If you have experienced a hurricane, you may be wondering how to improve the durability of your home and prevent damage during a storm. In Florida, hurricanes are a common occurrence that devastates homes every year, leading to costly repairs and reconstruction in their wake. That is why you should weatherproof your home as much as possible, and one way you can do that is by adding hurricane windows to your home.
These windows are stronger and more durable than standard windows, making them a must-have in areas prone to hurricanes and violent storms. If you are considering adding hurricane windows to bolster your home’s resistance to stormy weather, here are a few things you need to know about these types of windows to help you decide whether they are right for you.
How Do Hurricane Windows Protect Your Home?
Hurricane windows function similarly to automobile glass, using a laminated pane of glass made from two pieces of glass reinforced with a strong and flexible polymer layer in between. This layer remains intact even when the window glass is shattered by flying debris, preventing it from breaking into sharp pieces that can be a danger to anyone on the inside.
Check the Pressure Rating
When you are shopping around for hurricane windows to reinforce your home, you might think that all hurricane windows offer the same level of resistance: but that would be incorrect. While all such windows protect your home from strong winds and flying debris, different makers offer different levels of protection and pressure ratings that will provide varying levels of safety.
As you look for windows for your home, be sure to check the marking details that come with them, such as the supplier’s name, place of fabrication, thickness, manufacturing date, and certifications the glass meets. This info will help you determine whether the level of protection offered by the window will meet your needs and protect your home from extreme weather.
Old Windows May Need to be Replaced
As with most things, the level of protection offered by hurricane windows does not last forever. Depending on the maker and materials used in the windows, they may not function properly beyond 10 to 25 years. As a rule of thumb, you should evaluate your windows every 10 to 15 years to ensure they can still protect your home effectively, or they may need to be replaced.
This is because seals can wear over time, and glass will gradually lose its strength, reducing the window’s effectiveness. If you live in an older home, you should have a professional evaluate your windows to determine whether they can continue to hold up or not.
Permanent Protection
One of the best qualities of hurricane windows is that they are a passive protection system that will protect your home 24/7. In most cases, when a hurricane warning is issued, residents across Florida scramble to prepare for the storm and reinforce their homes.
By having hurricane windows, you add a level of protection that is always ready and does not need any preparation, allowing you to focus on other things, such as gathering food and boarding up other areas of your home. This is especially crucial when there is only a short notice of a coming storm, and you need to prioritize what to focus on to weather the storm.
Other Benefits
While the primary purpose of hurricane windows is to protect your home in the event of a violent storm, they also offer protection from break-ins, extra insulation, and an additional layer of soundproofing to your home.
Ready to Upgrade?
If you are a resident of South Florida and are looking for hurricane windows to protect your home from seasonal storms, Panorama Windows & Doors offers quality hurricane windows that will protect you from flying debris and high wind pressures. Contact us today to get started!