Hurricane Window Protection: An Overview
Get the Details on Window Protection During Hurricanes
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What Is Hurricane Window Protection?
Energy Savings of Proper Hurricane Window Protection
See How Much You Could Save!
Did you know that installing hurricane impact windows can actually improve your home’s energy efficiency? Adjust the slider below to see how much you might save when upgrading your home from non-impact windows to impact-resistant windows meant for hurricanes*:
Based on figures determined by ENERGY STAR when upgrading from a single-pane ‘clear’ window to an ENERGY STAR-compliant window at an average 12% energy consumption reduction.
Types of Hurricane Window Protection
Plywood Boards
This is a temporary protective measure involving nailing large wooden boards over the window to prevent direct impacts by wind and flying debris.
Removable Inserts
These coverings are slotted into a window frame to protect against impacts. Appearance and characteristics may vary from one insert to the next.
Fabric Covers/Tarps
Pieces of fabric or thin plastic stretched over a window to keep debris form impacting directly. Not as durable against hard hits as other methods.
Impact Glass Replacement
A practice where the glass pane in a window is swapped for an identical one made of impact glass without making any other changes to the opening.
Hurricane Shutters
A secondary covering that is permanently installed over or around the window that can be deployed to repel debris impacts, wind, and intrusion attempts.
Impact Window Replacement
The practice of removing old windows and replacing them with impact-resistant models built to withstand extreme forces to provide 24/7 protection.
Top Hurricane Impact Window Brands
There are many window manufacturers that try to offer windows for Florida homeowners. However, all too few of them provide reliable products that actually pass the test of time in harsh Florida weather.
That’s why Karoly Windows is so selective about the brands we offer to our customers. We want to make sure that the hurricane windows you get are reliable and safe. To this end, Karoly partners with leading impact window brands like Simonton and PGT.
These are the top two best manufacturers of hurricane impact windows for the Florida market, offering a variety of vinyl-framed windows that are built to withstand Category 5 hurricane conditions and impacts from flying debris.
Hurricane Window Options
Impact Windows
Double Hung Windows
Sliding Windows
Picture Windows
Casement Windows
Awning Windows
Bay Windows
Custom Windows
Hurricane Window Protection Financing Options
Need to add hurricane window protection to your home, but having trouble setting aside the money for a whole home window replacement to ensure your home is safe from the next big storm (and the one after)? Hurricane window financing could be the answer to getting protection from hurricanes when you need it!
That’s why Karoly Windows has partnered with financial institutions like GreenSky and Synchrony Financial to offer flexible financing options to qualifying customers. This includes $0 down financing with 12 months or more of zero interest to help make installing your new impact windows more affordable.
0% Interest Financing Options
Two great plans — see which one fits your budget best.
GreenSky 12-Month Plan
- No payments required for 12 months
- Pay it off within 12 months = 0% interest
- $0 Down Payment
- If paying after 12 months → fixed payments over 84 months
Synchrony 24-Month Plan
- Lower monthly payments starting right away
- Pay it off within 24 months = 0% interest
- $0 Down Payment
- Minimum payment ≈ 3% of balance each month
See Your Actual Monthly Numbers
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Get Hurricane-Resistant Doors!
Windows aren’t the only openings in your home that need protection from major storms… Your doors need to be built and installed for superior impact resistance to protect against flying debris and other hazards. Get a hurricane impact door to complete the hurricane protection of your home.
Hurricane Door Options
Sliding Glass Doors
Standard Sliding Patio Doors
Pocket Sliding Doors
Bi-Parting Doors
Exterior Doors
Entry Doors
Double Entry Doors
French Doors
Hurricane Window Protection: Creating a Safe Environment for Peace of Mind
The greatest advantage of having hurricane impact windows is the peace of mind they create. By providing 24/7 protection from hurricanes, would-be intruders, and noise, hurricane impact windows help provide easier rest since you know that you, your family, and your home are protected.
With hurricane impact windows that have flexible laminate interlayers and sturdy construction, you can enjoy significant reductions in noise pollution from the outdoors. Everything from the noise of traffic to the howling of the wind during a big storm can be cut in half (sometimes more) with the right impact windows.
Get the peace of mind you need to sleep more soundly at night and eliminate noise distractions during the day with noise-reducing hurricane impact windows.
Check Out Our Reviews
Hurricane Window Protection FAQs
What Is the Best Protection for Windows in a Hurricane?
The best protection for windows in a hurricane is whatever form of protection you can get in place before the hurricane hits. Virtually anything is better than leaving non-impact windows bare in the face of Mother Nature’s wrath.
However, if you have time to make an upgrade with an informed decision and no pressure to protect your home immediately, permanent forms of hurricane window protection are better than temporary forms of protection that you have to put up and take down for each individual storm.
Permanent forms of protection require less work on your part, making it easier for you to get through storm season. This includes things like installing impact-resistant windows or adding hurricane shutters.
If we were to rank the different forms of hurricane window protection in order of effectiveness, we’d sort them as:
- Hurricane impact window replacement. This is the best form of hurricane protection, since it provides 24/7 protection without any additional effort needed on your part. It also provides energy efficiency and noise reduction benefits that other forms of protection can’t match… all without harming the curb appeal of your home!
