Hurricane Ratings For Windows

As a result south florida has different requirements for rating approved impact resistant windows.

Hurricane ratings for windows.

Beginning in 2001 new homes in florida and. Hurricanes reaching category 3 and higher are considered major hurricanes because of their potential for significant loss of life and damage. A hurricane door with a pg rating of 40 may possess two aspects that rate in the 50 range but the door receives the lowest score. This number correlates directly with the amount of wind pressure the window can endure.

Burglars run once they try to smash one. The pg rating of a window typically falls anywhere between 15 and 70. Impact windows also increase safety noise reduction and intrusion resistance. Exterior storm windows and hurricane windows are designed to enhance the energy efficiency of existing windows especially single pane units.

The call for hurricane resistant windows hit full stride after hurricane andrew struck florida in 1992 causing an estimated 25 billion in damage. In a category 1 hurricane winds range from 74 to 95 mph. Category 1 and 2 storms are still dangerous however. Our hurricane strength windows and patio doors offer some of the best protection from coastal storms.

In theory its true the dp50 rated window is designed to take those wind loads. But unless you ve bought the expensive impact rated version you re windows are completely vulnerable to breakage from wind borne debris. The term hurricane windows is a little misleading. They also help homes withstand damage during harsh.

Let s simplify the numbers. In response to this certain hurricane prone areas have adopted new asce american society of civil engineers guidelines for windows in new construction. The saffir simpson hurricane wind scale is a 1 to 5 rating based on a hurricane s sustained wind speed. The simplest way to read ratings.

Falling debris could strike people livestock and pets and older mobile homes could be destroyed. For example a window with a dp30 is rated to take the equivalent of 110mph wind. A window with a pg of 35 can handle 35. However the window is tested to withstand 170 mph winds.

South florida is a hotbed for hurricanes and severe weather. Some of the windows are even labeled with hurricane rated tags but the fine print reads much differently. The benefits of impact resistant windows exceeds just those homes located in areas prone to hurricanes. Hurricane windows are not the same thing as impact resistant windows.

Protected glass windows will generally.