According to the Florida Division of Emergency Management, your doors and windows are “the worst enemies of your home during a hurricane.” Replacing your old windows with high-impact, hurricane-resistant windows has been proven to be a wise choice for safety. It is also an extremely sound choice as far as your finances are concerned. Let’s examine the many ways that is true.
When you choose to replace your old windows with high-impact, hurricane resistant windows your savings will include reduced insurance premiums, lowered energy bills, and increased resale value of your home.
1. Reduced insurance premiums. Offering a discount on homeowners insurance in the state of Florida is not an option for insurance companies; it is a requirement. Florida Statute 627.0629(1) states that insurance companies “must offer discounts, credits, or other rate differentials for construction techniques that reduce damage and loss in windstorms”.
For a quick estimate of potential savings, you could use an online tool, the Wind Insurance Savings Calulator:
http://www.floridadisaster.org/wisc
Your insurance agent will be able to give you even more information about the savings you can expect and the procedure you need to follow to receive a discount or credit.
2. Lowered energy bills. The laminated glass and specialized coatings used in impact-resistant windows provides a barrier that keeps the heat out of your home. Florida enjoys as many as 100 days of 90 degrees or higher per year. Our climate, although beautiful, can bring us some unwelcome and extremely high air conditioning bills. When you have hurricane-resistant windows installed in your home and see lower energy bills as a result, Florida’s sunshine will be much more enjoyable.
3. Increased resale value of your home. Each year Remodeling Magazine prepares and publishes a Cost vs. Value Report that highlights a selection of home improvement projects and their impact on the value of a home. In their report for 2014, one of these projects was impact-resistant windows. It clearly indicated that the resale value of a home increases when that type of window has been installed. As a side note, the cost of certain home improvements will have a positive impact on the income tax implications when you sell your home. Keeping accurate records is important.
According to the Florida Building Code, new homes must include hurricane-impact windows or non-impact windows meeting pressure thresholds. Although non-impact windows are an option, they require shutters. However, the use of shutters can create problems (a subject for another day!).
And now, although installing hurricane impact windows may not help save you money, it has the potential to save you something far more valuable -the health and safety of the people you love. When you improve your home’s capacity to withstand the rage of a hurricane, you are protecting your family from the pain and injuries such a storm can cause.
Save money, and save lives. Contact us for information about installing high-impact windows in your home.
