
You should have impact-rated doors and windows to protect your home during a hurricane. They feature a built-in lining of 24-gauge steel, and the label “Impact” should be visible on the hinge side. This label should never be removed or painted over. Impact Doors have been designed to survive an extensive missile impact test, consisting of a 9-lb., 2″ x 4″ stud blown into the door at 34 mph. Another essential feature of Impact Doors is that they cannot be cut to allow glass into the door. They must be ordered with glass installed, and the glass should not be removed until after installation.
Impact Rated Doors
Impact-rated doors, just like impact doors West Palm Beach are specifically designed to withstand hurricane winds and flying debris. They must pass the rigorous Miami-Dade High-Velocity Hurricane Zone test. This is important because Florida has experienced 24 category-four hurricanes in the past 20 years. Category 4 hurricanes can bring sustained winds of up to 156 mph, which can cause significant damage. Hurricanes of this level are not short bursts of wind; they last from 15 to 30 minutes.
Impact Doors come with a built-in 24-gauge steel plate lining. They also have a label that reads “Impact,” which should not be removed or painted over. In addition, Impact Doors must pass an extensive missile impact test, where a 9-lb. 2″ x 4″ stud is blown into the door at approximately 34 mph. Similarly, impact-rated doors cannot be cut or painted to accommodate glass. The glass in Impact Doors must be ordered with the glass already installed.
Another benefit of impact-resistant doors is their energy efficiency. They are more energy efficient than typical doors and keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. This helps you save money on your home insurance. This is because you can reduce the energy your home needs to run, which means lower monthly bills.
Hurricane Rated Glass
Hurricane-rated glass on impact doors and windows can protect your family and property from damaging hurricane winds. Category 2 hurricanes can produce wind speeds of 110 mph, enough to flip a parked car upside down. Category 5 hurricanes can generate currents up to 155 mph, which could tear apart a home and seriously threaten the lives of that inside.
In addition to impact-resistant glass, hurricane-rated doors and windows feature interior wood. This wood is attached to the door profile using durable polyamide clips. During testing, impact-resistant doors and windows must withstand water and air infiltration up to 1.57 pounds per square foot.
Impact-resistant glass is typically manufactured from laminated or insulated glass. Laminated glass has two glass panes that are sealed with a polymer interlayer. Unlike traditional glass, insulated glass has a small space between the panes. This air space helps keep the home cool during the summer and warm in the winter.
Materials Used to Make Them
Impact doors can be used to protect homes and businesses from severe storms. These doors feature energy-efficient materials and the latest innovations in door design. For example, Plastpro impact doors feature Hydroshield Technology, which eliminates water infiltration on all sides. This prevents warping, corrosion, delamination, and mold. They also feature energy-efficient glass. Most Therma-Tru impact doors feature triple-paned, factory-coated Low-E glass, which delivers exceptional energy efficiency.
Impact-resistant front and patio doors must pass various impact tests to ensure their performance. Standard building codes also require impact-resistant front doors for water and air infiltration tests. They must also pass cyclical and small missile tests to determine their resistance to impact damage. In addition to testing impact resistance, impact-resistant front doors should pass standard tests, including cyclical and air-infiltration tests. Impact-resistant doors are designed to withstand hurricane winds without cracking or warping.
Impact-resistant doors have glass with a clear polyvinyl butyral interlayer to prevent the glass from breaking. The interlayer is a protective barrier between the glass and frame, which makes them superior in protection over standard doors.