Hurricane Preparation: The Importance of Installing Impact Windows

Hurricanes have been known as some of the worst disasters across the world as they lead to losses of property, human lives, and infrastructure. Even as climate change affects the weather, frequency and might of hurricanes are likely to become more frequent and more intense.

This paper focuses on measures that ought to be taken in the event of a hurricane so as to reduce the losses and protect the population.

The use of impact windows is one of the most important measures that one has to take when preparing for a hurricane. The purpose of this essay will be to discuss the necessity of preparing for hurricanes, the advantages of having impact windows and the procedure of incorporating such assets.

Why the Need to Prep for Hurricanes

Pre-hurricane is a set of measures aimed at safeguarding lives and property during a hurricane event or before it is due to occur. Some of these include drawing an operational plan, say for disaster management, evacuation, or stockpiling crucial commodities, structures particularly for withstand forceful breezes or flying particles. As we all know, an adequate amount of time dedicated for planning lessens the dreadful cases of casualties, destroyed properties and, correspondingly, less loss.

Storm-guaranteed windows or otherwise referred as hurricane windows, are particularly designed to manage the force likely to be exerted by a hurricane. These windows consist of at least two sheets of glass with a third shell or other material sandwiched in between and generally contain a turbulent polyvinyl butyral (PVB or ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA). You can click here to learn more. This construction enables impact windows not to shatter but to remain as are, even while being subjected to flying debris.

Hurricanes can be devastating and many times one of the most affected parts of a home is the windows. Conventional windows can break due to pressure by hurricane winds and other products that may be flying in the air thus allowing the hurricane winds and rains into the home with a lot of force hence causing a lot of damage.

They can also cause leakages which results in a buildup of pressure inside the building thereby threatening the building’s structural foundation. Hence, the reinforcement of windows is a part of hurricane contingency measures.

Perhaps the most obvious advantage comes with safety since impact windows are specifically designed to be resistant to impacts. When you install impact windows, you help minimize the dangers that arise from glass breaking and falling on its occupants. This is considered essential during a rising hurricane, as the wind may pick up almost everything and turn it into a dangerous missile. Florida impact windows offer protection to the home from various calamities that exist both inside and outside a home.

In addition to the reduction of injury liabilities, impact windows also hold another great benefit which is the way they afford the protection of a home’s structure. When they break the pressure of wind that comes in, most often, traditional windows can lead to the failure of roofs or walls collapsing. The pressure changes create huge forces on the building envelope and impact windows ensure that these are well-kept, reducing the risks of major structural collapses.

The following are the other benefits of impact windows Apart from safety and structural protection. They offer superior performance when it comes to keeping the inside environment warm or cool depending on the weather thereby saving energy bills.

Residents also get the benefit of impact windows as they provide insulation of outside sounds thereby reducing noises within the house. In addition, these windows offer protection from the ultraviolet radiation thus preventing the fading of the furniture, carpets, and artworks due to prolonged exposure to light.

The Process of Installing Impact Windows

Impact window installation is an important aspect of hurricane awareness, and this normally comes with a number of processes. The first possibility is to evaluate the current windows of the home and to identify the kind and size of the impact resistant windows which are to be installed. This necessity should only be done by a professional contractor who performs hurricane resistant installation.

The next thing that one will have to do after making the assessment is to acquire the right impact windows. The most common ones are single-hung and double-hung while other types include casement and sliding windows. Locals in different regions serve different requirements in terms of the interior designs, inherent building codes and hurricane resistance.

As stated above, installation process commences with the process of retrofitting whereby the original windows are first taken out. The third step should also be done cautiously so as not to cause harm to the adjacent structure.

The new impact windows are then installed into the openings, and it is guaranteed that it fits well to the specified position and dimensions. It is very critical that the windows be well sealed and caulked to avoid water penetration which would defeat the very purpose of putting in windows in the first place.

Upon the fixing of the windows, one should ensure that he or she conducts a test to ensure that the windows are well fixed and in the right position. If there are such things as spaces or misalignments, they should be corrected immediately to ensure the windows are well made.

Therefore, hurricane preparedness can be seen as one of the most important keys in the protection of lives as well as properties from the devastating effects of hurricanes. One of them is having proper impact windows installed as this is one of the key elements of good preparation and other advantages like insulating capabilities and noise barrier.

With impact windows, one is able to avoid huge losses in terms of property and perhaps lives in the process when there is a hurricane thus making it safer in the long run. Since hurricanes pose higher risks, each passing year, making the necessary adjustments for instance getting an impact window is not only sensible but also reasonable to ensure one’s family and house is secure.