Unlike traditional windows in your home impact windows are made totally different. Ever since hurricane Andrew cost insurance companies 25 billion dollars. The Miami-Dade Building Code was born and along came a new set of rules to help protect homes and businesses.
The Impact Test
Every impact window must now meet a impact test. On a large missile test they use a 9lb 2″x4″x6′ in size and it travels at 34MPH. Then the window must pass positive and negative wind loads for 9000 cycles with the impact creating no hole larger than 1/16 x 5″ in the inter-layer of the glass.
If you live in a home or building where the windows are located 30 feet or less above the grade then your windows must meet the large-missile test. If your home or building is 30 feet or more from the ground then they can be large or small missile compliant.
How Are They Made?
First, think of your car windshield and when it breaks into a million little pieces but how it stays together? Your impact resistant glass is basically a heavy-duty car windshield.
It consists of a clear plastic inter-layer sandwiched between two panes of glass. Window manufactures use 2 types of inter-layer. Polyvinyl [PVB] and SentryGlas Plus [SGP]. The SGP is more rigid and less likely to tear and is used in large missile impact windows.
Window manufactures have also took one step further to meet the Energy Star Rating and added a spacer and an extra pane of glass to create a dead-air space which gives you the energy savings. Some manufactures also use a 16 chamber vinyl extrusion for there window frames and this keeps the heat transfer at the outside of the window frame and the 16 chambers build superior strength to with stand hurricane -force winds.
Now comes the installation and all the manufactures have there own approved installation guide lines that the testing showed to work under our hurricane force winds.
Please remember that all your windows are inspected by your local county building departments and all inspectors have been trained on proper installation also.
Added Value to Your Home.
By installing impact windows in your home or business you add a ton of value and can save on insurance cost. All the experts agree that the windows in your home or business cause the most damage once the windows are broke out of the home in a hurricane. Once the wind force enters the home or business and begins pushing against interior walls it forces the wind upward and this will cause the roof to blow off.
We have seen this over and over. The garage door alone can cause this but most of the time it’s the windows that get broke out because of a single pane of glass.
One more thing to remember is if you ever have your home appraised make sure the the appraiser knows you have installed impact windows and doors in your home. It will increase the value
If you would like more information on impact windows for your home or business then call Mark Lamb at Absolute Windows at 941-485-7774
Thank you,
Sean Gerathy
