The Right Windows and Glass Doors to Resist Hurricane Winds

Nature’s fury, as they call it, describes destructive acts of nature ranging from hurricanes to volcanic eruptions to lightning storms and earthquakes. Often, these acts of nature may be highly destructive to property and may threaten lives, so the correct countermeasures are taken. No one can prevent an earthquake or redirect a hurricane, so engineers are hard at work developing hurricane proof sliding glass doors, earthquake-resistant building foundations, levees against floods, and other measures to minimize damage to property. And of course, before a storm hits, the people living in that area may be evacuated, to minimize the loss of life. But the buildings cannot be moved, so naturally, hurricane proof sliding glass doors and hurricane glass windows will be used. Often, these hurricane proof sliding glass doors and high impact windows are installed on large buildings in Miami or along the Florida coast, and the Texas coast, too. Sliding glass door manufacturers may offer specialized hurricane proof sliding glass doors to contractors so a building can stay safe in a storm.

The Power of Hurricanes

There is no doubt that the intense winds, wind-blown debris, and rain from a hurricane call for special measures ranging from levees to hurricane proof sliding glass doors and similar glass door systems. Even a smaller hurricane can whip up a lot of air and dump a lot of rain onto an area, and the largest hurricanes boast extreme wind speeds and billions, if not over a trillion, gallons of rain water. Meteorologists are studying and tracking hurricanes every year to measure the power and behavior of these storms, to better predict their movement and strength. This, in turn, makes it easier to design hurricane proof sliding glass doors and windows, and install them. And of course, all this makes evacuation efforts more precise and better coordinated, too.

Hurricanes often strike the American east coast and the Caribbean. In the 20th century alone, some 158 hurricanes arrived at the United States, and Florida alone received 57 of them. What is more, these hurricanes are (so far) even more powerful frequent now in the 21st century than ever before. Many attribute this to climate change and a rise of temperatures in the oceans. Either way, the 21st century has seen new heights in hurricane activity. In 2017, 10 different storms in a row formed into hurricanes, a feat not seen since 1893, over a century earlier. That same year saw Hurricane Irma form, the most powerful Atlantic hurricane on record. This mammoth storm created 185 MPH winds for 37 hours and had an incredible seven trillion watts of energy. By the time Hurricane Irma dissipated, 90% of Bermuda’s buildings were damaged or destroyed. A hurricane of this magnitude might very well appear within the next few years, too. Thus, evacuation efforts, levees, and hurricane proof sliding glass doors and windows must be ready.

Hardware for the Storm

Buildings such as condos, apartments, and hotels cannot be simply moved out of the way when a hurricane arrives, but they can be built to endure a storm. Aside from levees containing rising water, these buildings may have hurricane proof sliding glass doors and windows installed during construction. This means that contractors on the job will contact local suppliers of high impact windows and doors, and have these specialized models installed. An older building may be renovated and have newer models of hurricane proof sliding glass doors and windows fitted in, to bring its hurricane-resistant hardware up to standard. Such windows and glass doors have an impact-resistant glazing system rated at +105/-130, and this allows them to withstand hurricane winds stronger than MPH without breaking.

This is very important, since during a hurricane (or even a tornado), a building’s windows and glass doors are weak points that allow destructive winds, rain, and wind-blown debris to get inside. It’s not an option to simply build a hotel or condo without windows, though, so existing windows are made resistant to strong winds and solid debris alike. Thus, debris and rain cannot get into a building’s broken windows and ruin the interior, thus preventing a lot of expensive property damage. Even solid debris may bounce right off those glass windows and doors.