post

The Florida Building Code (FBC) requires homes and buildings to have an additional level of protection against strong winds brought about by hurricane-level storms. The building code recommends using high-impact, hurricane resistant windows and doors to prevent water and flying debris from piercing through. Using these fixtures is also a wise choice to save money down the line.

What Makes Impact Windows Hurricane Resistant?

Hurricane resistant windows, impact-resistant windows, high impact windows, high impact storm windows, or hurricane impact windows – however way you call them, they all protect your home. They are designed to endure hurricane winds of up to 200 mph. But what makes them do that? Hurricane resistant windows are equipped with two or three layers of tempered glass held together by a polymer material. Because of this, they don’t shatter and break down into shards of glass that can be dangerous to the people inside the home. Instead, they break into a spiderweb-like pattern. Thus, impact windows protect your family from broken glass and the elements from outside.

Things You Can Save Money on When You Install Hurricane Resistant Windows and Doors

Reduced Insurance Premiums

If you live in Florida, you know how devastating the effects of a hurricane can be. Home repair work is costly depending on what category and the extent of damage each can cause. Thankfully, part of the provision of FBC requires insurance agencies to offer discounts or reduced insurance premiums to homes that installed additional protection.Such a requirement is stated in Florida Statute 627.0628. Several wind mitigation items are included in the statute, including:

• Building or roof shapes that are more resistant to strong winds
• Roofing materials that protect a home from wind and rain
• Doors and windows that withstand high wind loads and projectiles
• Special products that protect the walls or roofs during the rainstorm, so they stay in their place

Clearly, hurricane-resistant winds and doors fall under this definition, as they are designed to stand firm against high wind speeds. While agencies offer different home insurance premiums, homeowners have reported receiving up to 45 percent discount on their home’s insurance premiums.

Lowered Energy Bills

Sunny days can be fun for family and friends to hang out with. But these times can also have their adverse effects. For a region with as many as 100 days of hot weather reaching 90 degrees or higher, the laminated glass and specialized coatings of hurricane resistant windows and doors are a significant help.These features block heat from penetrating the house and regulate your home’s temperature. As a result, you will see a drastic drop in your electricity bills since you won’t need to turn on your air conditioning as much as you would without impact-resistant windows and doors.In fact, some homeowners even go the extra mile of putting glass treatments like e-coatings and tints to insulate their homes better and reduce energy bills.

Increased Resale Value of Your Home

Many reports on cost versus value have highlighted hurricane-resistant windows and doors as a great home improvement project. It has been proven several times that these windows and doors help increase the resale value of your home. In addition, you can enjoy income tax implications as mandated by the Florida Building Code when you sell your house.Non-impact windows and doors are an option as they are less expensive, but they require the use of shutters. Unfortunately, these shutters have disadvantages.

Looking to Install Hurricane Resistant Windows to Your Home?

Is your home ready for the next hurricane season? If not, give us a call at Palm Beach Hurricane Windows today. We have serviced many homeowners in the Florida area, and we promise to deliver only excellent results and high customer satisfaction.