Because of the possibility and likelihood of hurricanes the Miami-Dade code restrictions are very strict. Our installer did have to redo several of the installations of the triple windows because he had failed to do something up to code. It goes without saying that they must be installed correctly to perform adequately. We liked the fact that it was one less thing to worry about if a storm were to approach. We had enough to do just getting all of the outdoor furniture, etc. taken care of. No need to have to worry about putting storm shutters up or down. It was especially comforting when we left town and were worry free. Keep in mind that they are also an added layer of protection against theft as these windows will not break out. Along with that you have to remember that it makes it more difficult for firemen to enter your home.

Hi oberon! I hope that you realize that part of my exasperation at this point was that Guardian showed us what was possible, and now we are just trying to achieve that goal. But on to your questions... Guardian was the supplier to Benor well before we entered the process. When we went looking for windows and found Benor, and when our architect realized that the Guardian Architectural Division was willing to participate (there are some personal relationships involved here that made this happen), we started to get a tremendous amount of involvement by a couple of their engineers. The Guardian folks were very helpful in explaining to me and my wife ALL the sources which would degrade both the VT and CRI, and then discussed all that they could do to reduce their impacts. One of the larger impacts on VT that could be mitigated was the interlayer index of refraction mismatch by supercritical choice of the laminate interlayer (including the batch number). They spent hours showing us more than two dozen samples, taught me the laser trick, and then explained why we would want to use their ultra-white glass with Saflex rather than some of the other PVB products available, and why the PET interlayer while it delivered better impact performance was not the right one for us. That decision alone they explained would improve our VT dramatically. They then introduced us to the Munsen Color chart as a way to assess color neutrality, and a myriad of other details that would appeal to the artist in my wife. As we went through this process, they kept plugging the various lite selections into a program ("Windows 5.2") that predicted the performance of the whole glass assembly. Here is where I received the real education. What appeared to be relatively small changes in the components of the glass assembly (such as using the the ultra-white glass with Saflex) were responsible for increasing the VT by 5% (which I have come to find out is HUGE!) The spacer that they suggested was a specialty, "two polymer, warm-edge" system that separated a dual pane glass system. The gap was was about 0.267" and filled with krypton. No window glass on our house was wider than 32" (based on the advice of Guardian engineers). After Guardian designed the complete glass assembly, Benor used that data to estimate "whole window" performance (including frames) and based on these data Benor suggested that they use a "fully foam insulated" vinyl sash and frame for our windows. After this good experience, I had been very disappointed speaking with nearly all of the "established" window brands. Since then however, we have found a couple of specialty window makers that appear to be willing to work with us. The glass samples that they have sent us for inspection appear to be quite good and I am hoping that we end up with a positive outcome. If anything, I think I am the product of "raised expectations" that were the result of a specialty window manufacturer who had tremendous pride in his work and a glass supplier who (for whatever reason) decided to show us the "bleeding edge" "art of the possible" for our house.

While it is not the norm, the salesperson is 100% correct in that every window will leak under those conditions. Windows are not designed to be bowls in correct. I would encourage your husband to look up the criteria and testing of windows. It will make more sense after that. Here is something that I copied and kept from Oberon. It summarizes quite a few questions for you. In terms of which route to go, some might recommend impact windows and the storm shutters if you really want to protect the home. Some of the benefit of the impact windows is that you need not be home to "activate or pull down" the windows because they are always in place. Here is what Oberon say.... DP and Impact Window Discussion The DP rating of a window or door is based on laboratory pressure testing in pounds per square foot or psf. Air, water, structural is a three-part test that determines much about a window's overall performance. Air infiltration is the first phase, water penetration is next, and structural is the third part of the test. Windows are tested for air infiltration simulating a 25mph wind or a 1.56PSF pressure load - air infiltration is treated separately from both water infiltration and structural and it is independent of the design pressure of the unit. Said again - the air infiltration rate in a window is not based on the design pressure rating of the unit. Both water penetration and structural testing, on the other hand, are based on the window DP rating. Water infiltration is tested at 15% of the design pressure and structural is tested at 150% of DP rating. What this means is that a window with a DP30 is tested for water infiltration at 4.5psf (15% of 30psf) while a window with