If you live in a region with heavy storms and hurricanes (such as Florida), installing impact windows is the best thing you can do to defend your home against strong winds. Impact windows can withstand powerful winds up to 200 mph, and even if some flying debris succeeds in breaking the glass, they don’t let the glass scatter and continue to safeguard your home.
Impact glass was invented in the early 20th century to create stronger car windshields that could survive strong collisions. Later, the same glass was used to make window panes and became the most popular method against heavy winds in storm-prone areas such as South Florida.
There are two variants of impact glass in the market, i.e., the shatter-resistant film glass and the inner membrane glass.
Shatter-resistant windows have two film layers on either side of the windowpane and are held in an aluminum frame with strong adhesive materials. These two films hold the glass together and don’t let it break or shatter easily.
The inner membrane glass windows, on the other hand, are the latest inventions in this domain and are designed with a layer of polyvinyl butyryl (PVB) between two panes of glass. This chemical acts as a powerful adhesive and holds the glass from breaking and scattering.
When any piece of debris hits the windows during a storm, these glasses survive the hit. They hold the tiny glass fragments at their place, protecting the inside people and objects from any harm or damage.
These glass windows must undergo rigorous testing processes to ensure that you get the highest quality protective windows. They are hit with objects at the speed of the wind during a storm. If they can endure the impact, they are made to pass through other types of trials, such as humidity and heat tests.
Compared with other window-protecting alternatives such as aluminum shutters or window boards, impact windows are clearly the most desired alternative. This is because they need a one-time installation. And once the storm is over, you don’t have to do anything to maintain them other than regular cleaning.
The best part about installing impact windows is that they come with a lot of other benefits. Firstly, these tough windows are extremely tough to crack and can withstand intrusion attempts of burglars.
Next, they act as insulators in your home, and unlike other single pane glass windows, they don’t let the outside heat enter your home or your AC’s cooling to leave your home. Hence, they reduce the overall working load on your AC or room heaters and make your home more relaxed and comfortable than before. Not to forget, they make some difference in your electricity bills as well.
Similarly, the two layers of laminated glass and an extra layer of polyvinyl butyral act as a soundproofing system in your home and cancel the unwanted noise. Also, they block the harmful UV rays during the summer heat. And if you live in areas that get maximum sunlight, such as Florida, these windows can make your homes cooler.
Wrapping it up, impact windows are undoubtedly the best defense options for homeowners. So, if you live in a hurricane-prone zone, you should most definitely install them in your home. If you have any questions regarding our selection of impact windows or if you need a quote, please feel free to reach out to us at (941) 412-1883 and we would be happy to assist!