Dock & Coastal
Impact Windows and Doors in Charleston, SC
Rated glazing that needs nothing done before a storm.
Rated glazing that needs nothing done before a storm.
Quick answer: Impact windows use laminated glass that stays in the frame when it breaks, so a storm cannot open the house to wind pressure, which is what lifts roofs. They are a full window replacement rather than an accessory, cost more than shutters and need nobody home before a storm; they also cut noise and UV. Southeastern Renovation installs impact windows and doors in the Charleston area, including Mount Pleasant. Call (843) 718-8177.
Related: Hurricane-Hardening a Charleston Home: The Grants, the Insurance Credits, and What Actually Holds a Roof On · Hurricane shutters · Window replacement.
The glazing is laminated: two panes bonded to an interlayer that holds the glass together when it breaks. The pane still fails on impact; what it does not do is leave an opening for wind and water to get into the building.
That matters more than the window. Once an opening is breached in a storm, the pressure inside the house rises and the roof is what pays for it. Keeping the envelope closed is the point of the whole exercise.
The trade-off against shutters is cost and disruption: impact windows are a window replacement, not an accessory. They also do things shutters do not — noise reduction, UV control, and no annual routine at all.
We take this work across greater Charleston, from Summerville and Goose Creek to Mount Pleasant, West Ashley and the sea islands, and on the York County side around Rock Hill, Fort Mill, Tega Cay and Lake Wylie. More on our dock and coastal services.
The glass can, and it is designed to. The laminated interlayer holds the broken pane in place so the opening stays closed, which is the whole point — a breached opening lets pressure into the house and the roof takes the consequences.
Impact glazing costs more and takes nothing to deploy. Shutters cost less and require somebody present and willing before the storm.
For a second home or an upper floor, that difference usually settles it.
They are noticeably quieter and cut UV, which matters more than people expect on a west-facing room here.
Whether that justifies the cost on its own is a different question.