a DP40 is tested at 6psf (15% of 40). A window with a DP30 rating should be able to keep out rain when it�s driven by 42mph winds and a window with a DP40 should be able to keep out rain when driven by 49mph winds...so while water infiltration is DP related - and air infiltration is not - the nature of air and water infiltration is different. The structural rating of a window is as much about the glass as it is about the frame and sash system. In order to get a higher DP rating the window manufacturer has to consider the thickness and possible heat-strengthening (or tempering) of the glass as well as the use of higher-end hardware and good quality sealants in the frame and sash system. But, interestingly, there is nothing in the structural rating that specifically requires that the unit be air-tight. A window can leak air like a sieve and still achieve an excellent DP rating. Likewise a window that is sealed tightly can have a lower DP rating but excellent air infiltration numbers. Obviously there are also many units that have both excellent air infiltration numbers and a satisfactory DP rating (relating to both structural strength and water infiltration). Simply stated, the relationship between DP and windspeed is -- "the ratios of the design pressures in psf are the square of the ratios of the wind-speeds in mph". A window with a DP30 is rated to a pressure level equivalent to a 110mph windspeed, but it is tested (for structural) at a pressure equivalent to 164mph. A window with a DP40 is rated to a pressure level equivalent to a 127mph windspeed, but it is tested (for structural) at a pressure equivalent to 190mph. So what does the DP50 in the "hurricane resistant windows" actually mean? Not much really. Certainly a DP50 is acceptable in many circumstances, but "hurricane resistant windows" is pretty much meaningless in that the window isn't impact rated - meaning that in the event of a major storm you would still have to either use shutters or plywood to protect your home. Impact (or "hurricane") windows are made with laminated glass, upgraded hardware, upgraded frames and other components, and all sealed in place with some of the strongest silicone (or other) adhesives on the market. Virtually all the major window manufacturers have impact products available. Some perform extremely well, others barely get by. Laminated glass is simply two (or more) lites of glass bonded to a plastic interlayer for strength. Laminated glass is no stronger against breakage than is the glass it is made of. Let me say that again - laminated glass breaks as easily as the glass it is made of. I mention that because many folks have the mistaken impression that laminated glass / impact windows won�t easily break. They will break, but the glass adheres to the plastic interlayer and keeps the envelope of the home closed. There are four major food groups in the impact glass world (a few other ones as well) relating to the interlayers used to manufacture the laminates. First we have PVB or Polyvinyl Butyral. This is the stuff that is in the windshield of your car. It is relatively soft and very flexible, yet it is also tough and doesn�t tear easily. This is probably the most widely used product in the impact glass market since it does great when impacted. It stops whatever hits it and stretches to absorb the impact (such as a persons head in a car accident). PVB is a good product and is the choice for many manufacturers. The second interlayer type is a hybrid of PVB with a layer of PET film between the PVB layers. This is a very tough product and it performs very nicely. The third type of interlayer is called SGP or Sentry Glass Plus. This is quite a bit different from PVB in that it is very stiff and very tough. It is becoming something of the product of choice in some of the toughest applications (including some bullet and bomb resistance applications). It is also can be more than a bit more expensive than PVB and may be overkill for some residential applications � but I think it is ultimately the best product on the market at this date. SGP has become the product of choice for a number of the wood window manufacturers. Although vinyl folks don�t seem to be using it quite as much yet, SGP does seem to be growing in the vinyl market as well. I suspect that one reason SGP is a little behind in vinyl windows is because SGP�s rigidity tends to transfer the impact force to the frame of the window rather than absorbing the impact in the glass as does PVB. While the best vinyl windows can handle the force of an impact when using SGP as the laminate interlayer, not all vinyl windows are strong enough to take that force. As a rule, aluminum windows tend to be pretty strong and can generally use any of the mentioned interlayer laminates. The fourth product line is the resin laminates � where a liquid resin is poured between two lites of glass and allowed to cure. I see liquid resin laminate as the "mom and pop shop" of laminated glass � although some larger manufacturers do use it. For the manufacturer it is cheap, it is easy, and it is an acceptable "mom and pop shop" product. Impact rated windows - or to answer your question - Dade County Approved windows are tested to the same air, water, and structural testing that I mentioned earlier, but in addition they are required to twice successfully stop an 8', 9lb 2x4 that is fired at the window at 50fps. If the impact window is able to stop the 2x4 - without penetration of the glazing - then the unit is subjected to 9000 high and low pressure cycles at up to 100% of the DP rating. If the window manages to stop the two 2x4 impacts, and manages