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Hurricane season: Why impact-resistant windows are so essential

A hurricane blows outside of a window. (PublicDomainPictures, PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay)

There are plenty of safety measures we must take when we know a hurricane could be approaching, but a few of those must be in place earlier than a few days ahead of a storm.

Ensuring your windows can withstand hurricane-force winds is one of the most important.

In recent years, homeowners have been thinking differently about how they prepare.

Hurricane Matthew packed a punch in 2016, and then Hurricane Irma hit Florida, among other places, hard in 2017.

“Hurricane preparedness is something that’s definitely on everyone’s mind,” said the experts from FHIA Remodeling. “Everyone recognizes that it can definitely happen to us, and they’re starting to ask different questions because of those two storms.”

Beyond that, not all windows are the same, and FHIA said homeowners should pay particular attention to ones that are near corners.

“The other dangers of a hurricane are the wind pressures pushing and pulling on the glass -- and it’s really magnified around the corners of the home, so you want to make sure you order the right glass,” according to FHIA Remodeling.

So, how do you know to which glass you should switch?

It’s important, but not always an easy decision.

“A lot of times, the opening has to be rebuilt to make the opening as strong as the window we’re putting in, so that it all works in concert together,” an FHIA expert told us.

What about problems screened-in patios could present? One home was left with a sliding glass door that was bowed after a storm.

“And a lot of time, because the glass bows, the aluminum frame gets compromised, and it never truly goes back to the same original condition,” according to FHIA Remodeling.

Regardless of a homeowner’s budget or location, there are plenty of options for hurricane-impact doors and windows.

Professionals can evaluate a home and make recommendations based on what each homeowner needs and/or wants, specifically.

To see more options when it comes to protecting your home or how you can make an appointment, visit FHIA’s website.


Click here for more tips on how to stay prepared during hurricane season.


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