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Perhaps one of the best ways to protect your home and family inside is to buy and install hurricane windows. Hurricane resistant windows are usually made with two very strong pieces of glass on both sides, and a strong plastic filament sandwiched in between them.
This arrangement makes it nearly impossible for debris and other large projectiles to penetrate it. Most hurricane windows are made to withstand winds greater then 110 miles per hour or more, so no matter where you live on the coast, you should be fine.
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If you live in Southern Florida though, your hurricane windows, AKA impact glass, should at least meet the Miami-Dade County hurricane codes.
The Importance of Windows
Windows are really the only vulnerable opening on your house, besides porches, patios and other stuff like that. So once a window breaks, and the wind starts coming in, it builds up pressure in your home or business and eventually causes the structure to collapse or have the roof blow completely off.
By having hurricane windows that are impact and wind resistant, you ensure that high pressure winds stay out keeping your property completely in tact.
Hurricane Windows Impact Tests
To ensure the durability of hurricane windows that you buy, there are some tests you can perform that will really push them. Below are some of the test requirements that every hurricane window should pass before being installed:
Large Missile Resistant: Debris that weighs 9 pounds, measuring 2 inches by 4 inches by 6 feet (no more then 8 feet) in size and is traveling at thirty four miles per hour.
It then must be able to handle positive and negative wind loads for 9 thousand cycles, with the impact hole being no bigger then 1/16 by 5 inches on the inter layer of glass.
On a side note, if you are installing hurricane windows on a property that has doors and windows that are thirty feet or less above ground level, then the windows must pass the large missile test.
If they are more then 30 feet from the ground, they only need to pass the small missile test which will be discussed next.
Small Missile Test: Hurricane windows are considered small missile resistant when they have passed a test that exposes it to various impacts, with ten ball bearings moving at a speed of 50 miles per hour. Then the hurricane impact window is subjected to wind loads for 9,000 cycles.
Overall, hurricane impact windows provide uninterrupted protection all year round for you, while also not damaging the appearance of your home or business. It is like having the best of both world's, protection and beauty. |
