Nothing can actually stop “Nature’s fury,” as they call it, but when storms and natural disasters strike, modern engineers and contractors are ready for them. Some buildings are constructed with specialized frames or foundations to keep them together during earthquakes, and some houses are built on an elevated foundation to keep them safe from flood waters. Meanwhile, along the American east coast (especially Florida), hurricanes are taken into account when constructing major buildings such as hotels and condos. This especially includes the arena of hurricane glass doors and hurricane glass windows provided by impact window manufacturers. When a new hotel, apartment, or office is being constructed in Miami, for example, contractors may reach out to impact window manufacturers in their area to get high impact glass for their sliding doors and windows. It is impossible to divert or dissolve a hurricane, but damage may kept to a minimum when impact window manufacturers in the area provide contractors with glass that resists traumatic winds, rain, and flying debris.
The Storms and Their Power
Just how powerful are hurricanes, and how often do they form? These storms, even the smaller ones, can devastate property, so meteorologists are careful to study these storms and track them to better predict their arrival time and area of impact. Historically, some 158 different hurricanes struck the United States, with Florida alone receiving 57 of them. Meanwhile, hurricanes are becoming even more powerful and frequent than ever, and some experts attribute this to climate change. What can be said for sure is that in the 21st century, hurricanes reached new heights of power and size, especially with Hurricane Irma. Standing as the most powerful Atlantic hurricane on record, this Category 5 storm had 185 MPH winds for 37 hours and had an incredible seven trillion watts of energy. It damaged over 90% of all buildings on Barbuda, leaving 60% of the people there homeless due to the devastation. And in 2017, ten storms in a row became hurricanes, something that has not happened since 1893, over a century prior.
Hurricanes bring powerful winds, rain, and flooding to an area, and they typically throw around a lot of debris as well, which can be devastating. What is more, hurricanes are known to spawn tornadoes during their time over land, and in 1992, Hurricane Andrew created 62 tornadoes before the storm was over. Every year, from June to November, the American east coast may be subjected to hurricane season, so contractors must be ready. People can be evacuated from an area before a storm, but they cannot take the buildings with them. This is why impact window manufacturers are needed.
Prepare for a Storm
A building can’t simply be packed up and moved out of a hurricane’s path, so contractors have long since learned how to make buildings more resistant to a hurricane’s effects. This may include not only anti-flooding measures, but also impact resistant glass. Nearly all buildings have glass windows and many have glass doors, especially in a place like Florida, and these windows are a major weak point during a storm. Strong winds and windblown debris may shatter them, so specialized models are installed on commercial buildings to keep the interior safer. These windows have a glaze on them with a +105/-130 rating, so that winds over 100 MPH in strength won’t break them, and neither will windblown debris. Instead, debris and strong winds bounce right off of them, and this is important for keeping the interior safe. Shattered windows and glass doors mean that winds, rain water, and debris can get into a building and damage it, and if people or pets are inside, those lives are in danger.
Often, new condos, apartments, hotels, and office buildings in Florida and similar areas will have these windows installed when the structure itself is constructed, and any building needs multiple material suppliers for completion. This will certainly include impact window manufacturers, as contractors may place orders for hurricane proof windows and glass doors. Older buildings might not have these windows in place, or their existing hurricane proof windows might be outdated. In this case, the building’s owner may hire contractors to remove the old windows and fit in the newest models for maximum protection.