01 / ProductDo I have to use impact glass?
In Miami-Dade and Broward, effectively yes for a replacement — the assembly needs to be an approved impact-rated product for the pressures at your address. Palm Beach also requires approved product. The alternative of shutters over non-impact glazing is a different approach with its own approvals, and is far less convenient day to day.
02 / ProductWhat is the difference between impact glass and hurricane film?
Impact glass is a laminated assembly tested and approved as a unit with its frame and anchors. Film applied to existing glass is not the same thing and generally does not carry the approval a replacement requires. If the goal is code compliance or insurance credit, film is usually not the answer.
03 / ProductPocket slider or standard slider?
A pocket slider disappears into the wall and gives a completely clear opening, which is spectacular. It needs wall depth on one side, costs considerably more, and is harder to service later. A standard slider keeps one fixed panel in view and is simpler in every respect.
04 / CodeWhat is a Notice of Acceptance?
It is Miami-Dade’s product approval document. It states which configurations and sizes are approved, for what pressures, and exactly how the assembly must be anchored into each substrate. It is the document the inspector works from.
05 / CodeWhy does anchoring matter so much?
Because the approval covers the assembly and its fixings together. A correctly approved door fixed with the wrong fasteners, at the wrong spacing, or without the right embedment is not an approved installation — and in a storm it fails at the anchors long before the glass does.
06 / PermitsDo I need a permit to replace a slider?
Yes. It is an exterior structural opening. Unpermitted glazing is one of the commonest things to surface during a sale, and it can complicate an insurance claim after a storm.
07 / PermitsWill the installation be inspected?
Yes, and typically with the anchoring still accessible. That is why we make good the finishes after inspection rather than before — covering the fixings early means opening them up again.
08 / CondoMy building says the doors are common property. Is that right?
Often, yes. In many condominiums the exterior envelope including glazing is association property or under association control, and frame colour, configuration and even the product may be specified building-wide. Approval comes before any order is placed.
09 / InstallationHow long does a replacement take?
The installation itself is usually a day or two per opening. The long part is manufacturing lead time, which is measured in weeks and lengthens after a named storm. We do not remove anything until the new assembly is physically on site.
10 / InstallationWill my house be open overnight?
No. Removal and installation are planned as one operation per opening so the building is closed and secure at the end of each day.
11 / InstallationWhat happens if you find rot or damage in the opening?
It is common at the sill on older houses, and it is exactly why the opening is inspected once the old frame is out. It is photographed, priced against a stated rate in the proposal, and repaired before the new assembly goes in — never sealed over.
12 / PerformanceWill a new slider reduce my energy bills?
Somewhat, and more if you specify coated or insulated glass on a sun-facing elevation. The larger and more reliable gain is usually comfort near the glass and the elimination of air leakage around a failed old frame. We will not quote you a saving figure.
13 / PerformanceWill it stop the noise from outside?
Laminated impact glass does reduce noise noticeably, which is a genuine and often-unexpected benefit. Laminated interlayers damp sound better than a single pane of the same thickness.
14 / CostWhy are quotes so different for the same opening?
Usually product rating, frame system and whether the permit and inspection are included. Also whether the quote assumes a clean opening — a price that excludes any sill repair looks cheaper until the frame comes out.
15 / CostIs it worth replacing all the openings at once?
Often, yes. Permitting, mobilisation and make-good all have fixed elements that get shared across a larger order, and the elevation ends up consistent. It also means one disruption instead of several.
