WBD Region Windows & Doors for Palm Harbor
Get Impact-Rated Windows for Your Palm Harbor Home
Palm Harbor houses many beautiful homes and great views. However, it’s also part of a designated wind borne debris (WBD) region. Protect your Palm Harbor home by installing WBD-rated windows and doors that can stand up to tough storm conditions.
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Is Palm Harbor a WBD Region?
If you check the My Florida Fact map outlining the wind borne debris regions in Florida, you’ll see that Pinellas County is solidly within a 140 mph wind WBD region. Because of this, Palm Harbor residents need to take precautions against high-speed winds and impacts from the debris they can throw.
Palm Harbor and Wind Borne Debris
Evacuation Routes
Homeowners in one of Florida’s wind borne debris regions may be required to evacuate when a major storm hits.Check out the Pinellas County Know Your Zone map to see your evacuation zone.
Flying Debris Risks
While strong winds do pose a danger to homes, sometimes it’s what the wind is blowing that poses the greatest threat. Hurricane-force winds can pick up and throw rocks, loose boards, and vehicles.
Broken Window Hazards
If your window is broken by strong winds or flying debris, there are numerous forms of damage that can happen as a result. For example, mold growth, pest infestations, and even total structural collapse.
Palm Harbor WBD Windows
Impact Windows
Double Hung Windows
Sliding Windows
Picture Windows
Casement Windows
Awning Windows
Bay Windows
Custom Windows
Wind Borne Debris-Resistant Doors
When the wind picks up and throws street debris and pieces of other homes, will your doors be strong enough to take the impacts? Make sure your doors are tough enough to take the hits by installing impact doors! Protect your home and everything in it with reinforced custom doors installed by Palm Harbor’s top-rated installation team.
WBD Region Impact Doors
Sliding Glass Doors
Get sliding glass doors that have been designed and manufactured to withstand the toughest conditions and protect your Palm Harbor home from wind borne debris impacts.
Standard Sliding Patio Doors
Karoly offers a variety of sliding patio doors to suit different style preferences and needs. Choose from top door brands in Palm Harbor and protect your home from hurricane impacts!
Pocket Sliding Doors
Bi-Parting Doors
Exterior Doors
Entry Doors
Double Entry Doors
French Doors
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Palm Harbor Wind Borne Debris Region FAQs
What Is a Wind Borne Debris Region?
A WBD region is an area defined by the state government of Florida as being subject to winds of 140 miles per hour or more. Much of the coast of Florida is designated as a wind borne debris region under the Florida Building Code.
Palm Harbor is in one such region. As such, Palm Harbor homeowners need to make certain precautions against hurricane-force winds and flying debris. This includes installing hurricane impact windows and doors for their homes.
Can High-Speed Winds Really Throw Cars?
Yes. A strong enough wind can pick up and throw a car. How much wind is required to do this? That depends on the vehicle in question. The larger and lighter-framed the vehicle is, the easier it will be for strong winds to move or even lift it off the ground. The smaller and denser a vehicle is, and the more aerodynamic it is, the harder it will be for the wind to throw.
ABC7 Chicago posted a video showing a mathematical equation that can be used to calculate how much wind is needed to move an object. The required wind to move an object is equal to the square root of the product of 195 times the weight of the object over its area in square feet.
Under this formula, a car weighing 2871 lbs with a surface area of 69 sq. ft. would only require 90 mph (2871/69 = 41.60869565, multiply by 195 to equal 8,113.695652, the square root of which is 90.07) winds to make the car move. Much higher, and the car could actually be physically lifted off the ground or toppled.
If a vehicle weighing over a ton can be lifted and moved with only 90 mph winds, imagine how much other debris a major hurricane can pick up and throw.
What Is Wind-Borne Debris?
Wind-borne debris can be literally anything that a strong wind can pick up and throw. It can include things like rocks, tree branches, whole trees, trash cans, trampolines (very common because of how large and light they are, making them easy to pick up and throw), loose nails, pieces of other houses, cars… the list of possible wind-borne debris objects is endless.
