Your household windows allow natural light into your home's interior, help regulate temperatures, and make the space more beautiful. However, your windows are also the most vulnerable access points in your home.
When it's time to upgrade your windows, you may wonder what choices you can make to increase the safety and security of your home. For many homeowners, especially those living in areas prone to extreme seasonal storms like Florida, impact resistant window glass
can be a smart, lasting investment.
In this blog, we list six reasons to consider installing impact-resistant window panes in your home.
1. Breakage Protection
The most fundamental reason to choose impact-resistant window glass over other types of panes is that this material has a much lower chance of breaking. Hurricane-rated impact-resistant windows, for example, are designed to withstand high wind speeds as well as impact from debris.
Not only does this safeguard protect you in tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards, and other extreme weather, but impact-resistant glass makes it less likely that your windows will shatter due to roughhousing, foul balls, and other common causes of window breaks.
Impact-resistant windows also make your home more secure against would-be intruders since the glass takes longer to get through, which increases the time you have to call the authorities in the case of a break-in.
2. Energy Efficiency
When you install impact-resistant windows, you know you'll save money on glass repairs. What you may not know is that this type of window pane can also save you money on your heating and cooling bills.
In addition to wind and projectile protection, most impact-resistant windows also offer protection from UV light. When less light filters in through your windows, you will also get less heat transfer. These windows help keep your interior temperature comfortable year-round.
3. Insurance Benefits
Because impact-resistant windows make your home better protected against both nature's threats and potential criminal issues, many homeowner's insurance companies offer discounts when you install this glass material.
In fact, industry experts report that insurers may discount your premium costs by up to 45% when you have impact-resistant windows.
4. Reduced Injury Risk
While impact-resistant windows are much less likely to break than other types of glass, they're not completely impermeable. However, impact-resistant glass shatters differently than conventional glass, which means less risk of injury if a window does break.
Instead of breaking into large shards with sharp edges, impact-resistant glass tends to stick together when it cracks, much like automotive glass. This characteristic can give parents and homeowners in hurricaneprone areas alike peace of mind.
5. Simple Storm Proofing
If you don't have impact-resistant windows and live in a region with tornadoes or hurricanes, you likely have to put up storm shutters and other storm-proofing safeguards regularly throughout storm season.
When you have impact-resistant windows, you're protected all the time without the need for bulky or unsightly storm-proofing equipment. Additionally, this constant, permanent storm proofing keeps your home safer since your home is protected regardless of whether or not you know a storm is coming.
6. Soundproofing
The thick, strong design of impact-resistant glass can make your home a quieter place to be on a daily basis. The same dampening characteristics that make impact-resistant glass less vulnerable to debris also mean that less noise passes through the panes.
As you make decisions about the safety, security, and future of your home, consider opting for impactresistant windows to receive the benefits listed above.
For complete residential glass services, including impact-resistant window installation, partner with the team at Monterey Glass Specialists Inc. We offer a variety of impact-resistant glass options for windows and doors.
