Dave: My home is engineered and built to handle the hurricane wind pressure and not break apart. It's called a partially enclosed structure and they are very common as of 2002 FL building code. (Possibly 2008 blg code changed so impact windows are reqd..not sure) The windows in these partially enclosed structures are not impact resistant, but are designed to not BLOW out in a hurricane...they have very strict engineered specs for pressure on each window based on calculations and charts of wind speeds and pressures and design and location of the home(called design pressure rating, there is a plus and minus rating for in out out pressure). Also they are installed into the home very strong per specs so they don't blow out. Impact resistant windows would be needed if we also wanted to protect for missiles (flying bricks, etc) that would hit and break the window glass. Our home is designed that if every window was broken that the home withstand the wind pressure from a hurricane and not break apart and roof not blow off. We can always add shutters or plywood if we choose if flying debris is something that we want to protect against(or buy new windows when it is time). But the super strong structure is not something we can redo as easy at a later time. Not really worried about rushing out to buy shutters or plywood, to be honest.

My dad who just put impact windows on their remodel a few years ago got CGI casement windows and likes them. They got PGT sliding glass doors (CGI didn't make them at the time, don't know if they do now) and he hates the PGT sliders, they're very hard to open & close. I had Pella out a few weeks ago for an estimate to replace a few of my windows and the price was outrageous, and that was without install. They also only make aluminum clad wood, and some feel this is not a good choice for our humid environment, all aluminum is better. There's a place called South Florida Window & Door on Powerline & Copans Rd. in broward that sells CGI & I'm going to go check them out on Monday. BTW my parents are in Boca, I'm in Delray. Parent's house with impact windows survived Wilma beautifully. My completely unprotected windows survived too, but it was scary. We actually watched the glass in the slider bending. We had just bought the house & it didn't have shutters. The 10 year old windows are cheapola so we'd rather replace than shutter IF we can afford it! HTH

Hello again I guess as the homeowner, the lumber yards and distributors are not too interested in dealing with me- I guess they don't realize I am paying the bill!! The GC will install what I buy. I haven't received any quotes yet on PGT! I just called another distributor, he also sells Andersen. He told me that vinyl clad wood is better than solid vinyl. He is suggesting Andersen 400 series. Said it is a more solid window than PGT and Simonton. I thought wood clad was not a good option for the cost. What are your thoughts? Thank you,

Evolution, For what it's worth, I happen to really like your product concept which leads to a quick story.... About 15 years ago (give or take a couple), a guy i was working with on a project asked me to help him out with an idea that he had about hurricane protection shutters. His thinking was that the major downside of shutters and plywood (pretty much 100% at the time) was that they covered the window making it impossible to see in or out. He had the idea of building shutters out of polycarbonate that wouldn't ever have to be removed from fixed windows, and when installed over any window wouldn't block the light or the view. My thinking was that he had a heck of a good idea and I offered encouragement and helped him with a few simple calculations and some minor proof of concept ideas. We lost contact not long after and I THINK he was contemplating moving to florida, but don't recall for certain. Anyway my point was that I had to wonder when I was looking at your website. Have to admit it made me wonder... To questions/comments.... 1) Nothing involving storm protection (or bullets, or bombs, etc) is proof. Resistant, yes, proof, no. Laminated glass is shatter-resistant, that's what it's for and there are required tests that exist to confirm. A dual pane impact window is with very few exceptions manufactured with one laminated lite and one non-laminated lite. As I mentioned previously, it's possible for the laminated lite to be mounted as interior or exterior, often depending on how the glass was glazed into the sash. If the laminated lite is inside and the window is broken by an impact then the loose (non laminated) broken glass WILL remain outside the building blocked by the laminated lite that isn't going to shatter. This is the make-up that I personally prefer and would generally recommend, and i have never been shy about telling people that here or real time. If the laminated lite is outside and it takes an impact that is powerful enough to break both windows, then breaking the inner non-laminated lite will result in broken glass inside the home. You have seen the hurricane impact on you tube, so have I, but I haven't seen a video of an impact that shows the glass shattering and flying into a room. In all seriousness I can't find one even though I looked for it. Can you drop a link, I am very curious to see it. I have personally performed, participated in, and/or witnessed impacts over 3000 times. I have also witnessed testing for impacts based on tornado level wind-speeds, but have never performed that test myself. The tornado test is a 12', 15#, 2x4 at 150fps. Interesting thing about the tornado testing was that over half of the impacts that I witnessed (and that was typical), the 2x4 shattered into kindling when it hit the glass and the glass was undamaged. I mentioned earlier that it is entirely possible to manufacture laminated glass that won't break when tested to TAS201 large missile and/or ASTM 1996, any level. I can think of three ways to do it as I type, and while I KNOW for a fact they all work because either I have personally been involved with manufacture and testing it or else coordinated with people who were, they aren't generally available outside of specialized applications. 2} There is no requirement for testing a window for water penetration after impact, primarily because they are two different test requirements from two different agencies. The impact test is all about the product's resistance to penetration by the 2x4. The glass can break, but penetration of the glass isn't allowed. If the interlayer isn't torn then water can't penetrate it, broken glass or not. 3) The requirement for water resistance testing is not related to or is part of the impact test protocol. As mentioned previously, windows are required to be tested for water penetration based on the DP level, and it makes zero difference whether the window is impact resistant or not, other than impact windows often have higher DP than non-impact windows. Although the requirement is based on the DP, this doesn't mean that's the maximum window performance. While I do know specific companies that do test higher than the DP requirement for their impact windows, I have no idea how many actually do so.