We on Long Island dodged the bullet on July 4, as Arthur, the first named hurricane of the 2014 season, made landfall near the southern tip of North Carolina’s Outer Banks; then moved northward with less gusto and might than originally expected. Fortunately, Arthur only left most of us with rained out barbeques, but, memories of Hurricane Sandy are still vivid in all Long Islanders’ minds. True, epic weather events like Hurricane Sandy are the anomaly, not the norm, but once experienced, they aren’t easily forgotten.
Extreme weather takes on many faces in our area – record breaking high temperatures, severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, etc. So far, July is looking like a typical New York summer with afternoon thunderstorms and scorching hot temps pushing the mercury up against the triple digit mark. If the weather forecasts have you thinking that you need to take a proactive approach to weatherizing your Long Island home, don’t forget how important window strength and integrity are during extreme weather events.
Here are a few things your Renewal by Andersen of Long Island window consultants want homeowners to know about replacement windows and extreme weather.
#1. Strength
One of the strongest types of glass that is often recommended for areas prone to hurricanes in coastal areas is known as laminated glass. Laminated glass is actually made up of two sheets of glass laminated together with a piece of flexible plastic in between them. Laminated glass, if broken by wind-blown projectiles, stays with the frame better than standard window panes. This means glass shards don’t enter your home’s interior as easily during gale force winds and driving rains.
#2. Safety
Laminated glass is an extreme solution for extreme situations. For most people and situations, Renewal by Anderson glass options include a line-up of heat treated, tempered glass which is up to four times stronger than regular glass. Stronger, tempered glass is harder to penetrate. If broken, tempered glass also shatters into hundreds or thousands of harmless tiny pieces rather than the dangerous sharp shards of regular window glass. Along with protecting your assets against extreme weather, some homeowners appreciate the added security and protection against intruders tempered glass provides.
#3. Fortification
Protecting your assets against the high winds and driving rains of hurricanes requires a window design that fortifies your home against from damaging wind and water infiltration. For superior performance, window designs must include an airtight exterior sealant AND a weather stripping system that provides impenetrable protection when closed, while still allowing easy opening for ventilation during clear weather and cooler Long Island evenings.
#4. Integrity
Assessing structural integrity is essential when comparing replacement window designs for extreme Long Island weather. Our patented Fibrex frames closely mimic the thermal properties and dimensional stability of your home’s structural features. In simple terms, this means that as your home’s exterior material (brick, wood, etc.) expands and contracts with the rising and falling temperature, your Renewal by Andersen of Long Island window frames expand and contract at a similar rate, essentially maintaining the seal between your windows and your home’s structural materials.
One benefit for local homeowners is that gaps don’t develop around the perimeter of your window frame. This means you won’t see those unsightly gaps that allow air and water leakage as seen like you see with many aluminum and vinyl window frames.
#5. Resistance
If you’ve been looking at home improvement products this summer, you might have heard the term “window design pressure” in discussions about replacement window performance during hurricane season. The DP rating is a measurement of stress resistance. The complex formula for calculating this rating explores performance based on the rate of rainfall, wind velocity and structural stress a window can handle without failing.
Because there are no spaces, allowing water and air to penetrate your home, a picture window has the highest ratings for structural integrity on its own. But, if you want operable windows, an awning window provides better protection against extremely high winds and driving rain than a single-hung window with a movable lower sash and a stationary upper portion. Similar to the awning window, casement windows also provide a strong seal and a respite from the “howling” noises associated with hung windows because its design creates an airtight seal when closed that banishes the air leaks making that eerie moan.
Since glass curvature, framing material, operational components and placement dramatically affect performance, it is best to discuss DP ratings with a window specialist and not rely on numbers in isolation.
One last note about DP ratings. No matter how diligently you research ratings and how well you design your replacement windows for your Long Island home, without proper installation, you won’t enjoy the superior performance and “protection against summer storms” engineered into the window. Modifications to your windows to address leaks after installation can also void your warranty with many companies. Renewal by Andersen’s warranty package covers installation when you use our certified installation professionals.
There you have it, five reasons to choose Renewal by Andersen of Long Island replacement windows for your home – strength, safety, fortification, integrity and resistance to the elements during extreme summer weather.
There are still months of hot temperatures and high humidity ahead. Hurricane season in our area doesn’t end until late fall. If you’re ready to get serious about protecting your assets through hurricane seasons, please take a minute to fill in the form on this page or give us a call at (866) 609-5033 today to schedule a free consultation with a design team specialist.
