Jupiter, FL, is one of the most beautiful communities in the Palm Beaches. Here, you can see multi-million-dollar homes nestled in the same region as wildlife preserves and sea turtle hatching grounds. The city is located where the Loxahatchee River meets the Intracoastal Waterway, and the secondary shorelines snake elegantly through every part of the community. To say that Jupiter is unique even among other Palm Beach cities is an understatement. Unlike other communities where the focus is often on towering hotels and luxury resorts, the primary focus of life in Jupiter is a love of the great outdoors.
Jupiter is where luxury homeowners and vacationers come to enjoy endless sportfishing, boating, and wildlife tours. Jupiter residents have a notorious love of boats, which explains why so many neighborhoods are built with their own waterway access to the Loxahatchee River. Even the gas prices are higher just inside Jupiter city limits because so many boating enthusiasts fill up at the local stations.
Of course, if there is one thing that the water-loving Jupiter residents know about, it’s hurricane safety. In a community stacked with luxury homes, every hurricane-force wind and piece of flying debris represents a serious risk. That is why impact windows in Jupiter, FL, have become such an important home upgrade.
The Jupiter Lighthouse Lesson on Impact Glass
Windows in Jupiter need to be able to resist the legendary storms that have blown through this community since time immemorial. The lesson is rooted deeply in Jupiter’s history, starting with the iconic lighthouse, which represents the community.
Built in 1860, the Jupiter lighthouse stood protecting ships passing through the Loxahatchee Inlet for over 160 years. In 1919, Captain Charles Seabrook (Jupiter’s legendary heroic figure) became the lighthouse keeper. Though the lighthouse was electrified in 198, the power was unreliable. That same year, a massive hurricane was on its way, and both the power and backup generator had failed. The lighthouse was dark.
Captain Seabrook’s 16-year-old son, Franklin Seabrook, resolved to install the old oil lantern and turn the lens by hand. He braved the storm, and the hurricane winds blew him back four times before he reached the top. Despite its sturdy brick structure, it visibly swayed. Fortunately, Franklin manually installed a bright oil lamp and spun the lens to warn ships of the inlet during the terrible storm.
During the hurricane, glass panes in the lantern room shattered, with one of the lanterns blown out. However, the light never went out. This is one of the iconic tales of Jupiter’s history and shows the importance of glass that does not break when hurricane winds blow.
Protecting Jupiter Homes With Impact Windows
Jupiter is one of the most exclusive communities on the Florida coast. The lowest-priced homes are over $160,000, and the highest are over $10M. In fact, a home in Jupiter’s prestigious community of Admiral Cove broke the record for Florida mainland’s most expensive house. In 2021, the former home of race car driver Johnny Gray sold for $30M. Protecting each spectacular property is the highest priority for Jupiter homeowners, whether you live in the suburbs or in one of the exclusive gated and canal-lined communities.
The beautiful homes of Jupiter, Florida, often feature large expanses of glass in line with the state’s unique coastal architectural style. Glass plays a major role in luxury homes designed to soak up the sun and enjoy the beautiful natural surroundings that Jupiter is so well known for. However, without proper reinforcement, all that glass puts a home at risk.
Impact windows are the latest technological upgrade in luxury home design, allowing Jupiter’s elite to enjoy your glass-lined patios and contemporary architecture with peace of mind when the hurricanes loom.
What Are Impact Windows and Why They Work So Well
Impact windows have reinvented the way window panes are made. Window glass is typically valued for its clarity, but you would hardly call it flexible or durable. Impact windows, however, introduce a new element in a three-layered pane system that improves not just storm resistance but also provides other benefits.
Local neighborhoods, luxury estates, and Jupiter businesses all benefit from the protection provided by impact windows, which can resist even the strongest hurricane forces.
Advanced Window Pane Technology
Manufacturers craft impact windows from impact glass using advanced pane-building technology. They construct each pane with two layers of strong tempered glass, sealing a sheet of durable yet invisible laminate in between. The laminate, typically polyvinyl butyral (PVB) or SentryGuard Plus (SGB), bonds to the glass panes through heat and pressure.
This design provides several unique qualities, including flexibility, durability, shatter resistance, energy efficiency, and noise reduction.
What Happens When Impact Windows Are Hit?
When strong winds or flying debris strike impact windows, you may see them flex and resist the force without breaking. This is the most common result, even in the face of a category 5 hurricane.
Windows that Flex and Don’t Shatter
If the impact is strong enough to break the tempered glass, the window won’t shatter. Instead, a spiderweb of cracks will form and stay in place. Often, only the outer pane breaks. Held together by the polymer film, it continues to protect the home with weatherproof and durable coverage. This is the reason we sometimes call the outer pane “the sacrificial glass.”
Should both panes break, your home is still likely to be protected from weather and glass shards, as the glass will remain adhered to the sturdy polymer film in the center of each impact window.
Impact Windows and Doors for Whole-Home Protection
In addition to impact windows, you will also find doors made of impact glass. Many Florida homes have at least one glass door. Sliding glass patio doors are a common design for backyards, decks, and patios, while glass storm doors and even glass front and side doors are not unusual. Jupiter homes, in particular, often feature contemporary designs that are more likely to have modern glass doors to create sunrooms and indoor-outdoor spaces. You may install impact windows and doors together to ensure whole-home protection in the face of the next big storm.
