Impact Windows

Sunlit patio with lounge chair and panoramic mountain view through floor-to-ceiling windows

Impact Windows in Southwest Ranches, FL

When a storm track points toward Broward County, homes with shutters go through the same routine: hauling out panels, climbing ladders, threading wing nuts, and taking it all down again once the weather clears. Impact windows end that routine. MJM Glass and Aluminum installs impact windows in Southwest Ranches so the protection stays in place all year without anyone lifting a panel.

Why Homeowners Make the Switch

Storm protection is the main reason, but it is rarely the only one.

01

Nothing to Put Up Before a Storm

Shutters only work if someone installs them in time. Impact glass is already in the opening, which matters most when a storm turns quickly or forms late in the week.

02

Protection When You Are Away

If you travel during hurricane season, shuttering the house before a trip means living behind closed panels or leaving them for a neighbor to handle. With impact windows, the house is protected whether you are home or not.

03

Quieter Rooms and Less Sun Damage

The layered construction that stops debris also dampens outside sound, which helps on properties near busy roads. The interlayer blocks most ultraviolet light, so floors, rugs, and furniture near the glass fade more slowly.

How Impact Glass Holds Up

Impact windows use laminated glass: two layers of glass bonded to a tough plastic interlayer. When something strikes the window, the glass may crack, but the interlayer keeps the pieces attached and the opening sealed. That matters because wind entering a broken window can pressurize a home from inside and push up on the roof.


The glass is only part of the system. The frame, the way the glass is set into it, and how the frame is anchored to the wall are all tested together. A strong pane in a weak installation will not perform the way it was rated to.

Patio seating area beside a glass-walled room, with white chairs, potted plants, and warm interior lights.

Broward County and the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone

Broward and Miami-Dade counties fall within the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone under the Florida Building Code. Windows installed here must carry a product approval that covers HVHZ testing, which is more demanding than what is required in much of the rest of the state. Window replacement in Broward generally requires a building permit, and the approval number for the product is part of that paperwork.


Impact glass is available in most common window styles, including single hung, horizontal rolling, casement, and fixed picture windows. The best fit depends on the opening and how you want the window to operate.

Impact Windows Across Southwest Ranches and Nearby Towns

Besides Southwest Ranches, we install impact windows for homes in Weston, Plantation, and Cooper City. Commercial property owners can find impact-rated entries on our storefront glass and framing page, and homeowners updating a balcony or pool deck can see our glass railing installations. For everything else, visit the MJM Glass and Aluminum home page.

Impact Window Questions

  • How are impact windows tested?

    In the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, the large missile test fires a 9 pound 2x4 at the window at 50 feet per second. The same window then goes through thousands of cycles of positive and negative wind pressure to simulate a storm. It has to stay intact through both.

  • Can impact windows lower my insurance premium?

    They may. Florida law requires insurers to offer premium credits for qualifying wind mitigation features, and protected openings are one of them. A wind mitigation inspection documents the windows, and the size of any credit depends on your insurer and the rest of the home.

  • What happens if an impact window is hit?

    The outer layer of glass can crack or shatter, but the interlayer holds the fragments in place and keeps the opening closed. The damaged unit should be replaced afterward, since its ability to handle another impact is reduced.

  • Do I still need shutters if I install impact windows?

    Only for openings that are not impact-rated. Garage doors, entry doors, and sliding doors are openings too. When every one of them is rated, no shutters are needed.

  • Does the whole house have to be done at once?

    No. Many homeowners start with the windows facing the prevailing wind or the largest openings and finish the rest later. Any opening left without impact glass still needs shutters until it is replaced.