How Do Impact Windows or Shutters Protect Against Heavy Rain?

Shelter is one of the basic necessities of life. Fortunately, people alive today enjoy much better shelters than people did in the past. At some point, powerful storms could flatten or at least cause severe damage to pretty much any dwelling. These days, with impact windows or shutters, property owners can mitigate many risks. Let’s look at how the right structures can provide protection against heavy rain.

Designed for Protection

If you’re considering impact windows or shutters, you’re well on your way to making a great choice. Regular windows can do an admirable job of keeping rain out but can easily be shattered by flying debris during a storm. When this happens, the glass will offer much less protection against heavy rains.

Often, heavy rains are accompanied by high winds. This is especially true during hurricanes, but even normal storms can generate high winds. These winds can result in debris flying around. Should debris collide with a normal window, the glass could quickly shatter.

With impact windows or shutters, the glass and frames are designed to shrug off debris. In some cases, an impact-resistant window could still crack. Crucially, the glass will remain even as the spider webs spread. This means the structures can keep rain and other threats out.

Construction Makes the Difference

Impact windows often use glass made of often of the highest quality and may be tempered to increase how efficiently energy is dispersed, say when debris smashes into the window. The glass is often bonded to a membrane or other material that will hold the glass together even if it is cracked. This reduces the risk of glass shards and helps the structure remain whole even if it’s spider-webbed.

It’s also important to ensure that high-quality, strong frames are used. Impact windows often use strong materials like aluminum that are resistant to corrosion. Strong glass with weak frames could still fail. That’s why the best impact window manufacturers and sellers also put a lot of effort into crafting strong frames.

According to FactRetriever, one hurricane results in more than 2.4 trillion gallons of rain coming down a day. Property owners can mitigate the risks of a window failing during any type of storm with heavy rain. This keeps water out and protects people and property within the building. If you’d like to learn more about impact windows or shutters, feel free to contact EGS International for more information.