I believe that Hurricane windows,provide superior protection during a violent storm. As they are attached to the integral part of the structure of a building,prevents chances of wind entering the building,something like storm shutters. Simultaneously i even let light enter a room. -------------------------------------------- The hurricane windows fort lauderdale servers great !!

DO NOT BUY PGT WINDOWS! SIX YEARS AGO WE BOUGHT OVER $47,000.00 WINDOWS AND SLIDERS (7 SLIDERS) - as of yesterday I just filed / called for replacement of our fourth sliding glass panel doors - these are the Miami Dade double insulated with all the extras - failing. The seals do not hold. The company we bought the window/sliders from does not like going thru all the trouble to replace and then reinstall....they can charge me whatever price they want for labor. PGT will replaced the windows - they will probably say "out of warranty" - it is very unclear just exaclty what their warranty is (!). Do NOT do business with PGT....I am at the point of just replacing every defective window with a different brand .....this is so unfair and unprofessional and poor business standards....

Whomever told you that your windows needed to be impact rated did you a disservice and made you a target for salespeople to push expensive impact windows on you. Impact windows only need to be used if you are not going to protect whatever windows you decide to install with approved hurricane protection. So, in a way, you might be viewed as an "easy mark" as someone stated earlier. Don't feel bad - I hear these stories every day. You would be surprised to hear the many folks that I speak with who say "I don't need shutters - my windows are hurricane proof!" There are no hurricane proof impact glass windows available to the general public. Simply stated, if you windows are made from glass - no matter what king - they're going to break - period. Click on the link below to see what happens to an impact window during a large missile impact event: Impact window test This leads to my next question of, "If you opt for the more expensive impact windows, how are you going to protect them from breaking?" You see, impact windows ARE resistant to hurricane wind load pressures but they AREN'T that good when it comes to being impact resistant. They are a "sacrificial" form of fenestration designed to break when impacted but remain in place to preserve the integrity of the building envelop and thus prevent pressurization of the structure during a tropical weather event. They were never intended to "survive" or "withstand" a hurricane impact. Quite the opposite is true. And as you can see from the video, once they are impacted they no longer pass air infiltration or water penetration standards and need to be replaced. Those impact windows weren't cheap when they were installed and they aren't going to be cheap to replace. So, no matter what windows you choose, protecting their investment cost only makes sense. Whether you decide on a high quality aluminum framed version with a 50+ year life expectancy or a pvc framed unit that only lasts for 25-30 years, protecting them is something to consider to avoid the expense, mess and inconvenience of having to replace them when they break. The bottom line is do your homework before you plunk down a ton of cash for new windows. There are dozens of types, styles, construction materials & methods, glazings and sealants used for manufacturing. If you're environmentally conscious you'll probably want to stay away from pvc because of their toxic hazards during the manufacture and disposal. However, if you're a "flipper", you'll most likely opt for the low cost of pvc and not worry about lifespan or toxic effects. If you're looking for something dimensionally stable, steel frames might be your choice. There's also aluminum, fiberglass and wood models to check out, as well. Once you decide if the up front expense or long term payoff is more important, your choices get easier. Good luck with your search.

You will love the function and the high end look you will achieve...if you like the look of rings some come with that accent too!....check out Halfpricedrapes.com for your drapery linen panels...they offer readymade in many lengths and some can be ordered in custom sizes...also will send you free samples I think up to ten free.