Impact Windows Archives - Page 2 of 2

Strengthening Your Home With New Windows

For security, energy-efficiency, and to protect against the Florida storms, builder-grade windows usually don’t come up to par. Most importantly for Florida homeowners, they’re not impact resistant. Ideally, your windows should protect you from ALL outside elements (and human ones) and should keep your HVAC system from working overtime. Here’s how you can strengthen your home so it can keep protecting you…

Upgrade to SolarMax® Glass

SolarMax® Glass is a low-e glass package only available at FHIA! It qualifies for ENERGY STAR approval, blocks up to 95% of all UV rays, and can withstand high winds and flying debris without shattering. That means, NO MORE STORM SHUTTERS!

Switch to StormSaver Windows

Our StormSaver Windows are engineered to endure Florida’s worst tropical storms. These vinyl windows withstand powerful winds and pressures of +/- 100 mph. Another exclusive to FHIA, we pioneered these windows with the help of CWS, the manufacturer of the #1 hurricane window since 1986!

Choose FHIA Remodeling!

For quality installation you can trust, choose FHIA Remodeling! As a partner to ETI, PGT, and CWS, we offer some of the best warranty protection around. Coverage may include window installation, accidental glass breakage, and even hurricane glass breakage.

Bottom line, if you want to increase your home’s strength and value, you want impact-resistant, energy-efficient glass, and insulated, heavy-duty frames from FHIA. Our windows will protect you against hurricane-force winds and flying debris, so there’s no need for shutters.

Updating your windows means you’ll be saving yourself the worry and potential cost of repairs after a hurricane. Not to mention, increasing your curb appeal and home value, sound reduction, and potentially saving on your homeowner’s insurance and electric bills! With our team’s expertise, our reputation for great service, and our industry-leading warranty, we’re the clear choice to help you and your home. Give us a call to set up a no-obligation consultation or fill out our online form to speak with a representative about a free quote.

#StormReady: How to Prepare for a Florida Hurricane

If you live in Florida, you know hurricanes are a risk every year. But with signs of La Niña in the Atlantic, this year’s hurricane season is currently on pace to match the number of named storms in 2005’s record-breaking season. As of August 2020, we have had 11 named storms in the Atlantic one month before peak hurricane season. The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration states the “updated outlook calls for 19-25 named storms (winds of 39 mph or greater), of which 7-11 will become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or greater), including 3-6 major hurricanes (winds of 111 mph or greater).”

Preparing for a hurricane is critical knowledge to have as a homeowner right now. How can you get and stay prepared? Here are our top tips…

Designate a Safe Room

Choose an interior room on the first floor of your home with no windows. This could be a laundry room, a large hall closet, or a bathroom. Your family should be able to comfortably sit inside. Furthermore, you should store a battery-operated radio, some flashlights, and a first aid kit inside. Once a hurricane watch is issued, you should also include a 3-day supply of food and water.

Maintain Your Lawn

Storms have strong winds. Make sure your trees and shrubs are maintained to prevent branches and debris from flying around during a storm. When a hurricane watch is issued, you should put away all lawn furniture and anything else that might be picked up and thrown at your home.

Strengthen Your Home

Make sure all your windows and doors are in working order. That means no drafts, loose locks, or cracks. Your windows, doors, siding, and roof are your home’s first line of defense. Consider upgrading to storm windows specifically designed to withstand powerful winds and pressure. Not only will you protect your home, but you’ll also increase your energy efficiency year-round, and you won’t have to mess with storm shutters.

Homeowner’s Insurance

Read over your policy and make sure you understand what is and is NOT covered. If you have any questions, contact your agent and get clarification before a storm hits. Take a video of the outside and inside of your home to document baseline conditions and contents.

For more tips on getting and staying ready for a hurricane, download our complete Hurricane Preparedness Guide here!

If you’re ready to make the switch and finally ditch those clunky storm shutters, contact us today for a free quote! Our representative will cover all your options, answer any questions you might have, and give you a custom quote that’s good for 12 months. Take the first step towards peace of mind, request a quote now.

About Us

FHIA has served Florida homeowners for the past 50 years. Our commitment to quality work and quality service has recently earned us the sixth spot on Qualified Remodeler’s Top 500 List of remodelers nationwide. We were also ranked third this year by Remodeling Magazine. Learn more about FHIA and our work here.

