Do you live on the East Coast of the U.S.? If you do, surely you have prepped your home with quality windows and doors. Quality, in this case, can refer to windows that block excessive noise, can save energy, and are impact resistant. As hurricanes have pummeled East Coast cities over the past few years, it has been shown time and again how important it is to be be prepared, by knowing the weak points of a structure and fortifying them accordingly. The payoff is not only improved protection of your home; when quality windows are installed you will likely also benefit from lower energy bills as well.

What Can Your Windows Withstand?

Glass is infamous for breaking at the worst moments, and and cut you to boot. In a Category-1 hurricane, the wind is as low as 74 miles per hour, and up to 157 miles per hour in a Category-5. Are your windows capable of withstanding winds of that speed? The average window will shatter when the wind reaches about a Category-1, especially with flying debris. Conversely, a properly installed quality impact window can withstand wind at 200 miles per hour, which is more than capable of handling a Category-5 hurricane.

Is There an Added Benefit to Installing Quality Windows?

You may not know how much inefficient windows are costing you. Up to 30% of the average home’s cooling or heating can pass through the glass. That means 30% of the utility bill is due to wasted heating or cooling. A cost like that can certainly add up over one year, or twenty. And sliding glass doors may be the biggest culprits. They are large, which makes them inconvenient to upgrade, but their size is what makes them so inefficient. These types of doors are also a big target in a hurricane.

This Is Sounding Expensive.

If your home has lots of windows of various sizes, it will of course cost more to install new quality impact windows than it would for a smaller home. But if your old, un-reinforced windows break in a storm they would need to be replaced regardless. And if it helps your decision making process, remember: homes that update the windows see on average a 78% return on investment. That is great news for now and the future, should you ever resell your home.

While hurricanes are an act of nature none of us can stop, it is possible to minimize some of the damage they can cause. Do yourself the favor of installing quality impact windows. Your home and energy bill will thank you.