Hurricane Windows and Impact Windows: Is There a Difference?
For most people, the terms ‘hurricane windows’ and ‘impact windows’ seem to be interchangeable. Living in South Florida, in the land of hurricanes however, you learn that they can be different things.
Impact Windows: What are They?
Impact-rated windows were developed for car safety early in the 20th century. In a car accident, the glass would shatter and often cause injuries to the driver or passenger. The idea was to avoid the shattering of glass. So a shatter-resistant film is applied to either side of the glass keeping the glass together if for any reason it was to break.
Hurricane Windows
A hurricane window is a different story altogether. They are usually made up of three layers; impact glass on the outside and an inner layer of polyvinyl between the impact glass layers. This inside layer acts as the glue between the two. Being a more flexible material than glass, it allows the composite to absorb greater forces without breaking, offering you higher protection and peace of mind.
What Can They Do for You?
Impact windows will, first and foremost, protect your home. It will protect it against hurricane winds, flying debris, water, and any storm-related peril South Florida can throw at your property. It also protects your house from burglars; no longer can a would-be thief come up to your house, smash a window, and gain entrance. Hitting an impact window would probably result in an injury (contact the Houston personal injury lawyer for serious cases) to the person trying to break in. Just as hitting a wall would. Hurricane impact windows also offer a barrier for sound by sealing your home and reducing the amount of noise by a huge factor.
Hurricane Windows Miami
Since windows were created, children have found a knack for breaking them. Depending on the thickness of the glass, a child throwing a toy at a window can result in glass everywhere and possibly, an injured kid. Impact windows give you the peace of mind of knowing this will simply not happen. A hurricane window will not be broken by a child, even by a kid with a baseball bat, so you can rest easy letting them play by the windows.
Finally, a hurricane window will actually pay for itself in the long run. Living in South Florida, you probably know how expensive property insurance can get. The good news is that hurricane windows will provide you with a break in your insurance. In due time, those savings will overtake the expense of the installation making it a brilliant investment. Speaking of investments and savings, hurricane windows will also save you money on energy, since they are an excellent insulator and will help with keeping your air conditioning expenses down.
Are You Ready to Upgrade Your Windows?
If you have decided to take this step towards safety and peace of mind, make sure you only deal with certified, licensed, and insured contractors. At ASP Windows, we install the best hurricane windows Miami has to offer. Let us take the stress off your shoulders when it comes to dealing with storm preparation. Call us now at 305-513-0514 to learn how.
