How much wind can my Windows withstand?
Extreme wind in coastal areas can easily break windows. To figure out how much wind your windows can be expected to withstand before they shatter, look for the design pressure rating for your windows. This information can be found on window packaging, manufacturer product data sheets or by contacting the manufacturer.
Are impact windows good for wind damage?
Impact windows are a great way to help reduce damage from severe thunderstorms that can have damaging wind. These types of storms can hit anywhere at any time. There is no replacing the peace of mind that a homeowner with impact windows goes to bed with.
How much wind does it take to break windows?
While there's no set wind speed that will break windows, you can figure out how much pressure your windows can withstand by examining the technical performance data associated with your specific window model.
How dangerous is wind damage to a glass window?
Most of the danger, however, is not from the wind. It’s from stuff flying in the wind. The glass is pretty good at dealing with equal force across the entire surface, but if there is a rock, a branch, a piece of lumber or whatever that hits in a specific area, it may well penetrate.
How much wind can my windows withstand?
Standard residential windows have DP values between 15 and 50. A DP 15 window can reasonably be expected to sustain winds of roughly 77 mph before shattering. A DP 50 window is expected to sustain winds up to 173 mph.
Can wind be strong enough to break windows?
The simple answer is yes. Hurricanes can produce extremely dangerous winds. A Category 5 storm can generate wind speeds of over 200 miles per hour. While steady wind may be unlikely to shatter a window, sudden, sharp gusts can add immense pressure to windows and doors and can break them.
How much force does it take to break a house window?
The design pressure for a basic residential window is 15 pounds per square feet. Under most conditions, the window can hold up to 15 pounds of pressure for every square foot of its surface before it breaks.
How do I stop my windows from breaking in high winds?
Here are some dos and don'ts of minimizing the storm's impact on your windows.Do Use Sturdy Storm Shutters. ... Don't Tape the Windows. ... Do Use Thick Plywood If You Don't Have Shutters. ... Don't Leave Windows Open. ... Do Clean up Yard Before the Storm. ... Do Use Impact-Resistant Window Film.
What are impact resistant windows made of?
Structurally, impact-resistant windows are made of: Two panes of shatter-resistant glass. If the exterior glass is shattered by a projectile, the inner layer remains, protecting the house. Because of the way the glass is designed, it doesn’t break into dangerous shards. An adhesive layer holding the panes together.
Why do impact resistant windows show two reflections?
Because impact-resistant windows are made up of two panes of glass, they’ll show two reflections (instead of the single reflection a normal window will show). For best results, wait until it’s dark out to try this. Check the deed to your house.
How to protect your home from a hurricane?
Other ways to protect your home from a hurricane include these: Update your roof per wind mitigation guidelines. Certain types of roof construction can both reduce your risk of wind damage and lower your homeowners insurance premiums. Verify that you have flood insurance.
Which zone is most vulnerable to hurricanes?
Those in zones closer to the start of the alphabet (A, B, C) are most vulnerable to hurricane damage, including storm surges, high winds, and loose debris. These are also the people who benefit most from impact-resistant windows.
Is every double paned window impact resistant?
But not every double-paned window is considered impact resistant. In fact, to get the official “impact resistant” designation from American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), windows must pass a series of rigorous tests. Impact resistance testing involves:
Do hurricane shutters protect against hurricanes?
While impact-resistant windows with hurricane shutters are the gold standard for homes in South Florida and other areas affected by hurricanes, they are not the only way to mitigate your risk of hurricane damage. Here’s a look at how impact-resistant windows and some alternatives stack up. Damage prevention solution.
Do hurricane windows block UV rays?
You may still benefit from impact-resistant windows if you’re looking for a way to protect your home from UV damage (hurricane windows also block most UV rays) or to dampen sound (impact windows are great at reducing sound). If you do need impact-resistant windows, you’ll probably have to have a hurricane protection company install them for you.
Why do windows collapse in a storm?
Many don’t know that the primary reason a house collapses in a storm is that when the windows break, air pressure inside the house increases. This additional pressure lifts the roof and can bring down the walls. Consequently, the glass selected for windows and doors can be the most important factor in salvaging ...
What is impact resistant glass?
Consequently, the glass selected for windows and doors can be the most important factor in salvaging a home in a heavy coastal storm. Impact-resistant windows are designed to withstand strong forces of nature, and are rigorously tested to ensure they perform. Impact-resistant glass generally consists of two laminated glass layers ...
Do hurricanes exceed windy rain showers?
Coastal storms certainly exceed a typical windy rain shower, and it’s no surprise that these extreme weather conditions call for a different caliber of window and door solutions. Homes on the coast or in hurricane impact zones demand stronger protection against the elements, so it’s important to understand impact-resistance, ...
What is impact window?
Impact windows are highly sophisticated and rigorously tested weapons in the defense of your home. In fact, the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has extremely strict guidelines for hurricane windows before they can even be certified as impact resistant.
How high above ground do you need to be to test windows?
If your windows are 30 feet or more above ground level, they are required to complete small-missile debris testing. To pass this testing, the windows must be able to withstand impacts from 10 ball bearings traveling at 50 mph. The product is then subjected to wind loads for 9,000 cycles.
How far above ground can a window pass a missile test?
Large-Missile Debris Test. If your windows are 30 feet or less above ground level, Broward and Miami-Dade counties require that impact windows can pass a large-missile debris test. To pass the test, a window must be able to withstand a nine-pound, 2×4 lumber missile traveling at 34 mph, followed by passing wind testing for 9,000 cycles, ...
Do impact windows need a permit?
As impact windows are highly regulated, the installation of them requires a qualified professional and a permit from your local municipality.
