Hurricane Shutters & Impact Windows Florida

In Florida, all openings in the building envelope — windows, doors, and skylights — must be protected against wind-borne debris in wind-borne debris regions (areas with design wind speeds of 130 mph or greater). Protection can be provided by impact-resistant glazing (impact windows and doors) or by hurricane shutters. The Florida Building Code requires that all opening protection products have Florida Product Approval (FPA) and be installed per the manufacturer's installation instructions. Pineland Engineering (PE 39202) provides product approval verification and structural design for opening protection throughout Florida.

Florida Product Approval for Opening Protection

All impact windows, impact doors, and hurricane shutters installed in Florida must have Florida Product Approval (FPA) — a certification that the product has been tested and approved for use in Florida's wind conditions. The FPA number must be included in the permit drawings and verified by the building inspector. Pineland Engineering verifies FPA numbers for all opening protection products specified in our permit drawings and ensures that the products are appropriate for the design wind speed at the project location.

Structural Design for Opening Protection

In addition to product approval, the structural design must address the connection of the opening protection to the wall framing. Impact windows and doors must be anchored to the wall framing with fasteners designed for the wind pressure at the project location. Hurricane shutters must be anchored to the wall or window frame with fasteners designed for the wind pressure. Pineland Engineering designs the connections for opening protection products and verifies that the wall framing can support the wind loads transferred through the connections.

Free Florida Engineering Tools

WindCheck FLCheck ASCE 7 design wind speed for your Florida project address.Try it free →PermitCalc FLEstimate permit fees for your Florida project.Try it free →

Related Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Are impact windows required in Florida?

Impact windows (or equivalent hurricane shutters) are required in wind-borne debris regions — areas with design wind speeds of 130 mph or greater. Most of coastal Florida is in a wind-borne debris region.

What is Florida Product Approval?

Florida Product Approval (FPA) is a certification that a building product has been tested and approved for use in Florida's wind conditions. All impact windows, doors, and hurricane shutters must have FPA to be installed in Florida.

Florida-Licensed · AR102594 · PE 39202 · Bilingual EN/ES

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Pineland Engineering — Designda Inc. — serves residential and commercial clients statewide. FL Architecture AR102594 · Engineering PE 39202. PO Box 417, Pineland, FL 33945.

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