South Florida’s Historical Hurricane Record
South Florida is world-renowned for its beautiful white sand beaches, vibrant nightlife, and luxurious homes and condos. But it’s equally infamous for its hurricanes. Fortunately, thanks to new building codes and better technologies, homeowners now have the ability to better protect their homes against these powerful forces of nature. Let’s take a look at some of Florida’s biggest hurricanes and one of the most important technologies that homeowners can use to protect their homes:
- The Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 was the strongest recorded hurricane to make landfall in Florida and in the country. Its winds clocked in at 185 miles per hour and it created a 20-foot storm surge.
- In 1992, Hurricane Andrew was a Category 5 storm with winds of 165 miles per hour. It caused $27 billion in damage and destroyed thousands of homes across the state. The vast destruction from Hurricane Andrew was the impetus for strengthening Florida’s building codes, which are now some of the most stringent in the nation.
- 2004 was a disastrous year for Florida. In a six-week period, Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne all hit the state. The hurricanes damaged 20% of homes in the state, killed 124 people, and caused $51 billion in damage.
- In 2022, Hurricane Ian was Florida’s costliest hurricane, causing $112 billion of damage. Ian caused a catastrophic storm surge, in some areas exceeding 10 feet high. It also spawned multiple tornados, river flooding, and widespread power outages, impacting millions of residents.
To help protect people and property from buckling under the force of these hurricanes, South Florida building codes require all homes and condos to have hurricane shutters or hurricane impact windows.
Hurricane impact windows are the gold-standard in hurricane protection. These windows are constructed with multiple layers of shatter-resistant glass and super-strong frames. If hurricane force winds gust against them or a tree branch rams into them, they will not shatter. Not only does that protect your home’s interior from wind and water damage, but it also maintains your home’s air pressure. During a hurricane, if your home’s air pressure rises too much, your roof can blow off, making your home structurally unstable.
Another benefit of hurricane impact windows is that they allow in natural light and let you see outside during the storm. In contrast, hurricane shutters will leave you in total darkness if the power goes out.
Hurricane impact windows can add value to your home and many high-end residential home buyers expect them. They can also help you to reduce your insurance premiums and energy bills. To learn more about all the benefits of hurricane impact windows, contact CitiQuiet Windows and Doors. Our knowledgeable and friendly sales associates will help you find the perfect hurricane impact windows for your home.
Since 2012, CitiQuiet Windows and Doors has been engineering and installing high-quality impact windows, doors, and shutters for residential and commercial buildings throughout Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade Counties.
Based in Boca Raton, CitiQuiet Windows and Doors offers a turnkey service to clients including initial design, engineering, permitting, installation and finish work. From elegant French doors to hurricane impact-resistant windows and sliding glass doors, CitiQuiet Windows and Doors has your solution.
At CitiQuiet Windows and Doors, we carry only the highest-quality products from the nation’s top manufacturers – and we stand behind everything we sell. For a free estimate, contact CitiQuiet Windows and Doors at 561-241-9463, visit us atcitiquiethurricanewindows.com, or stop by the showroom today at 6530 West Rogers Circle, Suite 29, Boca Raton, FL 33487.