High Velocity Hurricane Zone-Rated Windows for Tampa Homes
From the Best HVHZ Window Replacement Company in Tampa
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Award-Winning High Velocity Hurricane Zone Window Services
Get Windows That Are High Velocity Hurricane Zone-Certified
Hurricane season brings with it increased risk of damage to your home. When storms can have 140+ mph winds, you need the strongest defenses to protect your family and property. Even though Tampa isn’t a designated high velocity hurricane zone, strong Category 5 hurricanes can still impact the area.
This is why it’s important to look for windows that are high velocity hurricane zone certified and window installers who don’t cut corners. An HVHZ window, properly installed, can make a huge difference in how well your home stands up to the next big storm.
About HVHZ Certification for Windows
Fatigue Load Testing
Windows need to pass fatigue load testing at three intensity levels: up to 0.5p 600 times, up to 0.6p 70 times, and up to 1.3p once for three seconds.
Large Missile Impact Testing
Windows need to pass Missile Impact D testing, where a 9-pound 2×4 is fired at the window at a speed of 50 feet per second (34 mph).
Small Missile Impact Testing
Windows are also tested for repeated impacts from small objects. 30 steel balls weighing 2 grams are fired at 130 feet per second (88 mph).
HVHZ Windows for Tampa
Impact Windows
Any HVHZ window will, by necessity, be an impact window. We offer installation for Miami-Dade certified High Velocity Hurricane Zone impact windows in a variety of styles from top-class manufacturers.
Double Hung Windows
With two vertically-movable sashes, these windows are a popular option for many Tampa homes. They’re also built to last even under intense wind and rain from strong hurricanes!
Sliding Windows
Horizontal sliding windows are a great fit for larger window spaces in rooms that need good ventilation, like the kitchen. HVHZ sliding windows are easy to operate, but incredibly durable.
Picture Windows
Picture windows give a great view of the outdoors. When you live in Tampa, you need these windows to be as strong as possible. HVHZ-rated windows bring a great view while protecting your home.
Casement Windows
These windows are a great option for homeowners who want a semi-classical look for their windows while maintaining extreme resistance to hurricane-force winds and rain.
Awning Windows
Awning windows have a top hinge that lets them swing outward while also blocking falling rain from a normal storm. When sealed, they’re also highly resistant to hurricane-force winds.
Bay Windows
When installing windows in a bay nook that pokes out from the walls of your home, they need to be as tough as possible. Get HVHZ-rated windows that provide maximum protection.
Custom Windows
We work with best-in-class window manufacturers like Simonton and PGT to provide Tampa homeowners with custom-crafted windows that can stand up to the harshest conditions.
Get High-Velocity Hurricane Zone-Certified Doors!
In addition to your windows, it’s important to upgrade your doors to be hurricane-resistant! Doors can be another critical failure point during hurricane season. Upgrading to HVHZ-rated doors can help you protect your home from stronger hurricanes and other impacts.
HVHZ-Rated Tampa Doors
Sliding Glass Doors
Get a sliding glass door that’s built to take hurricane-force winds to protect your home while still getting a great view of your backyard. HVHZ sliding glass doors are made to last in tough conditions.
Standard Sliding Patio Doors
Tampa homes need patio doors that are both durable and beautiful. Our standard sliding patio doors give you a great view of your patio or pool while also protecting against hurricane-force winds.
Pocket Sliding Doors
Pocket sliders are so called because they slide into a recess along your wall so that they don’t have to stop at the edge of your doorframe. HVHZ pocket sliders are a great option for Tampa homes.
Bi-Parting Doors
These elegant doors open from the center of the door frame and slide outwards. With the locking point in the center of the doorframe, HVHZ bi-parting doors need to be extra strong.
Exterior Doors
Your exterior doors are one of the areas in the home most in need of reinforcement against both the weather and human intrusion attempts. Get HVHZ-rated exterior doors with expert installation.
Entry Doors
Font doors are a crucial part of the first impression your home creates. Make sure it’s a good one even after a major hurricane with extremely durable HVHZ-rated entry doors.
Double Entry Doors
Double doors are great for making a strong impression on guests, but they have a larger surface area than single doors. So, they need to be extra strong. Get HVHZ-rated double doors for your Tampa home!
French Doors
These classical, heavy-duty doors can bring both great durability and aesthetic appeal. HVHZ-certified French doors are a great addition for any Tampa home that needs tough, but elegant, doors.
