Contractors May Make Use of Impact Resistant Windows

With today’s meteorological industry, it is easier than ever to predict the size, arrival times, and power of storms such as tornadoes, blizzards, and hurricanes, but these powerful acts of nature cannot be actually prevented. Man made structures in storm-prone areas, then should be constructed so that they can survive a hurricane, an earthquake, a tornado, or anything else that may happen. Many buildings in the Midwest are designed to survive a tornado’s powerful winds and wind-blown debris, while larger buildings along the East Coast such as in Florida and South Carolina are built with materials that have hurricanes in mind. A glass door system or ordinary window may be blasted apart by winds or debris, and impact window manufacturers know this. Hurricane resistant windows and hurricane sliding glass doors are no ordinary construction materials; they are designed and rated to survive the winds, rain, and wind-blown debris of the hurricanes that strike the tropics every year, and impact window manufacturers are always looking for ways to stay one step ahead of Mother Nature.

On Hurricanes

What kind of storms are impact window manufacturers building their materials to resist? Many statistics have been kept to see how powerful these storms are and what kind of damage they can do, to help impact window manufacturers and others prepare for future storms. A typical hurricane contains a lot of energy and create a lot of destructive weather. One hurricane can stir up millions of cubic miles of air and dump over 2.4 trillion gallons of water (nine trillion liters) of rain water in a single day, and this can lead to the flooding that accompanies most hurricanes in North America. Every year, American residents can expect the hurricane season to run from June 1 to November 30 every year, and these storms may sometimes even create tornadoes. Back in 1992, for example, Hurricane Andrew spawned 62 tornadoes, and these tornadoes may occur days after the hurricane itself has made landfall. Florida and Texas often receive the most hurricanes per year, but other coastal states such as South Carolina may experience them as well.

Some hurricanes have gone on record as being especially powerful, and impact window manufacturers and similar companies have their hands full dealing with such powerful storms. Hurricane Irma stands as the most powerful North American hurricane in recorded history, a Category 5 storm that had 185 mile-per-hour winds for 37 hours. This hurricane contained an incredible seven trillion watts of energy, and this power allowed it to devastate the Caribbean and th4e American coast. How can construction methods endure such calamities?

Building For Hurricanes

No one can stop hurricanes from forming, but fortunately, such storms can be carefully studied and predicted, and this allows building contractors to make buildings such as condos and apartments that are more hurricane resistant than ever. Storm surges, flooding, heavy rain, and powerful winds can all be expected, not to mention wind-blown debris, and buildings can be designed to minimize the chances of being blown apart or swept away by flooding. This often involves the windows and sliding glass doors of buildings like condos or apartments, which are often the weakest point. Windows that are not designed with hurricanes in mind can be broken when struck by flying debris, or blasted out of their frames by powerful winds. No ordinary windows or sliding door models will be safe here. Rather, impact window manufacturers will design storm-resistant models and have them installed in new buildings to protect both lives and properties.

Building project managers in Florida are aware of the presence of hurricane conditions, and they will be prepared. Windows and their frames for condos and other public buildings will often have an impact-resistant glaze on the glass, and windows and door systems with this glaze will have +105/-130 storm resistance. They can also stand up to hurricane force winds that exceed 100 MPH in strength. Inspections can help make sure that building are prepared, and in Florida in particular, it is required that condos undergo a public inspection every 40 years so that hurricane resistance tech is kept ready for storms. Unprepared buildings can be refitted with new doors and windows before hurricane season arrives.