According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration you should expect yet another active hurricane season in Florida (SOURCE). Hurricane season in Florida runs from about mid-August to October, and a deadly storm could brew in the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic at any time during that stretch. Since 1850, every point on the Florida coastline has been impacted by a hurricane making landfall at least once according to Florida State University’s Florida Climate Center (SOURCE). It is imperative, then, that you make sure that you and your home are ready for hurricane season. If not, the costs could be great. According to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration hurricanes caused approximately $136 billion in damages in 2018 and 2019 (SOURCE). Given these facts, it is a no brainer for Florida residents to do whatever they can to mitigate the damages that hurricanes cause. After all, property damage is not just damage to inanimate objects. It is also damaging to your livelihood and to your family’s peace of mind.
One crucial element of hurricane preparedness for Florida homes is hurricane windows. The deadliest element of a hurricane is its strong winds, with extensive damage coming from even category 2 hurricanes. That is where hurricane windows come into play. The best hurricane windows will have several layers of laminated UV glass. The many layers of glass are stronger, keeping flying debris from entering your home and wreaking havoc. The technology is really rather clever, since when one layer of glass breaks, it has another layer of laminated glass to disperse the blow it received from flying debris. This technology is critical if you want to adequately protect your house from hurricanes. Hurricane grade windows will usually have frames made out of stronger materials, like aluminum, in order to stand up to the immense pressure created by hurricanes. Traditional single pane windows can be shattered much easier, sending shards of glass flying into your home, damaging your property and potentially hurting you if you are still in your home. Afford yourself as much protection as possible and equip your home with the right windows. Also, bear in mind that all hurricane grade windows are not created equal. Be sure to look for windows that feature multilayers of laminated glass.
Hurricane grade windows are an essential part of any hurricane readiness plan, which every Florida resident should have. Protection and security are both top priorities that any adequate hurricane plan will address. With hurricane grade windows, the most important feature that you will notice is the peace of mind knowing that you are doing everything you can to protect your family and your possessions from the natural disasters that are a given in a place like Florida. Given the ubiquity of hurricanes in Florida, there are many companies that can help you out with outfitting your house with hurricane grade windows. They will assist you and your family in making the right decision for you. However, ensure to get a quote first in order to accurately assess the costs and benefits of new windows. Keep in mind, though, the costs that you could accrue if you choose not to upgrade the durability of your windows.
Another feature of hurricane grade windows that people tend to overlook is that they can help save you on energy. Not only are windows like Paradise Platinum Series windows the only windows endorsed by the National Crime Prevention Council, they can also save you up to 31% on your energy bill compared to single pane windows. This means that many of the costs associated with installing new windows, will be more than mitigated both by the peace of mind you will get from knowing you are protected from crime and from hurricanes and from the energy savings that will go directly back into your wallet. Every cost benefit analysis is different. People live in different circumstances, and the right decision to make will always be dictated by the facts on the ground. Make sure, though, that when you are considering hurricane grade windows that you consider all of the variables, energy savings and safety included.
To sum all of this up, hurricane rated windows are a must have for any Florida home. Hurricanes make landfall in Florida every year, and the NOAA predicts that this hurricane season will be another active one. Given these facts, safety should be any Florida resident’s number one priority. New windows can be a great way to protect your home, your family, and your livelihood from hurricane force winds. Do all the research that you need in order to come to a well informed decision, but I hope that you will choose to add hurricane grade windows to your hurricane-preparedness repertoire.
How to prepare your Florida Home from Storms with Impact-Rated Hurricane Windows?
