Snowbirds -- the nickname given to retirees who travel south for the winter -- know a lot about blizzards, black ice, and shoveling snow. From shoveling snow to maneuvering their car on icy roads, snowbirds have winter down pat. What they don't have first-hand knowledge of, however, is hurricanes.
What are hurricane windows?
Hurricane, or impact, windows are windows that are designed to withstand both the force of hurricane winds as well as anything thrown against them during a storm. Taking their cue from the auto industry's laminated glass, home window manufacturers developed a version that works in a residential setting.
What is the difference between standard windows and hurricane windows?
Standard windows may keep out the elements during an arctic blast of cold weather but, in the south, when a hurricane makes landfall, standard windows can shatter, spewing glass shards throughout your home. Hurricane windows, on the other hand, are sheets of glass and plastic laminated together. They only crumple when broken because the interior plastic holds the shards together, protecting you and your home.
How can you tell if you have hurricane windows?
One of the simplest ways to tell if your home has existing hurricane windows is to look for a small, etched label in the corner placed there by the manufacturer. If you don't see one, you can try checking your reflection. The multiple layer of laminated glass may have you seeing two or three version of yourself.
As a last resort, you can ask a professional to examine your windows for you.
Do you need to cover hurricane windows?
Previous home protection options included metal hurricane shutters that rolled down as storms approached as well as boarding up windows with plywood. While you can still use either method, you do not need to protect impact windows like you do traditional, single- and double-pane windows.
How much do impact windows increase home value?
Like any home improvement project, adding hurricane windows to your home also adds long-term value to your home. As an added bonus, having impact resistant windows should give you a credit with your homeowner's insurance. Check with your agent about the wording of your homeowner's policy.
Can hurricane impact windows break?
Hurricane windows can -- and do -- still break. They are hurricane-resistant, meaning they are meant to break after a certain point. They're designed to prevent flying glass and debris from entering your home and accomplish that job well.
Hurricanes take some getting used to, just like driving in snow. Hurricane windows can help. Talk to an expert today to discuss them at your winter residence.
Share21 December 2019
Do you have a door or two in your home that don't stay put when you have them open? Do you have any doors that don't want to close the whole way easily or stick once they are closed? These and other issues can cause a lot of annoyance in your home, but they can be fixed. My blog is filled with tips and how-to instructions that can help you fix all of the annoyances that a door can cause. Hopefully, you will find the solution to any of the problems that the doors in your home are giving you.
