Impact sliding glass doors are sometimes called “hurricane-resistant” or “impact-resistant sliding doors,” and they’re designed to withstand extreme weather like we can have here in Stuart, FL. They offer superior resistance to the impact of flying debris, and that also makes them great for security, as well.
How Do Impact Sliding Glass Doors Work?
These doors have laminated glass that’s interlayered with polyvinyl butyral (PVB) or a similar material, and all of it is framed in reinforced aluminum or vinyl. These are, in fact, mandated by Florida’s building codes in coastal and high-velocity hurricane zones (HVHZ). They enhance your security while also allowing you a beautiful view of the outside.
How Do They Help With Security?
Impact glass doors significantly improve your security in two primary ways: first, by offering resistance to forced entry, and second, by protection against storm-related breaches.
First, the laminated glass construction provides superior burglary deterrence. Standard glass shatters amd falls away, but impact glass holds together even when it’s cracked thanks to the interlayer that prevents penetration. This improves your security on a daily basis and also improves security after storms, if you have to leave the house for an extended period. It’s always possible for burglers to breach any door, no matter how strong, if they have the right tools, but laminated glass doors are so difficult to get through that most bad actors will simply move on to an easier target.
Second, during hurricanes, these doors prevent wind-borne debris from compromising the home’s envelope. Not only does the glass resist shattering if it’s impacted by branches or other debris, but it also can stand up to cyclic pressure loading.
How Do They Improve Your View?
We have a subtropical climate and a beautiful landscape, and enhancing the outdoor-indoor conductivity of your home gives you more natural light, improves the feeling and flow of the house, and allows you to take full advantage of the outside without having to always be outside in the heat and mosquitoes. But as nice as an expansive view is, because our climate is so warm and humid, energy considerations are very important. Impact-resistant glass doors make it possible to actually enjoy those views and the natural light without losing all your energy through the glass.
The glass itself is made in layers, with gas between the layers that resists the transfer of heat. They also come with UV-resistant tints to reduce glare and heat gain. Another benefit to these doors is that, because they’re so large, there aren’t as many points of contact with the house as there would be if you installed multiple glass windows in the space. Each connection is a spot where energy can leak, so minimizing the number of connections get you the best thermal protection.
Impact-resistant glass doors protect you, but they also let you enjoy living in our beautiful state without literally throwing your energy right out the window. To learn more and get a free quote, visit Liberty Impact Windows and Doors in Stuart today.
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772-208-3299
257 SE Monterey Road #4469
Stuart, FL 34994