Hurricanes are one of the most powerful and destructive types of storm possible on our planet. Never has that been more apparent than the recent devastation of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy. Every year, cities and homes are rocked (literally) to their foundation by hurricane winds. Florida is the hurricane capital of the United States. If you live in an area where hurricanes are a constant fear, how can you protect your home?
One of the best things you can invest in are impact resistant windows. There are many benefits to high impact windows beyond the protection they afford.
- Obviously, protection from hurricanes. A high quality impact resistant window is capable of withstanding winds up to an astounding 200 miles per hour. Many of them have even been thoroughly and successfully tested to withstand Category 5 winds, the highest category on the Saffir?Simpson hurricane wind scale.
- They are also extremely energy efficient. These windows are designed to keep out gale-force winds, so a little heat and cold isn’t going to do anything to it. On average, homes lose up to 30% of air conditioning or heat through inefficient windows. By using qualified Energy Star windows, your energy bills can be lowered by between 7 and 15%.
- Other benefits Because of the several layers present in the windows, they are extremely effective at cancelling out any outside noise. Also, if they’re meant to withstand hurricane winds, they sure as heck can withstand any attempted break-ins. Some insurance companies may give discounts due to the increased security, and the resell value of your home will likely increase as well.
Billions of dollars of damage is done each year by hurricanes. Some are inevitable — impact resistant windows wouldn’t have done much against Sandy, for example — but those storms are the exception, not the norm. There are many reasons to invest in high impact windows, such as noise control, saving energy, and theft protection. On average, replacement windows for your home yield on almost 80% return on investment. If you live in an area constantly hit by hurricanes or abnormally strong winds, investing in high impact and energy efficient windows is a must.