Resisting Category 5 Hurricane Winds and Debris
How strong are impact windows? The high-performance impact windows and doors installed by A-Christian Glass are rated to resist up to Category 5 hurricanes. This is the strongest rating of a hurricane or tropical storm. These windows can resist wind speeds over 160 mph and keep your home safe from most flying debris.
In Jupiter, FL, hurricane debris is a common occurrence. Strong winds often pick up lawn furniture, tree limbs, and loose items left out and throw them into nearby houses. Your windows need to be able to resist these impacts with durability and the ability to flex with the force. The layer of polymer between the panes gives each window a slight ability to flex, allowing it to very effectively resist breaking even in the strongest hurricane conditions.
Through these, you can protect your beautiful Jupiter home from storm damage every year when the hurricane season rolls around.
Improving Your Home Appearance With Impact Window Design
What do impact windows look like? Because the core component of impact windows is the glass, they can look like any window style you want. Impact windows range from large panes for contemporary frameless patio designs to classic window styles to match the many architectural home designs found throughout Jupiter neighborhoods. You can find windows for a home of colonial, craftsman, or bungalow architectural design just as easily as large picture windows for contemporary patios.
Many homeowners of older Jupiter homes have discovered that impact window installation is an opportunity to upgrade their home’s appearance.
Windows by Home Architectural Style
Starting with your home’s architectural style, you can begin your window design selection.
- Stylish Tudor homes often have large picture windows or casement windows in groups of 2 or 3 on the lower floor. Window grids are often wood-toned to match the exposed beams of the house paired with French doors.
- Victorian architecture homes feature a combination of window styles including a round circular window in roof peaks and half-radius window tops on the second story. Windows tend to be double-hung and narrow, with added detail along the top of each window. French-style sliding patio doors are also a good match for Victorian homes.
- Cape Cod homes look best with double-hung windows with an uneven sash height. These windows often have a visible window grid and decorative shutters. If your shutters aren’t decorative, they can become decorative after you install impact windows. Upstairs cape cod windows tend to be dormer windows of a smaller size.
- Craftsman and Bungalow homes tend to have a lot of personality when it comes to the windows. They are often in groups of two or three, and three sets may include both double- and single-hung windows.
- Colonial architecture homes have regular rectangular windows with a visible grid and a row of dormer windows on top. These windows are often double-hung with an even sash and are symmetrical wherever possible.
- Stucco and Spanish/Mediterranean-style homes are more likely to have walk-out bow windows and double casement windows on the first story and out-swing patio doors on the second story. Arch-topped windows are common, and you may see a round upper-story window as an accent.
- Ranch and Split-Level homes are more contemporary, with double-hung windows in sets of two and three. For style, a ranch home may feature a bay window or a radius-top dormer window.
- Contemporary Modern architecture homes are very popular in Florida. They tend to feature primarily picture windows but with many accents, such as unique angles, sidelights, horizontal sliders, and transoms. This can include window walls and French or sliding glass patio doors.
Update the Hardware and Features
- Opening Method: You can choose windows that open the same way as your current ones or opt for a different style to improve airflow and enjoyment. For example, you can easily switch from picture windows to casement or from single-hung to double-hung when selecting your impact windows.
- Window Grid: The window grid consists of decorative lines over the glass. You can go gridless for a clearer view or choose an elegant grid to enhance your home’s exterior. Don’t be limited to the same grid style as before. You can select a different design or density if you prefer.
- Window Latches: Latches and locks can vary. Newer windows often have more secure locking mechanisms, but you can also pick a style that is both secure and easy to use.
Windows With Unique Shapes and Sizes
Does your home have windows of unique shapes and sizes? No problem. Custom impact windows can be crafted to suit your home’s specific needs. While you can buy standard-sized and styled windows from a premade supply, it’s not unusual for Jupiter, FL, homes to require custom windows.
Not all homes were built according to a standard design. Many of Jupiter’s more prestigious homes were designed personally by the original owner, remodeled uniquely since they were built, or even handcrafted by renowned architects.
You can commission impact windows with unique shapes, sizes, and hardware based on the unique design of your home.
What Else Can Impact Windows Do for Jupiter Homes?
Impact windows offer more than just storm protection for Jupiter homes. The laminate layer within each window provides additional benefits that enhance your home’s comfort and safety. One major advantage is energy efficiency. These windows act as superior insulators, reducing the impact of temperature fluctuations between the inner and outer panes. This insulation helps keep your home more energy-efficient.
Beyond insulation, impact windows also contribute to noise reduction. By minimizing glass vibration, they help create a quieter environment inside your home, offering both peace and privacy. The tempered and reinforced glass is incredibly tough, making it nearly impossible for an intruder to break through. This will significantly enhance your home’s security.
Upgrade Your Jupiter Home With Impact Windows and Doors
If you still worry about your windows every hurricane season, there is a simple upgrade that can make your Jupiter home more secure and beautiful in a single project. A-Christian Glass is proud to provide high-performance impact windows to Jupiter residents, complete with skilled installation services. We will gladly help you choose, fit, and install the perfect impact windows to make your Jupiter home safe and beautiful. Call us today at (561) 278-3385 to schedule a free estimate.
