Choosing a Window Installation Contractor

First let’s start off by saying that the many different window companies may have their own dedicated installers. Also, there are many specialized products or niches within the replacement window market.  Some companies focus on energy efficient windows and some consumers have a demand for this pricey product as it saves them money and provides a tax credit.  For hurricane impact windows this is tricky issue since a vinyl window will provide better energy efficiency but also much lower design pressures. And the list of different products continues with high design pressures for impact windows on beach front properties (those also often need “turtle glass”), hurricane windows with lower design pressures (& therefore lower cost) for inland properties, Miami-Dade approved hurricane windows for store front operations, etc. 

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The Impact of Hurricane Impact Windows – part 2 of 2

(for the first half of this post, see The Impact of Hurricane Impact Windows – part 1)

INSTALLATION
For the window to withstand hurricane conditions, something similar to the 9,000 cycles of positive and negative air pressure they undergo in impact testing, the installation is every bit as important as the quality of the window.  Dave Olmstead, spokesman for PGT Industries in Venice, Florida, agrees that no matter how strong a window is the attachment to the building structure is critical. Olmstead says a window that is 53-inches by 76-inches would have 28 square feet of exposure, and with a wind speed of 146 mph from a category 4 hurricane would result in a load on the window equivalent to 1,958 pounds of pressure. For the window to perform correctly, the load has to be transferred to the building itself, which is done by using suitable anchors to transfer the load from the window or door frame to the rough opening without causing failure. Therefore, the installer needs to be knowledgeable in how to use this system and its different anchoring mechanisms.

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