Impact Windows as Hurricane Protection

Facts and Fiction

Our goal is to educate consumers on the facts about hurricane impact windows. In their effort to "get the sale", many sales reps leave out pertinent facts that may affect your decision negatively.

Construction Facts

Most vendors are selling a vinyl framed impact window with "sacrificial glass" on the outside exposed to the elements. It is just plain window glass that can be easily broken. Many window sales reps will not disclose this fact since it takes away their "full impact" sales pitch. The impact glass layer is behind that glass on the inside of the house. Should the outside pane be broken by flying debris the entire window must be replaced since the outside glass is not repairable.

These windows are energy efficient and may save you on heating and cooling but saving your house and your life is the main goal.

Testing Facts-Impact Testing

Windows are tested, as are shutters, by shooting a 9lb blunt 2x4 at the surface at 50 ft per second (34.5 miles per hour). As long as the resulting damage produces a hole all the way through both banes that is less than 3" in diameter the unit passes as hurricane protection. Obviously, the outside glass will be totally shattered even with the impact glass sustaining a 3" or smaller penetration. Even if the inside glass is not penetrated, the entire window unit will usually have to be replaced at the homeowner's, not the insurance company's, expense. Again, many window sales reps neglect to point out these pertinent facts.

Testing Facts-Water Resistance

Vinyl framed impact windows are not guaranteed to be water or leak proof. They are tested with 50 pounds of water pressure, which is what your home water hose produces. A major hurricane producing driving rains pushed by hurricane force winds can easily exceed that pressure. The vinyl frame expands and contracts with heat and cold. That can produce leaks as can the way the windows were installed and the quality of the caulking materials used. Again, a fact that the sales rep neglects to mention.

Many homeowners install shutters as well as impact windows to get the energy efficiency of the windows, and the water protection and impact resistance of the shutters together.

Impact Window Tips

If you have openings where you use impact windows insist on aluminum frame windows with laminated glass. This eliminates the sacrificial glass on the outside. Since the laminated glass is full impact it is similar to your car windshield. The aluminum frames are also not as easily affected by heat and cold as are vinyl frames and are much less likely to leak. The laminated glass is also much less likely to be totally penetrated on impact.