricane shutters vs effect windows is not a one-to-one comparison. Shutters can fulfill 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 caution and the projection track tightens up, the last thing you want is a ladder, Florida Building Code compliant windows a dead cordless drill, and a missing wing nut.
Impact windows reside in place. You get constant protection, 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 impact glass is basically a sandwich: 2 panes of glass bonded by a durable interlayer, generally PVB interlayer glass or SentryGlas. That interlayer damps sound. On tasks along busy corridors like Biscayne Boulevard or near flight paths, I have actually measured interior sound drops in the 5 to 10 decibel range, in some cases more when paired with insulated glass units.
Security enhances since laminated glass resists forced entry. A burglar can shatter the external lite with a hammer, however the interlayer holds the fragments. They meet a sticky, stubborn membrane instead of a quick course inside. Insurance underwriters understand this, which is why policies typically use credits for effect doors and windows. In my projects, premiums normally drop 10 to 25 percent, depending upon the carrier and how many openings are protected.
Energy efficiency is the third pillar. Energy-efficient impact windows with contemporary low-E impact glass and warm-edge spacers can cut solar heat gain while preserving noticeable light. That implies less air conditioning demand, 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 units. Summer season afternoon peak load come by approximately a ton of cooling, and the home's annual electricity usage fell between 12 and 18 percent. Results vary with shading, attic insulation, and a/c performance, but the instructions is consistent.
Laminated effect glass is the heart of the system, but not all laminated items are equal.
Most residential hurricane windows use 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, however they add weight and expense. For oceanfront or tall openings, you might see SGP (ionoplast) interlayers, which are stiffer and stronger than PVB, permitting thinner areas to achieve higher design pressures. For noise-sensitive websites, acoustic PVB solutions fine-tune the polymer to much better absorb noise in the 1,000 to 3,000 Hz variety, where traffic and voices sit.
Tempered glass windows show up often in discussions because tempered glass is more powerful in flexing than annealed glass. That holds true, and tempered lites are frequently utilized as the external or inner ply in an effect system. But tempered alone is not impact-resistant in the cyclone sense. When it fails, it blows up into little cubes and falls out of the frame, which leaves the opening vulnerable. The impact performance comes from laminated construction, not tempering by itself. Many systems utilize a tempered external lite laminated to a hardened inner lite, or both tempered, however always bonded through a PVB or ionoplast interlayer.
Low-E coverings matter for convenience. 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 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 upon your exterior orientation and shading. On east and west elevations, I frequently tighten SHGC and accept a slight tint to manage morning and afternoon blasts. On north elevations, I favor greater visible transmittance for daylighting.
Frames are the other half of the story. Aluminum frames dominate here because they manage large openings and won't swell. Thermal breaks and improved glazing gaskets have actually narrowed the energy gap with vinyl. High-quality vinyl effect frames, when reinforced appropriately, can perform well for standard-sized openings and have much better insulating worths, however I avoid them for extremely large sliders or tall storefront-style windows in high-wind zones. Wood-clad systems look stunning in older Mediterranean Revival homes, however they demand careful maintenance and smart flashing. The Florida sun damages inexpensive vinyl and chalks low-grade aluminum surfaces rapidly. Try to find powder-coated surfaces ranked for coastal direct exposure, and request written guarantee information in salt-air environments.
Window installation can make or break performance. A costly system set up like a handyman swap-out will not pass a storm's stress 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 after that into the structure's framing or masonry.
In concrete block construction, you desire 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 homes, structural screws must bite into solid trimmers, not simply sheathing. Shimming and plumb alignment matter so the locks engage cleanly and the weatherstripping compresses evenly.
The sealant joint is not simply visual. An effectively sized backer rod and high-quality polyurethane or silyl-modified polymer sealant create a resilient, versatile seal that handles thermal expansion. Too small a bead and it tears under movement. Too huge and it treatments inadequately. On coastal jobs, I never ever match different metals without a barrier, and I always specify corrosion-resistant fasteners. 10 years later on, you will see who took shortcuts.
Flashing is the other non-negotiable. Pan flashing at sills, self-adhered membranes at jambs and heads, and integration with the water-resistive barrier are essential. If you count on sealant alone, water will find its way in. That moisture may not show up as a drip. It may rot a sill plate gradually, then betray itself as a buckling floor or a moldy smell 2 hurricane seasons later.
