Are Impact Windows the Same as Hurricane Windows?

In Florida, the birthplace of hurricane window standards that have been adopted in coastal regions throughout the South, windows must be impact resistant to qualify as upgrades that will protect your home during a hurricane. Therefore, for all practical purposes, a certified hurricane window will also be an impact window.

This does not mean that a hurricane window is judged solely by its impact resistance, which refers to its ability to resist shattering despite a mighty blow from the kind of wind-propelled debris you’re likely to see in a hurricane. A hurricane window must also remain structurally sound while under the tremendous pressure of sustained high-speed winds and violent wind gusts. A true hurricane window will have undergone a battery of tests to ensure that it will maintain its structural integrity in the face of hurricane-force winds and prevent air and water infiltration that could result from a damaged window seal.

What to Look for When Shopping for Hurricane Windows

The videos of hurricane window missile tests can be exciting to watch, as various objects are hurled at high speed into laminated glass to see how well it stands up. For reliable protection against hurricane damage, however, homeowners will want to also consider a window’s design pressure (DP) rating and/or performance grade (PG) rating, which derives from scores achieved during wind speed pressure testing, before making an investment.

Another thing to consider is that impact-resistant windows offer a wealth of benefits besides storm protection. Because they’re nearly impossible to break, they provide excellent deterrence against forced entry. Impact windows also provide better buffering against outside noise than ordinary non-impact windows.

Get Impact Windows You Can Count on for Storm Protection

NewSouth Window Solutions manufactures some of the best hurricane windows in the industry. When you trust us to outfit your home with hurricane windows, you’ll receive windows that have been thoroughly tested for impact resistance and structural integrity under pressure. Moreover, we expertly install our windows to meet hurricane window installation standards so we can make sure they’ll deliver all the benefits they’re designed to provide.

Do you have questions? We’ll be happy to answer them. Contact NewSouth Window Solutions today to learn more about our hurricane impact windows.