HVHZ Certified Windows for Town ‘n’ Country
Hold Back Hurricane-Force Winds & Protect Your Home!
Town ‘n’ Country might not be a high-velocity hurricane zone (HVHZ), but installing HVHZ certified windows can help you protect your home from hurricane impacts and debris!
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Do Town ‘n’ Country Homes Need HVHZ Windows?
Strictly speaking, no. A window does not have to meet HVHZ certification standards to be installed in a Town ‘n’ Country house. After all, Town ‘n’ Country isn’t an HVHZ region—that would be Miami-Dade and Broward County.
However, installing HVHZ windows and doors can help you protect your home from the frequent hurricanes that Florida faces every year. While not every year sees a hurricane make landfall up the Gulf coast, the hurricanes that do pose a severe wind damage risk. Taking sensible precautions now could help you save your home in the future.
How Do Windows Get HVHZ Certified?
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).
Sustained Wind Pressure Resistance
HVHZ windows need to be able to take sustained wind gusts (lasting 3+ seconds) of 170-175 miles per hour.
HVHZ Certified Windows for Town ‘n’ Country
Impact Windows
Double Hung Windows
Sliding Windows
Picture Windows
Casement Windows
Awning Windows
Bay Windows
Custom Windows
HVHZ Certified Doors
When hurricanes blow through Town ‘n’ Country, you need to know that you can rely on the doors of your home to stand up under pressure! Get HVHZ-certified doors to protect your home from hurricane force winds and heavy impacts.
HVHZ Doors for Town ‘n’ Country
Sliding Glass Doors
Standard Sliding Patio Doors
Pocket Sliding Doors
Bi-Parting Doors
Exterior Doors
Entry Doors
Double Entry Doors
French Doors
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HVHZ Certified Window FAQs
What Is a 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.
Are HVHZ Windows the Same as Impact Windows?
No. Although the two terms are closely related, HVHZ-rated and impact-rated aren’t the same thing.
The difference is that HVHZ windows are specifically designed and certified to withstand category 5 hurricanes per Miami-Dade and Broward County standards. Meanwhile, impact windows are rated to resist impacts, but aren’t guaranteed to meet HVHZ requirements.
All HVHZ windows are impact-rated, but not all impact windows are HVHZ-rated. Sort of like how all semi-trucks are motor vehicles, but not all motor vehicles are semi-trucks.
How Can I Tell if a Window Is HVHZ Certified?
Every HVHZ-certified window should have a small, permanent etching somewhere on the frame or the glass pane that has a Florida Product Approval (abbreviated as FL) number or a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA) number.
Once found, you can go to the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR) Product Approval search page to enter the product’s information and look up if it has a valid HVZH certification.
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 survive sustained 245+ mph winds are currently considered “hurricane-proof.”
What Are the Risk Categories Defined by the FBC?
The FBC divides buildings into different risk categories based on their occupancy and risk of harm coming to people if the building fails. The more likely injury is to occur, the tougher the structure needs to be to meet HVHZ rating requirements.
The four risk categories and their required ‘wind load’ durabilities (i.e., the level of 3-second wind gusts they have to be able to withstand) in Miami-Dade County are:
- Risk Category 1 (Little to no risk to human life, such as a shed or other building not meant to have people inside): 165 mph
- Risk Category II (“Standard” risk to human life, such as a single-family home): 175 mph
- Risk Category III (Substantial hazard to human life, such as schools or assembly buildings): 186 mph
- Risk Category IV (Essential facilities needed for hurricane response like hospitals or fire, rescue, and police stations): 186 mph
To be HVHZ-rated for a single-family home, an HVHZ door or window would need to be able to stand up to 175 mph winds, as those would be “Risk Category II” structures.
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, or even pick up and throw cars.
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 all potential super-storms and other hazards.
That said, HVHZ windows provide a significant improvement over other windows for your home’s hurricane survivability. You’re much less likely to have water or debris intrusion into the home with high velocity hurricane-resistant windows and doors than you are with non-HVHZ windows and doors.
This can mean the difference between only having to replace the window, and having to replace the window, pull out the flooring/carpets, replace your furniture, and get mold and storm damage experts to fix your home’s interior.
Can HVHZ Windows Help Reduce My Insurance Costs?
Yes! Installing HVHZ windows and other weatherproofing features can help you reduce the cost of home insurance in the state of Florida.
This is because insurance companies have to consider risk when making insurance quotes. Florida is considered a high risk area for hurricane impacts, which drives up home insurance costs in the state. Taking measures against hurricanes and their effects can reduce your risk profile, leading to potential savings on insurance costs.
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.
Town ‘n’ Country’s Best HVHZ Window Installers
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.
We go the extra mile for our customers in Town ‘n’ Country so you can rest easy knowing that your home is protected as much as possible with top-quality HVHZ window installation work.
Other Areas We Serve
Are you looking to install a high velocity hurricane zone-rated window for your home, but live outside of Town ‘n’ Country? Karoly can help! We provide HVHZ-certified window replacement services in:
Over Two Decades of Quality Results!