This is why impact windows should be tested using both the Large and Small Missile Impact testing standards to show off their versatility in resisting hits from differently-sized and shaped objects.
What Are the HVHZ Zones in Florida?
There are currently only two counties in Florida that are classified as high-velocity hurricane zones (HVHZs): Miami-Dade County and Broward County. These two areas are considered especially high-risk for high-speed hurricane winds, so windows and doors installed there need to be especially strong and durable to comply with local building codes.
However, homes in other areas of Florida can still benefit from installing HVHZ-rated windows and doors, as Miami-Dade and Broward aren’t the only counties that may face Cat 5 storms.
How Long Does a Window Installation Take?
When hurricane season is close (or currently active), it’s important to get your new hurricane windows installed in a timely manner so you can protect your home from wind-borne debris and other hurricane hazards.
So, how long does it take to install a new hurricane window? The answer is: It depends.
The specific windows you choose, the manufacturer, global supply chain issues, local weather, and the availability of installation crews can all affect the timeline for your new window installation. Once started, however, a typical four-person work crew can install between eight and fifteen windows per day (depending on size and where the windows need to be installed). Most jobs finish within half a week or less once started.
When you request a quote for window installation from Karoly, the installation tech who does your in-person assessment can provide you with a timeline for your installation project.
Why Use Custom Windows over “Standard” Ones?
Why not go to a hardware store to buy your own windows? Especially if you have a standard window opening? Because there’s more to window installation than getting a new window that’s roughly the right size for your opening.
New windows need to be shimmed, insulated, caulked, taped off, leveled, and carefully secured to ensure that they won’t fall out from a stiff breeze or let in moisture from the outside.
Also, in some homes, a structure may ‘settle’ over time, causing window openings to warp slightly with the building frame. Installing windows without accounting for this warping may lead to gaps, cracked windows, and worse.
At Karoly, we always perform an in-person inspection of your window openings before providing a quote for service. This way, we can account for any oddities with your window openings in the initial quote for service so there aren’t any surprises in your bill.
Why Buy New Impact Windows?
The reasons to buy new impact windows rather than simply replacing the glass in your existing windows are numerous. First, impact resistance is a system. Switching out non-impact glass for tempered glass doesn’t automatically make the whole window assembly impact-resistant. The frame, glazing, and other materials all need to be designed around impact resistance to ensure that a window can take storm impacts without failing.
Second, window replacement can help you maximize your home’s energy efficiency. Older aluminum window frames transfer a lot of heat into your home, making it warmer. This means that your air conditioning system needs to work harder to maintain a comfortable temperature, increasing the amount of energy it uses. Replacing aluminum windows with vinyl-framed windows that restrict the amount of heat transferred to your home can save you money on your energy bills.
Finally, some homeowners choose to replace their windows simply to enhance the curb appeal of their home. Replacing windows entirely, frame and all, gives you more control over the appearance of your windows so they more closely match your style preferences.
Why Get WBD-Rated Windows from Karoly?
So, why should you get new hurricane impact windows from Karoly? What makes buying new windows for your wind borne debris region Florida home from us such a good idea? Here are a few reasons to get your windows from Karoly:
Our Long Track Record of Successful Installs. We’ve worked with Palm Harbor homeowners for over 20 years, earning accolades and positive reviews for our dedication to quality and service. Homeowners trust us because we’ve proven ourselves time and time again for decades.
We Work with Several Top Window Manufacturers. We work with multiple window and door manufacturers so we can get the best deals on new windows and doors for your needs. This also allows us to “mix and match” different window and door brands to suit your preferences, too!
Karoly Does 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 and follow a set process to ensure consistent results.
We Specialize in Florida Residential Windows. We’re a locally-owned Florida business that specializes in windows and doors made for the Florida market. We know the Florida Building Code and how to uphold it so you can trust your new windows to last.
Our 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 new windows and doors from Florida’s most trusted window replacement company so you and your family can rest easy knowing that your windows are reliable enough to withstand wind-borne debris.
Other Areas We Serve
Live in a different WBD region than Palm Harbor and want windows and doors that can withstand wind borne debris? Reach out to Karoly! We serve the following areas as well:
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