I have nothing versus well-designed shutters. Accordion shutters that are maintained and lubricated, roll-down shutters with battery backups, and even detachable panels kept carefully can safeguard homes efficiently. They likewise help in particular cases.
Second homes or seasonal rentals where spending plan is tight often lean on shutters to meet the Florida building code windows requirement for secured openings. On specialized openings like a lanai that is hardly ever used in summer season, a tidy motorized roll-down can be reasonable, particularly if pairing with impact windows and doors somewhere else worries the budget. For house owners who prepare to move within a year, shutters can be a short bridge to compliance before a sale.
But shutters bring trade-offs. They darken your home when deployed, and they need action at specifically the time you are managing insurance papers, gas cans, and household logistics. Throughout Cyclone Irma, I watched 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 urgent care waiting room. He made it through with stitches. His living-room window did not. Shutters likewise rattle and can vibrate under sustained winds, in some cases loosening up fasteners over time if not maintained.
For long-lasting owners who wish to set it and forget it, effect windows give hurricane proof windows protection while maintaining daylight and view. The convenience grows valuable once you've experienced one storm season with no prep beyond locking the sash.

South Florida homes combat 2 battles: latent load from humidity and sensible load from direct solar heat gain. Effect glass upgrades can help both if defined intelligently.
Low-E impact glass utilizes microscopically thin metallic layers to reflect infrared energy while letting visible light through. With the best finish stacks, you can block a big part of radiant heat and UV. UV obstruction in laminated systems comes mainly from the interlayer itself, which usually filters 95 to 99 percent of UV, lowering fading of fabrics and floor covering. Include the low-E, and you suppress the solar heat that drives your air conditioner 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 lowering nighttime heat circulation and keeping the interior glass temperature closer to room temperature level, which lowers condensation risk. SHGC drives just how much solar heat enters. VT affects how intense the interior feels. Balance is essential. Some homeowners want the crisp, clear look of higher VT, even if it indicates accepting a couple of degrees more heat in late afternoon, since their landscaping and roofing system overhangs already do some shading. Others prefer 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 systems can decrease peak solar gains by 30 to half on the most exposed sides. Couple that with tuned overhangs, light-colored exterior finishes, and a properly sized variable-speed heating and cooling, and you begin to develop durability. If the grid decreases and you switch to a generator, a lower cooling load indicates a smaller sized generator and less gallons of fuel.
Miami-Dade Notice of Approval, or NOA, is the document you request. It details the approved configurations, sizes, anchors, and pressures evaluated. It is inadequate to hear "these are Miami-Dade authorized windows" in a showroom. Verify the NOA matches the precise design and alternatives you are purchasing, 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 offers FL numbers that reveal code compliance. In the remainder of the state outside the High Speed Hurricane Zone, Florida building code windows can depend on Florida Product Approval without Miami-Dade specific NOAs. Many top producers bring both. Where budget plans allow, I prefer NOA items even outside the zone due to the fact that the testing is stiffer.
NFRC labels deal with energy metrics. They will not inform you impact performance, but they show U-factor, SHGC, VT, and air leak. Go for air leak at or listed below 0.3 cfm/ft ². 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 in advance than shutters. There's no spin around that. Set up expenses differ with size, shape, surface, and gain access to. On uncomplicated single-family homes, per-opening expenses typically land between 1,200 and 3,000 dollars for basic sizes. Large multi-panel sliders, customized arches, and coastal-grade finishes raise the numbers quickly.
Where you recover worth:
If you plan to own the residential or commercial property for five years or more, the mathematics often tilts in favor of effect windows, particularly when you factor the intangible of assurance. If you prepare to sell 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 enhance seal compression and security. For sliders, robust tandem rollers in stainless housings glide smoother and last longer on sandy outdoor patios. Look at the sill style on moving doors. Weep systems need to 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 contravene of neighborhood watch or produce mirror-like glare toward neighboring homes. In coastal communities, highly reflective glass can puzzle birds or sea turtles in some jurisdictions. Regional pros know which finishes balance performance with compliance.
Color stability is a big offer. Dark bronze or black frames look great on modern-day homes, but in Florida sun low-cost surfaces chalk and fade. AAMA 2605-rated finishes offer the very best color retention and chalk resistance. I define them for coastal direct exposures whenever budgets allow.