- Hurricane shutters. Hurricane shutters can be a useful addition to your home, providing a sturdy, if often unsightly, covering to protect your windows from direct impacts by flying debris and hurricane-force winds.
- Boarding up windows. This provides cheap and effective protection, though it requires a lot of effort on your part to put up plywood boards and tear them back down afterwards. Often enough to get through a single storm of limited duration and intensity if the boards are secured sufficiently to prevent them being peeled away by strong winds.
- Adding tarps. A step below plywood boards, adding tarps is often the step to take if you’re more worried about moisture intrusion than broken windows. However, this may not provide enough protection against flying storm debris, especially sharp-edged debris.
- Replacing glass. This service can be even less effective than just putting up tarps around a window, providing the illusion of security rather than any real protection. This is because simply replacing non-impact glass with impact glass does not make the window frame itself any stronger against impacts. Hits that damage the frame will render the new glass practically worthless.
We highly recommend impact window replacement, as this provides protection around the clock without you needing to lift a finger.
Do Hurricane Impact Windows Really Work?
Yes! Hurricane impact windows really work. How do they protect your home? By taking advantage of several technologies to maximize resistance to wind pressure and impacts from heavy objects:
- Multiple panes of glass to continue providing protection even when one layer of glass fails.
- Impact-resistant glass to repel most impacts without breaking.
- Flexible laminate interlayers that bend with impacts and keep glass shards from penetrating into the home if the glass ever does break.
- Reinforced frames to prevent warping following a heavy impact by flying debris.
- Vinyl outer layers to prevent rusting and corrosion of the aluminum core of the window frame.
Furthermore, every impact window we install is tested against the Small and Large Missile Impact D testing standards.
In the Small Missile Impact test, a series of 30 small, solid steel balls weighing 2 grams each are fired at the window at a speed of 130 feet per second (or about 88 mph). After the impacts, the window is tested for air leakage and other issues.
In the Large Missile Impact test, a solid 2 x 4 weighing nine pounds is fired at the window at a speed of 80 feet per second (about 54.5 mph) to simulate the impact of a larger piece of heavier storm debris. The window is then tested in a manner similar to the small missile impact test.
Which Is Cheaper, Hurricane Shutters or Hurricane Windows?
The answer depends on what style of hurricane shutters or windows you choose to install. According to Angie’s list data, “hurricane shutters cost $3,653 on average, but factors such as type, time of year, and size can impact the total price.” In addition to these factors, the current price of aluminum and steel can also cause prices to fluctuate heavily.
Another factor that influences the price of both hurricane windows and shutters is the size of the window opening. The bigger the window opening, the more it’s going to cost. The cost of an impact window can vary greatly depending on the manufacturer and the style. Average prices vary, but a high-quality impact window might average about $2,400 with installation. Though some ‘premium’ brands and particularly difficult installations can go well above that cost and some more budget-friendly options can go well below that cost.
In addition to the initial installation cost, it’s important to consider the ongoing costs of ownership for impact windows and shutters. Especially in coastal areas where your window will be exposed to salty air. Steel or aluminum shutters will be much more prone to rusting, potentially requiring maintenance and replacement even when there aren’t any major storms. Meanwhile, vinyl impact windows are extremely resilient against saltwater exposure, remaining free of corrosion for decades at a time.
For Temporary Covers, How Many Hurricane Clips per Window?
If you find yourself using temporary hurricane window protection like plywood boards or fabric/plastic covers, how many hurricane clips or screws do you need to have to ensure the covers won’t be pulled right off your walls?
Hurricane clips are a semi-permanent solution that are designed to hold a plywood board in place to make mounting easier. Nails and screws are the more common type of securement, but need to be pulled out or unscrewed afterwards and leave holes in your walls that need to be filled.
Generally speaking, you should have at least one fastening for every 12-16 inches of window perimeter, four at a minimum to secure the corners of an especially small opening. So, if you had a 12 x 36 window, that window would need at least 6 fastenings: one at each corner and two at the middle of each long side, though 8 would provide better securement.
This adds to the work needed to protect your home from hurricanes. Though at least with the clips, you only have to put them up once (though that also means that they’ll be there to ruin your windows’ aesthetics year-round).
What Are the Downsides of Plywood Boards?
Using plywood boards to protect your windows is a good, if basic, hurricane damage precaution. It helps prevent direct physical impacts to your windows, making it far less likely for wind and flying debris to penetrate into your home. It’s very economical compared to other protection methods (at least in the short term) since plywood is so inexpensive.
However, there are a few downsides to relying on plywood to protect your home’s windows:
- It’s a Lot of Extra Work. Even with hurricane clips that you can slot your boards into, installing plywood boards over your windows, especially ones on higher floors, is a lot of labor.
- No Guarantee of Perfect Securement. Unless you’re hiring a contractor to install the boards for you, there’s no guarantee that the boards will hold. If the wind manages to catch the board and pull it off, your protection is gone.
- Unsightliness. Having boards over your windows isn’t necessarily a great look. Even the clips that go around windows to make putting boards up easier are not exactly aesthetically pleasing, to say the least.
