Impact Windows in Florida Considered to be a Necessity among Homeowners and Businesses
Residential and commercial properties along Florida’s coast should incorporate impact windows to avoid costly damages incurred by hurricanes and other types of tropical cyclones that are common to the state. As population growth occurs in coastal regions, various types of property damages and losses continue to increase. Based on research, there are several climatic factors that indicate that tropical cyclones such as tropical disturbances, tropical depressions, tropical storms, and hurricanes are starting to develop more frequently and with higher levels of intensity. There are several potential hazards that homes and businesses have the potential to be subjected to when a tropical system, such as a hurricane, develops. Window damage is considered to be the most common type of damage that occurs in these instances. If you own a home or business along the coast of the Sunshine State, it is essential that you understand the necessity of incorporating impact windows into the structures that you own.
Hurricane Property Damage and Loss
Throughout history, the risk associated with property loss due to tropical cyclones appeared to be relatively small. Several homes, businesses and other types of structures were constructed on the East Coast of the United States as well as the Gulf Coast. Most of the structures were placed along the coast in the 1970s. However, many were placed along the coastal regions in the 1980s. During these periods, hurricane formations were considered to be low and tropical cyclone development was experiencing a relatively low amount of activity. At this time, the last major hurricane to be experienced by the State of Florida was “Betsy”, which occurred in the year of 1965. Unfortunately, the tropics became active in the year of 1989 when “Hugo” developed. In the year of 1992, “Andrew” affected the state, resulting in over twenty six billion dollars in damage. By the year 2010, nearly eighty million people in the United States reside in hurricane-prone regions. A good portion of these people reside in the State of Florida. If you are one of them, it is essential that you consider installing impact windows in your home or business.
Tropical Cyclone Winds
One of the most devastating effects associated with tropical cyclones is the wind that is associated with a storm. This is especially true when a hurricane has developed. According to statistics, there are many ways that property damage and loss may occur, but hurricane-force based winds result in the largest amount of damage and loss related to tropical cyclones. While other types of storms may have wind, the ones from hurricanes are considered to be the most turbulent and volatile. In addition to this, winds from a hurricane have the ability to last for excessive periods of time. Because of the fact that the winds emitted from this type of tropical cyclone last so long and change direction in a relatively slow manner, it is able to result in large amounts of debris involving the structures of the environment or region it is affecting and carry a large amount of debris in many different and large spans of area. Furthermore, the winds of a hurricane generate both internal and external forms of pressure. The pressure and wind it is associated with causes uplift, suction and twisting forces that could result in an immense amount of damage to structural components – especially windows.
Debris
While the wind of a hurricane, as well as the internal and external pressure of the storm, these are not the only complications that could result in window damage. When the wind and pressure occurs in a tropical cyclone, it could result in debris being tossed into the air. Even the smallest forms of debris, such as a small branch, could become a projectile that could result in severe window damage and other types of destruction. It is necessary for homeowners and business owners to be aware of this fact. By understanding this, the importance of installing impact resistant windows becomes evident.
Impact Windows
Impact windows are essentially windows that are designed to withstand the complications that are often associated with hurricanes. These products are subjected to numerous tests that are relatively rigorous to ensure that they are of the highest quality. The impact windows that are available on the market today are tested on the following criteria:
- Water Resistance
- Air Infiltration
- Impact Resistance
- Entry that is Forced
- Complications from Flying Debris
- Wind Resistance
Traditional windows are typically unable to handle a lot of pressure from rain, wind, and flying debris. The impact windows are able to withstand all of these factors. By placing these types of windows on a residential or business structure, window failure is not likely to occur. Because of this, less damage will occur overall. Windows that break could result in more than glass damage. It could result in internal damage to the structure as well. By properly protecting your home and/or business with impact windows, you will find that you experience fewer complications with tropical cyclone damage – especially the damage that typically occurs during a hurricane in the State of Florida.
Florida Window and Door is a premier manufacturer of hurricane impact resistant windows and doors. Produced to the most exacting industry standards, our high performance, high aesthetic product collections offer advanced hurricane Protection Shutters of home and commercial structures, in both new and existing construction. For more information: http://www.floridawindowanddoor.com/
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