Hurricane Shutters

[Smiling JOe]

We have been meeting with builders and architects as we are planning on building a house in Watercolor. We were told that the high impact windows and doors were required by code. They are going to be alot more expensive but we were told we would not have to worry about boarding up.

I do not believe the hurricane windows are required by code. You can either have the hurricane resistant windows and doors, or build your house to handle the pressure loads, which includes things like having plywood installed on the interior of the studs as well as the outside on certain walls. I am not in the construction business, but I think I correctly understand this.

Hurricane resistant windows is much like stainless steel. Stainless Steel will rust under the right conditions and hurricane resistant windows will not resist everything. I think those windows are rated for wind pressure up to 140mph. What happens if a strong Cat 5 hits? They will give. Also, these windows' strength is directly affected by the installation process. When improperly installed, they can fail. Furthermore, these windows and doors are not puncture proof. They will resist much force, but they will give at some point.

As for boarding, if your windows are busted, yet not broken through, how expensive is the replacement cost? I thought so -- the boarding is cheaper.

If any construction gurus out there see any faults in my statements above, please correct me.

 

[monique]

Oh your web site looked good! Somebody needs to start a franchise of this business in the Panhandle. I have Phantom retractable screen doors here in Atlanta and they work great. How do you think the hurricane screens would do with flying debris?

 

[wintersbk]

Oh your web site looked good! Somebody needs to start a franchise of this business in the Panhandle. I have Phantom retractable screen doors here in Atlanta and they work great. How do you think the hurricane screens would do with flying debris?

Not sure about flying debris, but the video on the website shows a 2X4 bouncing off of it.

 

[monique]

I think you'd have to start talking to some of these business people in south Florida to get the scoop. Wonder if the windows would still break or what. Just seemed like something new that not many people even knew existed.

 

[Kurt]

SJ,

There is no accurate or helpful rating that uses only wind speed. Check out design pressure (DP) ratings which include several factors.

A design pressure rating is a measure of the amount of pressure a window or door is designed to withstand when closed and locked. Each DP rating also establishes other performance factors such as structural pressure, water penetration and air infiltration. The higher a DP number a window or door has, the better the performance. As a frame of reference: DP 40 means that a window or door is tested to 60 pounds per square foot equal to a 155 m.p.h. (250 km/hr) wind and must withstand water penetration under conditions equal to 8 inches (20cm) of rain per hour driven by 50 m.p.h. (80 km/hr) winds.

If your product is not installed properly, your DP rating will mean nothing if the window ends up in your living room.

 

[Camp Creek Kid]

Hurricane rated windows will break when hit with debris. The rating is for wind only. The glass in the windows is the same type of glass used for car windshields.

 

[Smiling JOe]

Hurricane rated windows will break when hit with debris. The rating is for wind only. The glass in the windows is the same type of glass used for car windshields.

Correct, it has a plastic sheeting between the layers of glass to make it "shatter" proof, but the glass will break.

 

[gsigman]

We hear Lexan & or crinkled aluminun shutters were an alternative. Does anyone know who handles or installs these? We have a place in Seagrove. I also heard Home Depot has something along these lines.

 

[Miss Kitty]

I remember talk of the condos above Beach Java having some of these screens in place. Anyone else? I can't recall which thread.

 

[Beach Runner]

I remember talk of the condos above Beach Java having some of these screens in place. Anyone else? I can't recall which thread.

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