Hurricane-proof windows help protect your home from the devastating effects of hurricane-force winds and may save you money on your homeowner’s insurance. They can also increase your home’s energy efficiency and security.
Hurricane windows are built with a heavy-duty frame made of vinyl or aluminum. These frames are less likely to crack or splinter, increasing your home’s durability and curb appeal.
High-Impact Glass
A hurricane proof window with impact-resistant glass protects homes and families from debris thrown by high winds and other storm-related hazards. This type of window combines two panes of tempered glass with a reinforced polymer layer between them. Unlike standard windows, which can shatter upon contact, this laminated design means that the glass remains intact and prevents intruders from entering a home or causing structural damage to the building’s interior.
This impact-resistant technology also helps to save energy by blocking out harmful solar rays that fade window treatments, damage furniture and hurt skin. As a result, you’ll enjoy lower heating and cooling costs.
These hurricane-proof windows are a smart investment in your home and may even qualify you for reduced homeowners insurance rates. If you live in a hurricane-prone area, consider making this upgrade to your home. It will pay off in the long run! Click here to learn more about the benefits of impact-rated windows and doors.
Low-E Coating
Hurricane windows are a smart investment for homeowners living in hurricane-prone areas. They can save you money on insurance premiums and protect your home against severe weather, high winds, and flying debris.
A low-e coating further enhances the insulating benefits of hurricane window glass. During the summer, the coating reflects heat energy instead of absorbing it, so your air conditioning bills can stay lower. This technology sends your indoor heat back into your home during the winter to keep your family comfortable.
This advanced coating is a tinted film that can be applied to the inside surface of your windows. Some manufacturers use a pyrolytic process for baking the coating directly onto your window glass, and other products utilize sputtered or deposited low-e coatings.
The sputtered and pyrolytic coatings are harder to scratch than uncoated glass, which can make them more durable. However, they do reduce your view and natural sunlight. Additionally, choose a sputtered or deposited low-e surface layer that is exposed to the outside of your glass. In that case, it will need more frequent cleaning than windows with a soft-coat low-e coating integrated into the insulating glass unit.
Impact-Resistant Frames
Hurricane-resistant windows are a wise investment for anyone living in a state or coastal area affected by hurricanes and other extreme weather. These windows help protect homes from storm damage and improve the home’s security by keeping intruders out. Insurance companies offer significant discounts to homeowners who install hurricane windows and doors.
These windows use laminated glass with a layer of protective material in between. The most budget-friendly options use polyvinyl butyral (PVB), while higher-end hurricane windows combine PVB with ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA).
Additionally, these types of windows offer energy efficiency. They keep cool air in the summer and warm air in the winter, helping lower heating and cooling costs. They also block harmful UV rays, which fade window treatments, damage furniture and flooring, and cause skin burns. As such, hurricane windows provide a high return on investment for homeowners who invest in them. In addition, these windows boost a property’s value, making it easier to sell the home in the future.
Impact-Resistant Glass Treatments
Hurricane-force winds can generate debris that can shatter windows and cause serious structural damage to homes. These forces can also tear up and uproot trees, blocking or damaging power lines and other vital infrastructure.
During an extreme weather event, shattered windows can result in significant property damage and bodily harm to people inside the home. Homeowners’ insurance companies understand the high costs of covering such damage and offer discounts or credits to homeowners who install hurricane-rated windows and doors.
Unlike standard windows made of one glass panel, impact-resistant windows are composed of two or three glass panels with a plastic-like film in between them. This PVB layer serves as an extra safeguard against the forces of nature and holds the other layers of glass together, even if they are severely cracked or broken. Moreover, the PVB layer blocks harmful UV rays that can fade window treatments and furnishings and harm the skin.