#StormReady: How to Protect Your Home & Put Aside Worries

Every hurricane season, Floridians dust off their storm shutters and prepare to do the put-up/take-down dance at the whim of the local weather station. It’s not a matter of whether or not we will get hit by a storm, just a matter of how hard it will hit. Knowing the certainty of storms here in Florida, we’ve come up with several solutions to help you protect your home with minimal effort.

Impact-Resistant Windows

Here at FHIA, we have served the state of Florida for over 50 years. We know and understand Florida homes and their needs. We developed a custom impact-resistant window, specifically designed to withstand Florida storms. Say goodbye to your clunky storm shutters! With our windows, you will be instantly prepared no matter what mother nature throws our way.

Why are they so efficient? Because they combine…

SolarMax® Glass: a low-e glass package only available at FHIA. It qualifies for ENERGY STAR approval, blocks up to 95% of all UV rays, and can withstand high winds and flying debris without shattering.
StormSaver Windows: Engineered to endure Florida’s worst tropical storms, these vinyl windows withstand powerful winds and pressures of +/- 100 mph. Another exclusive to FHIA, we pioneered these windows with the help of CWS, the manufacturer of the #1 hurricane window since 1986!

No other window can protect your home like ours can!

Custom Doors

Once we cracked the code for windows, doors were next. Aside from the sturdy, pressure-resistant frames and, for select doors, the custom glass package – our expert installers make sure the frame and door are fitted and locked in so your door not only protects against the elements but adds to the security of your home!

Our large selection of products makes it easy to upgrade the security and resistance of your home without sacrificing curb appeal. Click here to see all our window and door styles. Don’t forget, we also work with custom orders, so if you don’t see exactly what you’re looking for, let us know!

Prepare your home for the next hurricane by upgrading your doors and windows. Toss out the shutters and rest easy knowing your home is always protected. Get a free quote from a nationally ranked remodeling company.

About Us

How to Prepare Your Windows for Hurricane Season

Surviving a hurricane may sound like a once-in-a-lifetime ordeal, but most residents of Florida know that hurricanes are a simple fact of life. With the right preparation for your home—especially for its more vulnerable components like windows and doors—you can enter each hurricane season with confidence, calm, and peace of mind.

Here are a few simple tips for preparing your windows before a storm:

Install Hurricane Windows – It’s no secret that the very best way to prepare your windows for Florida storm season is to replace them with stronger, higher-quality storm windows. Especially if you have an older home, your windows are likely far flimsier and less durable than even cheapest windows available today! Installing impact-resistant windows (especially those that meet Miami-Dade County’s strict requirements) will keep glass from shattering, even with direct impacts of 100+ mph.
Don’t Neglect Any Windows – Some Florida homeowners mistakenly believe that only waterfront-facing windows need to be specially protected. Since flying debris can blow from all angles, it’s important to take precautions for all of your home’s windows—first floor, second floor, water-facing, or not.
Install Hurricane Shutters – Most often crafted from aluminum or other metal materials, hurricane shutters are a next-best solution to protect your home’s windows. Although they do provide a layer of exterior defense, they also require a bit of manual labor to set up, especially if you have many windows or particularly large windows. Still, they’re definitely recommended if your windows aren’t storm-rated.
Board up Your Windows – If you have neither hurricane hurricane windows nor hurricane shutters, then plywood is likely your best alternative to preventing window glass breakage. If available near you, metal or plastic storm panels will provide more reliable protection than plywood for a comparable price.
Clean Your Yard – Any items sitting in your yard can become high-speed projectiles under the right hurricane conditions! Be sure to move any outdoor furniture, cooking equipment, umbrellas, or loose yard décor into storage. If you have time, it’s also a good idea to trim your tree branches short enough that they cannot directly beat against your windows, siding, or roof.
Forget the Tape! Whatever you do, don’t buy into the myth that taping an X across your windows will help. In fact, tape can actually make your windows more dangerous! Rather than shatter into small, relatively harmless pieces, the tape can force glass into huge shards that cause much more damage.

Although hurricane season lasts up to five months of the year, the good news is that we’re rarely caught off guard. Weather experts track the start of storm season every year, and the earlier you take steps to protect your windows, the safer your family will be when June 1 rolls around!

By adequately preparing your Florida home with storm-ready, energy-efficient solutions, you won’t just survive hurricane season; you’ll be able to thrive all year long—no matter the winds or weather outside.

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