Impact Windows in Pembroke Pines, FL

Pembroke Pines grew faster than almost any U.S. city in the 1990s, and that growth shapes how we plan impact windows here. After Hurricane Andrew struck south Miami-Dade in 1992, many families moved north, and the city's population more than doubled between 1990 and 2000. The area west of Interstate 75, known as West Pines, is mostly subdivisions built since Andrew. The median Pembroke Pines home was built in 1992.

Newer houses still need help

Homes built in the 1990s benefited from tighter local rules after Andrew, but many of them still came with shutters or panels rather than impact glass. Owners tell us they are tired of hauling panels out of the garage every storm. The east side of the city, closer to the original village, has older housing from the 1960s through the 1980s with more original windows.

Why the garage door matters

In most single-family homes here the garage door is the biggest opening on the house. A double door can be 16 feet wide, and if it buckles in high wind, air rushes into the garage and pushes up on the roof. A wind-rated or impact garage door has heavier panels, reinforcing struts and stronger track and hinges. Impact models add resistance to flying debris. The approval covers a specific size and setup, so we measure the opening, headroom and side room before suggesting a model.

Some owners add windows to the garage door for light. Those windows must be part of the rated door, so we choose a model with approved glass sections rather than cutting in glass afterward.

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Storm history in the Pines

Hurricane Katrina passed directly over the city as a Category 1 storm in 2005, downing trees and power lines. Two months later Wilma's eye passed about 20 miles north, and the city recorded sustained winds of 92 mph with a 101 mph gust, the strongest officially recorded in the city. Earlier, Hurricane Irene in 1999 dropped up to 16 inches of rain, and about 19 inches in Chapel Trail and Silver Lakes.

Sliders on the lake side

Pembroke Pines homes that back onto a lake or canal usually have their widest glass on that side, often a multi-panel patio slider. An impact slider is the natural companion to new windows on that side of the house, and it removes the need for the heaviest panels.

Older east-side homes

On the east side of the city, closer to where Pembroke Pines started as a village in 1960, homes are older and more likely to have original windows. Those houses benefit most from a full window and door replacement.

HOAs and permits

Many Pembroke Pines neighborhoods have associations with rules on garage door style and color as well as window frames. Get association approval first. Then the city permit, with product approvals and a wind load chart. Check with the city's building department for its submittal list; we prepare the paperwork. Call (954) 375-7681 for an estimate.