Tips For Installing Hurricane Impact Resistant Windows
Before you have impact glass windows installed in your home, keep these important tips in mind:
Reasons To Install Impact Resistant Glass Windows
I can think of 2 good reasons that impact glass windows make the best hurricane windows:
Building Code Standards For Hurricane Impact Resistant Windows
Impact resistant glass windows must meet certain guidelines in order to be marketed and sold as such. The American Society for Testing & Materials (ASTM) has strict guidelines ( E1886 and E1996) for hurricane impact resistant windows before they can be certified as impact resistant.
Best Impact Resistant Hurricane Windows
As you may have guessed, there are many brands of impact resistant glass windows available that can withstand hurricane winds.
How Much Do Hurricane Windows Cost?
The price for hurricane windows varies greatly depending on where you live, how many windows you’re installing, the size of those windows, the type of those windows, and whether or not your installing impact resistant glass doors at the same time.
Why are windows important in hurricanes?
Windows play a crucial role in maintaining the building envelope of a structure. A broken window can easily be the trigger for a massive destruction of a structure during sustained hurricane forces. When high-speed winds enter a house, they create a significant difference in inside/outside air pressure.
How to contact Impact Window?
For a complete proposal and impact windows cost, please call us at (305) 328-9138 to prepare a detailed quote that includes engineering, permit expediting and professional installation.
Why are wind load pressures positive and negative?
Wind-load pressures are displayed in positive and negative numbers because wind pressures are assumed to act both toward and away from a building surface. When the forces act toward the structure, they are categorized as positive pressures.
What is low emissivity glass?
Impact windows and doors can be configured to have low emissivity glass (commonly known as LowE glass) to significantly improve energy efficiency. With the current LowE glass technology, a homeowners can obtain high levels of year-round comfort while achieving important energy savings.
What is the Florida statute for wind storm protection?
According to Florida statute 627.0629 regarding residential property insurance, all insurance companies that provide homeowner's insurance to residents in Florida must offer some type of discount for dwellings that have an effective windstorm protective system installed. Back to top. 2. DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS.
Do window companies save labor?
Some window companies out there save on labor expenses by hiring untrained installers. Appearance and Function: The majority of the manufacturers have impact-resistant windows and doors made out of aluminum framing offering somewhat the same product styles, such single-hung, horizontal rollers and casement windows.
What is the wind speed of a window?
To earn a performance grade of 15, a window must also pass a water pressure test of 2.86 psf, which simulates rainfall of 8 inches per hour with a wind speed of 34 mph. In coastal areas or other areas prone to heavy winds or hurricanes, higher grade windows are recommended and may be required by code.
How much load would a 50 mph wind impose?
LW; several government PDFs as well as the Engineering Toolbox convert wind speeds to loading forces. For example a 50 mph wind would impose a load of 2.15 k N/M2. It's not linear so one needs to do the calculation.
What is the IRC code for hurricane windows?
International Residential Code for Impact-Resistant Windows. The International Residential Code (IRC) requires impact-resistant windows in all hurricane-prone regions along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts from Texas to Maine.
What is a vinyl window?
Vinyl-framed windows are hea vily reinforced with aluminum, and all windows use metal mullion bars anchored to the framing between mulled units. Window-to framing attachment methods are also beefed up to comply with the new codes, and in some cases, metal clips are used to anchor the window to the frame.
How fast does a 2x4 window blow?
Miami-Dade County enacted the most stringent standard and test protocols, subjecting windows (and storm shutters) to a test in which a 9-pound 2x4 is hurled into the glass at 50 feet per second , followed by 4,500 cycles of positive and negative wind loads equivalent to a 146-mph wind.
What is impact resistant window?
Under pressure from both the building codes and insurance industry, most major window manufacturers have developed impact-resistant windows for residential applications that feature laminated glass along with heavier frames and hardware. The glass is similar to auto windshields with a plastic interlayer, but it is significantly heavier.
How much of a building value is required to be repaired during Hurricane Irma?
It's also worth noting, for buildings suffering major damage during hurricane Irma, that buildings whose repair costs will be equal to or more than 25% of the building value (presumably pre-storm damage) must comply with the current standards. (Chapter 16 of the current FL code).
What are the benefits of hurricane windows?
Additional benefits include pre-storm preparation, increased security, UV blocking, and noise reduction. All of these make impact windows a great option.
Why are hurricane windows important?
Sure, the style of hurricane windows is an excellent feature, but don’t forget that its main function is to protect your home from potential storm damage. Knowing that your home has permanent protection against hurricanes, tornadoes, and other storms at any given time also provides peace of mind.
What are the protective measures for South Florida windows?
Most South Florida homeowners know that they need some form of protection on their windows, be it in the form of cardboard shutters, duct tape, or impact windows. While all three of these items technically qualify as a “protective measure,” this does not mean all three are created equal.
Do hurricane windows protect your home?
It’s safe to assume most people recognize the fact that hurricane windows will do a better job of protecting your home than tape or cardboard. Other than that, homeowners may not know much about impact windows, and in fact have heard numerous misconceptions about them.
Can a DP50 window handle hurricane winds?
Unfortunately, this is incorrect. Yes, DP50 rated windows are designed to handle strong winds from storms.
Can hurricane shutters break?
For shutters, materials like plywood can take a long time to fit to the window and to put up, and can easily break during a hurricane. When compared to impact resistant glass, hurricane windows hold up infinitely better in a storm.
Do impact windows protect against hurricanes?
Let’s be clear: impact windows do not prevent hurricanes, but they do offer protection from one. They are tested to withstand impact and strong winds, which some would argue makes them a far better option than other types of hurricane protection.
