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ASTM International launches a six-foot-long 2×4 from a cannon, hurtling at speeds of 34 mph, directly at glass windows. The safety organization does this to make sure impact-resistant windows undergo rigorous testing. It wants to ensure your family remains safe the next time a hurricane barrels toward your Northwest Florida home. Getting these windows (commonly referred to as Hurricane Windows), installed before the next hurricane season, is highly encouraged!
Impact-Window Testing No Joke
Before you decide to install these impact-resistant windows, you might want the peace of mind that comes from knowing what they go through in the testing phase. It really is no joke! The American Society for Testing and Materials, or ASTM International, has a battery of tests it performs, like the 2×4 test, in this video by PGT Custom Windows and Doors.
Florida building codes demand that before earning certification, windows must withstand large and small missiles. This means they are required to absorb the impact from a six-foot-long 2×4 weighing nine pounds, traveling at 50 feet per second or just over 34 mph. Done in a laboratory, the piece of lumber blasts from a cannon. If the window glazing stays intact, then the window passes the test.
But there’s more. The windows also must make it through a gauntlet of 30 different impact tests utilizing a common element found assaulting windows during storms; roof gravel. Safety testers employ steel ball bearings, which they fire at 80 feet per second or 50 mph to simulate gravel in a storm.
Once these windows have been marked and graded, homeowners can feel confident in what to expect from each type of window. This should give you peace of mind the next time weather forecasters show a hurricane tracking map with Northwest Florida as the bullseye.
What are Impact-Resistant Windows Made of?
You may be tempted to look for a big red “S” and a cape. But most impact-resistant windows undergo rigorous testing to ensure they deflect dangerous flying objects. They prevent these objects catapulted by high-powered winds in a storm from entering your house because they are made by combining heavy-duty vinyl frames with laminated glass. Silicone glazing holds the glass and frames strongly together. Although the windows may crack, an interlayer prevents those damaging winds from getting inside your home and wreaking havoc.
Even More Reasons to Buy Impact-Resistant Windows
You can breathe easy during the next hurricane knowing your impact-resistant windows undergo rigorous testing. But did you know they come with several other benefits? These include:
- No need for panels, shutters, plywood or other hurricane protection devices
- Reduced noise
- Elimination of fading caused by sun exposure
- Savings on energy bills
- Help with year-round security against thieves and intruders
- Allows the same amount of light to enter your home
- Provide a clear view of the great outdoors
- Discounts on your home insurance rates
- Better resale value of your home
Call Lee’s Glass to Install Your Impact-Resistance Windows Today!
When you finally decide to go ahead and buy some protection from future storms for your home and family, call Lee’s Glass & Window Works! We offer impact-resistant windows with a perfect three million-for-three million record against hurricanes since 2001. Call for your complimentary estimate!
