Turtle Glass: What It Is and Who Needs It

Sea turtles are beautiful creatures that live off the coast of Florida, on both the Atlantic and the Gulf sides. They are renowned for the intricate patterns on their shells, their ability to live for decades, and their enormous size as adults. Unfortunately, though, their numbers are dwindling due to both natural and human causes. Currently, only one out of every 1,000-10,000 turtles born survive to adulthood . As such, they are protected by the Federal Endangered Species Act of 1973.

In Florida, sea turtle nesting season is March through October. During this time, the females climb up onto the beaches, build nests, and lay their eggs. Two months after the eggs are laid, they hatch, and the baby sea turtles make their way down the beach into the ocean. This migration occurs at night to minimize the opportunities for predators, such as birds, racoons, or crabs to see the baby turtles and eat them. The babies use the light of the moon to guide them from the beach into the ocean. However, if the babies see light emanating from beach homes, they often confuse that with the moon. This causes them to travel toward the beach home instead of the ocean. They become tired and exposed to predators for a longer period of time, causing many of them to die on the beach.

To prevent this tragic ending, Florida enacted the Model Lighting Ordinance for Marine Turtle Protection in 1993 for areas that have sea turtle nesting, including Palm Beach County, Broward County, and Miami-Dade County. This law requires that homes with windows that face the beach limit the light that their windows emit after 9:00 PM during the nesting season. While this can be accomplished through closing the window shades, an easier and more attractive option is installing turtle glass hurricane impact windows.

Turtle glass hurricane impact windows have been treated with a special coating to reduce the light that projects out of the windows. This prevents the baby turtles from mistaking your windows for the moon and allows them to safely make their passage to the water. This also allows you to maintain your unobstructed view of the beach while complying with the law and protecting your home from hurricanes.

All of the window styles that we offer at CitiQuiet Windows and Doors are available in turtle glass. Our friendly sales associates are knowledgeable about local lighting ordinances and would be happy to visit your home and develop a personalized plan for updating your windows with turtle glass. Contact us today for a free estimate and to learn about our superior products and exceptional service.

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, and 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 at citiquiethurricanewindows.com, or stop by the showroom today at 6530 West Rogers Circle, Suite 29, Boca Raton, FL 33487.

With an A+ rating from Better Business Bureau (BBB), CitiQuiet Windows and Doors consistently strives to exceed customer expectations.