Sliding glass doors are always a beautiful home decorating option: they add light and often can increase the value of a home. They can be shaded for temperature control and provide much-needed ventilation to areas of the home that heat up or get stuffy. In areas of the country with severe weather, many homeowners are opting for impact resistant protection on their sliding glass doors and other home window projects.
Regular glass has gotten quite a dramatic upgrade in recent years: sliding glass doors and other windows with impact resistant glass can actually stand up against the strongest hurricanes and winds, as much as 200 miles per hour. In areas of the country where people are more likely to cover their windows with wood or aluminum when severe weather hits, the new option of leaving windows and sliding glass doors uncovered can leave homeowners feeling much more secure.
Not only does impact resistant glass offer homeowners protection against the elements, it can also offer long-term peace of mind. Safety windows will be good for at least two decades, and can offer a solid return on investment for homeowners who are looking to sell.
Impact resistant windows can also offer energy efficient, cost-saving benefits for homeowners. Typically, homes with leaky windows and doors can lose up to one-third of their air conditioning to the outside: upgrading windows can offer more than 10% savings per year, on average.
Many architects and designers are also considering hurricane and weather-resistant door and window options for new home and business construction. In areas of the country that are subject to extreme weather, the decision to upgrade home security is a practical one that can also save energy. Windows and doors are the most vulnerable parts of a home during high winds or extreme rain, and making them weather-proof can be an attractive feature that safeguards homeowners’ peace of mind.
