Impact Windows in Plantation, FL

For many Plantation owners, impact windows are part of a bigger job: replacing windows that came with the house. Plantation was incorporated in 1953, and its first homes went up on East Acre Drive in 1947, sold with an acre of land and fruit trees. Census estimates put the median Plantation home at 1988, but about a third of the city's housing was built before 1980, and those neighborhoods are where we find the oldest frames.

What old windows look like here

Houses from the 1950s through the 1970s in South Florida were commonly built with jalousie windows, single-hung aluminum units or crank-out awning windows. After decades of sun and salt air, balances wear out, cranks stop closing tight and seals dry up. Those windows let in air and water and offer no protection from flying debris, so a replacement is both an efficiency fix and a storm upgrade.

How window replacement works

There are two common methods. A full-frame replacement removes the old frame down to the masonry opening so the new impact unit can be anchored into the concrete block per its approval. A replacement that leaves an old frame in place is not an option for impact units in most cases, because the rating depends on how the new frame is fastened to the structure. We check the opening, repair stucco and buck damage around it, and finish the inside with new trim and the outside with stucco patch and paint touch-up.

Window styles are not limited to what the house had. Single-hung, horizontal rollers, casements, picture windows and specialty shapes are all made with impact glass. Casements seal tightly and open fully for airflow; single-hung units are the most common and usually the most economical.

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A city that values trees

Plantation was first named a Tree City by the Arbor Day Foundation in 1980, and older neighborhoods have mature canopy over the houses. Large trees shade windows and lower cooling costs, but in a storm they are also a source of broken limbs. Impact glass is designed to stay in the frame after a debris hit, which matters on streets with big oaks close to the house.

Flood history and drainage

Plantation's early years were shaped by water. Sales of the first homes stopped in 1949 after repeated flooding, and in 2005 Hurricane Wilma caused significant damage and long power outages. Today most of the work we do is about wind and rain intrusion at the openings, and we make sure new sills and flashing direct water out.

Doors on older Plantation homes

Older houses often still have their original front door and a jalousie or single-pane back door to a Florida room. We replace those with impact entry or French doors at the same time as the windows, so every opening on the house carries a rating and the permit covers the whole job.

Permits and HOA review

Window replacement is permitted work in Broward County. The submittal usually includes an opening schedule, product approvals and a wind load chart. Check with Plantation's building department for its current requirements; we prepare the documents it needs. Call (954) 375-7681 to schedule a visit.