Impact Windows for Wind Borne Debris Regions!
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Is Pinellas Park a Wind-Borne Debris Region?
If you look at the My Florida Fact map, you’ll see that all of Pinellas County is a designated wind borne debris region. This means that as a Pinellas Park homeowner, your home faces exposure to 140+ mph winds… and the debris that such powerful gusts can pick up and throw.
About Wind Borne Debris Regions
Impact Windows Required
The Florida Building Code requires homes within a mile of the coast that are in wind borne debris regions to use impact windows as opposed to less durable non-impact windows.
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.
Pinellas Park Wind Borne Debris Region Windows
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Wind Borne Debris Doors
Beyond your windows, it’s helpful to replace your doors with impact-resistant models, too! Your doors play a huge role in protecting your home from flying debris, hurricane-force winds, and even intruders. Complete the protection of your home’s exterior with impact doors installed by a dedicated team of experts!
Pinellas Park Impact Doors
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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.
Pinellas Park is solidly within the wind borne debris region defined by the FBC. Because of this, it’s important to use impact windows for all the window openings in your home to protect against impacts from flying debris that could break non-impact windows.
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.
While no window will be proof against all impacts, hurricane-rated impact windows have failsafe measures that account for the top layer of glass breaking to continue protecting your home. For example, impact windows typically have a second layer of glass and a layer of flexible laminate material that absorbs impacts without breaking.
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.
While HVHZ-rated windows aren’t required in Pinellas Park, they can be a huge benefit for your home’s safety during major storms and even against would-be intruders.
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. Just changing out non-impact glass for tempered glass doesn’t automatically make the whole window assembly impact-resistant. The frame, locking mechanisms, 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 Karoly Is Your Best Choice for Impact Windows
Karoly Windows & Doors is Pinellas Park’s top impact window and door replacement company. Why? Here are a few of the reasons:
A Proven History of Quality. For more than two decades, Karoly Windows has provided top-quality window and door installation service to homeowners throughout Pinellas, generating hundreds of 5-star reviews from satisfied customers.
Partnerships with Top Manufacturers. Karoly partners with top manufacturers to source made-to-order custom windows to perfectly match each customer’s unique needs and preferences. We aren’t beholden to any single manufacturer!
A Commitment to Doing Things the Right Way. We only ever use in-house labor for our window installation work. We never outsource to third parties, which is why we can guarantee the quality of our work. Our installers do the job the right way, every time.
We’re Real Florida Specialists. Rather than entrusting your windows to a national chain that doesn’t specialize, trust your window installation work to a company that works in and understands the Florida market. We haven’t just read the Florida Building Code, we’ve put it into practice for decades!
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 Pinellas Park’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 outside of Pasco and want windows and doors that can withstand wind borne debris? Reach out to Karoly! We serve the following areas as well:
Decades of Award-Winning Service in Pinellas!