- Fixing Screw/Nail Holes. When the hurricane passes and the plywood boards come down, you’ll need to repair the screw and nail holes around your window to protect your home from moisture and pest intrusion.
What Are the Benefits of Temporary Hurricane Window Protection?
Okay, if putting up plywood boards or using tarp is so labor intensive and inconvenient, why do people do it? Well, there are benefits to using temporary hurricane window protection over more permanent solutions.
First, the aesthetic impact of temporary protection is, well, temporary (unless you’re using hurricane clips to hold the boards in place, those stay up to uglify your windows year-round). So, some people who want to avoid having unappealing hurricane shutters opt for temporary forms of protection instead.
Second, the short-term cost of installing plywood boards and using fabric covers is typically a fraction of the cost of a more permanent solution. At least, in the short term. With plywood boards, you may be paying for new boards after each storm if you want to keep protecting your home.
Third, temporary hurricane protection is typically the easiest to get in place on short notice. If you haven’t had time to prepare for a hurricane before it hits, plywood boards or tarps can be bought and put up in a couple of days from when you first hear about the storm. There are times where temporary protection might be the only option available.
What Are the Downsides of Just Replacing the Glass in My Windows?
To save money, some homeowners opt to take their existing windows and just replace the glass in them with tempered glass or other impact glass. The assumption is that the stronger glass will be enough to protect their home against hurricanes.
This would be mistaken.
Hurricane resistance isn’t just having tough glass, it’s a system that needs to have fail states taken into consideration. Even the strongest glass can break if hit hard enough by a flying piece of debris.
Even without considering flying debris impacts, just switching out the glass fails to provide adequate protection in a hurricane. Non-impact windows aren’t rated to withstand the extreme positive and negative pressures that major storms can generate. If the wind is strong enough, the frame itself may fail, popping the new glass out of the frame entirely to let wind, rain, and worse into your home.
What Are the Benefits of Permanent Hurricane Window Protection?
The big benefit of permanent hurricane window protection is that it’s always there. Whether we’re talking about hurricane shutters or impact windows. With shutters, you can typically deploy them in minutes, allowing you to protect your windows openings on short notice.
With hurricane impact windows, the protection is always active so long as the window is closed. No additional work or effort is needed to secure your home.
Impact windows also provide a few extra benefits beyond 24/7 hurricane protection:
- Enhanced Energy Efficiency. Because impact windows have multiple layers of glass and laminate interlayers, they’re incredibly energy efficient compared to single-paned non-impact windows. This can help you save thousands on your energy bills over the decades.
- Visual Appeal. Unlike unsightly boards or even hurricane shutters, impact windows have zero negative impact on your home’s curb appeal. They look like regular windows without any unsightly pieces of excess metal, screws, or clips to mar your home’s beauty.
- Longevity. Hurricane windows are built to last for more than a single storm. And, with vinyl construction, they’ll last for decades even in homes along Florida’s coastline, where salty ocean air would corrode metal shutters after mere months of exposure.
- No Screw/Nail Holes. One of the issues with most temporary forms of hurricane window protection (and even with hurricane shutters) is that you need to mount that protection externally. That means taking drills or nails to your exterior walls to secure the plywood boards, tarps, and shutters. This creates extra intrusion points for moisture, pests, and more into your home. With hurricane windows, the window simply goes into the existing opening, sealing it tight without creating more potential moisture and pest intrusion points.
Get Reliable Hurricane Window Protection from Karoly
If you’re looking to protect your home from hurricanes, Karoly Windows & Doors is the perfect partner! Why reach out to Karoly for your impact windows and doors? Because we:
Have 20+ Years of Experience. We’ve worked with homeowners throughout the greater Tampa Bay area for over 20 years, earning accolades and positive reviews for our dedication to quality and service.
Offer a Variety of Window Brands. We work with multiple window and door manufacturers so we can get the best deals on new windows and doors for your needs. We aren’t beholden to any one window or door brand, so you can trust us to source the best products for your needs.
Do the Work the Right Way Every Time. Our installation techs are all in-house employees who are held to our company’s high standards. With Karoly, you never have to worry about an unskilled third-party contractor doing the job incorrectly. You get experienced techs who are on the Karoly payroll.
Specialize in Florida Residential Windows. We’re a locally-owned Florida-based business that specializes in windows and doors made for the Floridian market. We know the Florida Building Code and how to uphold it so you can trust your new windows to last.
Back Our Work with a Platinum Standard Lifetime Guarantee. We back every window installation with a lifetime guarantee that includes a 25-year installation warranty and a 50-year material warranty so you can have peace of mind.
Get your impact-resistant windows and doors from Florida’s most trusted window replacement company so you can rest easy knowing that your new windows will protect your home from the worst hurricane season has to offer for decades to come.
Areas We Serve
Need hurricane windows for your home? Karoly Windows & Doors is here to help! We provide window and door installation services for homeowners in the following areas:
Hurricane Window Protection Installation & Other Videos
Want to learn more about impact windows and how they can help protect your home from the effects of hurricanes? Check out our YouTube Channel for informative videos about this and other topics!
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