to successfully complete the 9000 pressure cycles, it still has to operate in order to successfully pass the entire testing sequence and get the Miami Dade Approval. There are several advantages to using impact glass rather than shutters � not having to travel for hours to protect your home if you happen to be away for some reason is certainly a huge one � but beyond that: First, and best (and restating), they are passive protection�you don't have to do a thing to protect your house if a storm is coming. If you are out-of-town, the house is protected. Second, (and re-restating) they are passive protection...not just from storms, but also from unfriendly people who might want to enter your home when you are not there. Imagine trying to break thru a window or door that has been designed and built to withstand winds of over 150mph and at the same time to withstand impacts from a 2x4 projectile that turns plywood into kindling. Burglars look elsewhere. Laminated glass, used in impact windows, blocks 99% of UV light from entering your home and also acts as a significant sound barrier as well. Homes that are near airports that are remodeled for soundproofing are retrofitted with laminated glass for that reason. But, those homes generally use a much thinner version than is used for impact resistance. Unfortunately, looting is sometimes a problem after a major storm, and again that passive protection that impact windows gives you will help keep your belongings in your home long after the storm. The folks who do the deed are going to look at the homes that don't have that sort of protection. Also, those folks who use shutters or plywood to protect their homes are going to be living in a windowless cave as long as they are in the house with the coverings in place. Folks with impact windows don't have to do that. From a cost versus value comparison, IF you are planning to replace your windows anyway and you are planning to go with higher-end windows, then replacing your existing windows with impact units is cost-competitive with getting impact shutters. If you are not planning to replace your windows - except to install impact units - then the cost of window replacement can be significantly more than the cost of installing shutters.

Good morning Nick, Exactly as WoW stated above, you can get in the low .20's with a dual pane but you aren't going to reach .2. Per triple pane, in addition to what was brought up in earlier posts, for a triple pane with a laminated impact lite included you would need to find a window company that had a glazing reglet, or glazing channel, that was at least 1-1/4" wide (and possibly wider yet - 1-1/4" is really pushing the lower limit) in order to accommodate the width of the finished IG unit. As you stated earlier, you are looking for clad wood windows - and as follow up to that, did you really mean the cladding to the interior and wood to the exterior, or was that a misstatement? If you really meant that you wanted the cladding internal and wood external, I strongly suggest that you reconsider for two reasons: first, I don't know of any window company that can or would make a window in that configuration simply because it would be a very bad idea. second, refer to the first reason. There are companies that manufacture windows with really wide glazing channels to accommodate wide triples. If they are vinyl companies, then they are likely to be using European extrusions for their windows since European triples tend to use wider IGU's than their North American counterparts. Over near Vancouver BC there is a company called Innotech that offers both wide triples with U values as low as .17 or so, and Miami Dade tested impact units. I suspect that they may be seriously willing to talk about the idea of a triple pane impact window, but the cost (especially when you throw in shipping) could be scary. Innotech windows use European vinyl extrusions. Per wood manufacturer's, Loewen, Marvin, Kolbe, Weathershield, Jeld-Wen, and others, all make triples and all make impact. I don't know if any of them have ever combined the two. Per dual pane impact windows, there are literally hundred's of companies in that pool. Wood, fiberglass, vinyl, aluminum are all available. Energy performance is going to vary by both material and manufacturer. For the very best U value performance you are going to want a triple-silver LowE coating on IG surface 2 combined with a surface 4 coating and a 90% argon fill. That will get you numbers in the low .20's. Some companies will offer windows with the laminated impact lite to the exterior and some companies will have the laminated lite to the interior. Some even offer it both ways depending on product line. There is no difference in energy or impact performance either way - assuming that you are making an apples to apples comparison. And as a final follow up (for this post at least), as I mentioned earlier, based on my review of the requirements, I do believe that companies who are ASTM E1996 impact certified can manufacture a triple pane impact window that is within their certification, even though they certified a dual pane, without having to retest. (anyone know a grammarian who might grade that last sentence/paragraph?) However, every company that I mentioned earlier is Miami-Dade certified and MDC doesn't even recognize the existence of triple pane. In the past five years or so (probably longer), I think yours might be only the second or maybe third truly original question that I have seen online...all else aside, you brought up one heck of an interesting idea. This post was edited by oberon on Sat, Sep 14, 13 at 9:01