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High Velocity Hurricane Zone Window FAQs
What Is the High Velocity Hurricane Zone Rating?
The short answer is that it’s a set of building codes for Florida homes that applies to Miami-Dade and Broward County. The Florida Building Code (FBC) applies more stringent structural integrity requirements on buildings in these areas because they have a high risk of encountering category 5 hurricanes.
Is HVHZ the Same as Impact Windows?
No. HVHZ-rated and impact-rated aren’t the same, though the two classifications are closely related. HVHZ windows are specifically designed and certified to withstand category 5 hurricanes.
Meanwhile, impact windows are rated to resist impacts, but aren’t specifically made to meet HVHZ standards.
All HVHZ windows are impact-rated, but not all impact windows are HVHZ-rated. Sort of like how all homes are buildings, but not all buildings are homes.
What’s the Highest Category Rating for a Hurricane?
On the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale, the highest category rating is category 5. This means that the hurricane has 157 mph or higher sustained winds. These are the most destructive hurricanes and frequently cause catastrophic damage to homes.
Insufficiently-protected homes will be destroyed if subjected to a category 5 hurricane.
What Is “Category 5 Hurricane Proof?”
A “hurricane-proof” structure is one that is built to withstand winds in excess of the wind speed of the most powerful hurricane ever recorded.
As of the time of this writing, the strongest hurricane on record is, according to The Weather Channel, Hurricane Patricia, which had sustained winds of 215 mph. Buildings that can take that level of wind are considered “hurricane-proof.”
At least, until even stronger hurricanes break the previous record.
Do You Do Non-HVHZ Windows?
If you don’t need HVHZ-rated windows, Karoly does offer a variety of other impact window products that are tough enough to stand up to non-Cat 5 storms. If you request an in-person assessment, one of our window installation experts can help you determine if you need HVHZ windows or if another type of impact window will suffice
Are High Velocity Hurricane Zone Windows Really Hurricane-Proof?
They’re incredibly resistant to hurricane-force winds and impacts, but they aren’t absolutely hurricane-proof. A hurricane that’s strong enough can put out winds that will topple almost any building, spawn tornadoes that do massive localized damage, and throw cars through walls.
An HVHZ window can take a lot of punishment and will have “fail states” taken into account with multiple panes of glass, flexible laminate layers, and strong frames to keep protecting the home even after the first layer of glass is broken, but no window will be 100% resistant to the strongest hurricanes on record.
That said, HVHZ windows provide a significant improvement over other windows for your home’s hurricane survivability.
Can HVHZ Windows Help Reduce My Insurance Costs?
Yes! Using HVHZ windows and other home fortifying features can help you reduce the cost of home insurance for your Florida home.
One of the major things that insurance companies have to consider is risk. Florida is considered a high risk area due to it frequently facing hurricanes, which drives up home insurance costs in the state.
As noted by Oyer Insurance, “Installing impact-resistant windows can protect your home from wind damage during hurricanes. This upgrade can make you eligible for discounts from many insurers.” With insurance costs being in the thousands per year for many homes, an HVHZ window upgrade can be a major long-term cost savings that pays for itself in time.
The Best HVHZ Window Installers in Tampa
Karoly Windows & Doors is a Tampa Bay Times Best of the Best Winner (2023, 2024 & 2025) and has earned the National Best of the Best award every year since 2018, thanks to our:
Best-in-Class Service. Where many contractors cut corners to get the job done as cheaply as possible, we’re dedicated to going the extra mile to ensure that every install job is done perfectly.
Proactive Communication. We believe in building trust by being transparent and open to keep you informed from start to finish. Stay in the know so you’re never in the dark.
Consistent Quality. On every project, we tailor each detail until it meets the highest standards and expectations so you’re 100% satisfied. We never cut corners and we use in-house installation technicians to ensure our standards are upheld.
Best Price Guarantee. We’re confident that you won’t find a better deal elsewhere. We provide the best quality and will price match comparable window installation project quotes.
Lifetime Labor & Extensive Warranties. Our work is covered by a 25 year installation warranty and a 50-year material warranty so you can have peace of mind.
Our commitment to being the best replacement window company in Tampa is what separates Karoly Windows & Doors from the competition.
Areas We Serve
Want HVHZ windows and doors for a home that isn’t in Tampa? Don’t worry! We also provide best-in-class window replacement services for:
20+ Years of Best-in-Class Service in Tampa!
