Key Takeaways: Hurricane predictions are 100% reliable. Weather predictions and storm “spaghetti strings” have evolved immensely over the years so that they have become more and more trustworthy as the storm gets closer to the Gulf Coast. Having hurricane windows alleviates a lot of worry but, they don’t actually protect your home from the storm completely.
When Hurricane Windows Are Not A Solution
If you are in the direct path of a category 5 hurricane with a large storm surge predicted, and your home is not more than 15-20 miles from the coast, evacuation is the best way to save yourself and your family from danger. There are two popular sayings to remember: “Hide from wind, run from water” and “Turn around, don’t drown”.
Will hurricane windows protect your home from storm surge? No. Even if the water is high enough to reach your windows, there are plenty of places water can seep into your home. Installing sand bags to protect will be effective enough to prevent some interior flooding. Sand bags are effective with storm surges up to about 24 inches give or take. Run from Water…you should evacuate. If there is no threat of storm surge it is safe to stay in an interior room of your home away from windows and potential danger.
What Hurricane Windows Do Prevent
Hurricane windows are designed with three main specifications in mind:
- Design Pressure: Hurricane windows have a higher design pressure which is what creates a fortified window to resist the pressure of wind pushing against it.
- Wind Driven Rain/water Penetration: Windows designed for hurricanes have robust seals to prevent wind drive rain from penetrating into your home.
- Impact Resistance: In high winds sticks, shingles, signs, lawn furniture…anything not secured becomes airborne and can slam into your windows thereby breaching and allowing wind and rain to enter the home.
Hurricane windows are designed to have a higher “design pressure” than non-wind storm rated windows. Along with the fortified design, the Texas Department of Insurance requires specific installation methods so that windows stay in place.
Impact resistance comes from the combination of laminated glass paired with tempered glass. Laminated glass panes have two sheets of glass joined to a polyvinyl film. This process keeps the glass intact and not breaking into smaller shards.
For windstorm rated hurricane windows, the meeting rails are designed with more weather stripping and built in overlaps to prevent wind driven rain from entering.
Our favorite windstorm rated windows, built right here in Texas, are from Vistamark. Depending on the size of the window, the DP 75 (design pressure) of Vistamark windows is rated for up to 200 MPH winds pushing against the window, from either side. There are several features engineered into the windows as demonstrated in our Vistamark hurricane windows here.
Storm Preparation And Important Government Links
- The Texas Department of Insurance: TDI has information on windows, doors and skylights that have passed certification for coastal installations. You can also find permit and inspection information there.
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: NOAA has great resources for tracking and predicting the impact of storms.
- National Weather Service: Learn about weather and get weather maps and alerts set up from the NWS website.
- The National Safety Council: NSC has preparedness guides and other tips to make it through natural disasters safely.
Also, don’t forget about your local television, radio and NPR which are all great resources to assist weathering the storm. And, as always, evacuate when instructed to do so!
Any Other Benefits To Getting Hurricane Windows?
Yes, there are several:
- FER Rating: This is a forced entry rating. Due to the fortification for wind and water penetration, hurricane window are more difficult to force open. Since the locks area also more robust, it is harder to defeat the locks by jimmying.
- Fortified Glass: If your windows have tempered and laminated glass they are more difficult to break.
- Sound Proofing: When windows include laminated glass they further reduce the level of sound entering the home.
- Energy Efficiency: With the greater weather stripping and overlaps on these windows, there will be less air leakage and energy loss.
Why Listen To Houston Window Experts?
Besides over 15 years in business, the staff at Houston Windows Experts has lived and worked in Texas long enough to experience these natural disasters in person. We’ve evacuated. We’ve sheltered in place. We’ve had flooded homes. In addition, we have personally evaluated and selected the best products in the industry. Windows and doors that will look stunning inside and outside your home. Products that excel in quality and performance.
Our staff members are the best in the industry. We hire qualified people, get them factory training and supervise them to follow our perfected processes. Because, only a fully satisfied client…only a 5-Star review will do.
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