Do you know if your windows or doors are working properly? Complete this basic checklist and avoid any complications in hurricane season.

Do you know if your windows or doors are working properly? Complete this basic checklist and avoid any complications in hurricane season.

Hurricanes are potentially dangerous tropical storms with high wind speeds, and due to climate change, they have become more frequent and stronger over the years. It is known that hurricanes “feed” on the high heat of the ocean due to the increase in temperatures on earth. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for the year 2022 had forecasts of up to 10 hurricanes, of which three to six could become major hurricanes. The above is mentioned, with the purpose of raising awareness around these phenomena and knowing that it is very important to keep safe.

Hurricane season runs from the beginning of June to the end of November, and during this time you must protect your home and your family from any storm that may come. This period serves the municipal authorities to have all the resources available and to alert the community for any eventuality. In the same way, the condominiums and buildings, through their associations and management companies, carry out all the necessary preparations to secure all windows and doors that may be susceptible to the entry of water and wind and thus avoid extensive damage inside the property.

In 1992, Hurricane Andrew was a category 5 storm that entered Miami-Dade County through Homestead and devastated everything in its path. This was the starting point for new regulations in the Florida building code, and because of this, measures were taken. Florida and Miami-Dade are now a national benchmark in the study and approval of construction products, as well as the execution of construction projects that are hurricane-proof. It is for these reasons that if you live in a High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ), it is very likely that your house or apartment has an impact-resistant or hurricane-proof door and/or window system installed.

Verify the proper operation of your impact windows and/or doors with the following checklist:

Following this checklist will let you know if your window or door is working properly and if it has the factory performance that it was determined at the moment of design.

• Identify if your door or window is impact or hurricane-proof.
  • To carry out this step it is necessary to identify the manufacturer and model of your door or window, you can see this on the factory sticker that must be stuck on one of the sides of the frame. Some of the most popular manufacturers in Florida are:
    • ES Windows
    • RC Aluminum
    • PGT
    • CGI
    • Kawneer
    • Glasswall
  • The sticker will show relevant information about the company that manufactured the system, the model or line of the door or window, the Miami-Dade approval number, and the pressures that they resist according to their laboratory test.
  • If your door or window was installed before 1998, it is very likely that is not an impact system. If for any reason the sticker was removed, call an impact door service and repair professional to help you identify your door or window.

• Check if your door or window is locking correctly:
  • If when operating the handles, you find that they are not operating smoothly, that they do not move, or that when meeting the operable panel with the frame it does not lock or latch, it means that your locking mechanism needs to be repaired or replaced.
• Check if the operable panel of your door or window moves correctly:
  • When using the operable panel of the door or window you notice that it is stuck, that it does not slide evenly, or that it is very hard to move, you should call a professional repair and maintenance company to replace the wheels on a sliding door or the balances in a single hung window.
• Check if your door or window lets in wind and/or sound:
  • If you notice that you are hearing an irritating sound from the wind such as a whistle, or if you notice too much noise from the street, such as car horns, alarms, and traffic. It is likely that your door or window is out of alignment or uneven, and that the weatherstripping or airtight accessories are damaged or worn out. It is necessary that these accessories are replaced by a professional company.
• Check if your door or window lets in water.
  • Impact systems are designed to let water in at certain points and at the same time let it out through drainage holes. However, if you notice there is water buildup on the bottom rail and this water is splashing or spilling completely into the inside of the property, a system diagnosis and maintenance are necessary to determine the water intrusion problem. On the other hand, if the system is fixed and you are seeing water on the floor or dripping down the inside face of the glass, it is necessary to perform a full sealing service to prevent further water intrusion.

When should I have my impact windows and doors professionally serviced and/or repaired?

Once the checklist has been carried out and having verified that one or several of the points depicted above are not as they should be, you should call an expert in impact systems such as Impact Glass Services.  Your doors and/or window assemblies could be working incorrectly, which can be harmful in severe weather. Avoid water or wind damage inside your property and stay calm in any eventuality that arises.