Historic districts often require profiles that mimic old wood sash sightlines. There are impact-rated windows that fit these requirements, but lead times extend and costs climb. Anticipate extra review by architectural boards, and line up a contractor knowledgeable about these submissions.
Condos have another layer of governance. Associations often specify a narrow list of approved items for harmony. They likewise appreciate sound control between units. If your structure sits straight on Collins Opportunity or deals with a hectic beach boardwalk, push for acoustic laminated choices. Work with building management on staging and lift access. Weekend work windows and restricted parking can include days and dollars.
Large openings, like a 16-foot-wide slider, require unique attention in style pressure, deflection, and operating hardware. Not every unit that looks sturdy in a display room fulfills the wind loads on a ninth-floor balcony. Do not count on brochure optimum sizes. Use the NOA tables that represent your site's zone, favorable and unfavorable pressures, and mullion combinations if any.
The finest tasks begin with a measured survey and direct exposure analysis. You map each opening, keep in mind the substrate, and identify any framing abnormalities or settlement cracks. During proposition, the contractor reveals you the NOA and the Florida Product Approval, notes anchor types, and discusses how each opening will be flashed and sealed. They prepare for stucco or drywall repairs, not pretend no damage will occur.
On install day, they get rid of one opening at a time to keep your house safe. They secure floorings, draw back window treatments, and cap sprinklers. Old frames come out with care to preserve interior finishes. New systems get dry-fit, shimmed, and anchored per the schedule. The crew checks squareness and diagonals before setting sealant. They picture anchors for the license file, especially if they will be hidden. After glazing, they water-test with a regulated spray to validate drainage paths and seals. The inspector sees a cool jobsite, clear labels, and documentation in order.
Six months later, your windows still close with 2 fingers, locks bite smoothly, and there is no secret rattle throughout thunderstorms. You did not need to call for a roller modification after the very first week. That is the standard.
Impact ranking does not equal breakproof. Laminated glass can break under serious effects, however it should remain in the frame and hold together. After a storm that sends out particles into the glass, you may see star cracks or spidering. The window did its task. Replace the sash or IGU after the event.
Window movies 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 insurer and structure department will not count films as secured openings.
Interior humidity matters. Tight, energy-efficient effect windows lower air leakage. That's excellent, however it increases the importance of an appropriately sized heating and cooling with good dehumidification. If your system is extra-large, the thermostat pleases quickly and fails to pull enough moisture from the air. Ask your heating and cooling pro to examine reasonable heat ratio, air flow, and run time. You want stable, longer cycles, not short bursts.
Maintenance is straightforward but not optional. Clean weep holes on sliders, wash salt spray from frames, and lube hardware each year with a silicone-based item that will not gum up in heat. Little habits extend lifespan.
There are legitimate factors to mix options. A pair of hardly ever used garage windows can keep removable panels to shave budget. A deep-set deck with very little sun exposure may do great with accordion shutters if you prioritize other upgrades like a brand-new roofing deck accessory or a fortified garage door. Shutters can also secure outdoor kitchens or cabana openings where grease and smoke would age elegant hardware prematurely.
If you select shutters, invest in quality. Stainless fasteners, smooth tracks, and motors with handbook bypasses for roll-downs make a difference. Designate duty for implementation and practice as soon as outside of a storm watch. Inventory your hardware. The day you need 32 wing nuts is not the morning you wish to find you have 29.

Impact windows are not only about surviving the huge one. They improve daily living. The living-room remains cooler and quieter. The a/c 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 hurricane threatens, your preparation list gets shorter. You lock the sashes, set storm mode on the alarm, and focus on people rather than panels.
For a lot of my clients, that intangible is the choosing factor. They know storms will come. They likewise understand life in insurance discount impact windows South Florida is too excellent to live inside a fortress that only gets up in August. Miami-Dade authorized windows give you both: a clear view of Biscayne Bay on a breezy February morning and quiet confidence when the spaghetti designs point our way in September.
If you are weighing the choice, start with a site-specific assessment. 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 crew that appreciates the load course. Done right, energy‑efficient impact windows deliver what shutters can not: protection that never requests a ladder and a much better home every day of the year.