Storm Windows

The glass in these specialty storm windows is said to withstand not only hurricane winds, but flying debris as well. As you may have noticed in the description of some of the other types of hurricane protection shutters, they will often say that some types of shutters are used as an additional protective device for homes that have this special hurricane storm window. And this is true. The degree to which these storm windows will be resistant to flying debris will vary, and so you will want to make sure of the strength your window offers against such a situation.

These specialty storm windows, as you might image, are one of the most expensive options for your windows. As well, as you might imagine, it is easier to install them in the construction phase of building your home. If you are going to install them in an existing house, expect to pay even that much more for the extra labor.

All that said, storm windows for hurricane force winds obviously offer a lot of advantages once they are installed. The first is that they could eliminate the need for shutters altogether, as well as preparing your windows before a storm to get them storm-ready. The best of these storm windows is similar to windshield of a car with a layer of tough plastic slotted in between two layers of glass. In the case of flying debris, the object may strike and crack the glass on the outside, but then it meets the heavy-duty plastic layer in the middle, which stops the object and prevents the whole window from shattering.

The potential downsides include the cost, as mentioned before, as well as the fact that they must be installed by window contractor. If you are installing them on an existing home, in order to come into compliance with modern codes, new window frames will also need to be installed.

These specialty storm windows generally run from $35-$50 a square-foot (this includes the frames and the layered glass as you would see in a car’s windshield.