Impact Windows in Cutler Bay, FL

Talk about impact windows in Cutler Bay and someone will bring up 1992. Hurricane Andrew made landfall near Cutler Ridge and left the area in almost total destruction; Florida's damage was estimated at $25 billion. Cutler Bay incorporated on November 9, 2005, as the county's 35th municipality, and today it has 15,953 housing units.

Homes from before and after

Most of Cutler Bay was rebuilt after Andrew, but rebuilt does not mean impact rated. Many homes were finished before the statewide Florida Building Code took effect in 2002 and used regular glass with shutters or panels. Others have had piecemeal upgrades. We go through each opening, check for permanent impact labeling, and tell you which ones are already protected.

Roll-down shutters on the bay side

Biscayne Bay forms the town's eastern boundary, and homes near the water often want protection that also blocks salt spray and sun. Roll-down shutters fit that need: they store above the window and lower on side guides. In a salty setting, choose aluminum slats with a durable finish, rinse the guides after storms, and pick a motor with a manual override.

Impact glass where you live most

For living rooms, kitchens and bedrooms, impact windows mean nothing to deploy before a storm and no dark house afterward. Laminated glass also blocks most UV light, which helps protect floors and furniture from fading. Many Cutler Bay owners pair impact glass on main rooms with roll-downs on large rear openings.

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High ground, relatively

Cutler Bay sits around 7 feet above sea level, and the Cutler Ridge formation rises to about 14 feet. Higher ground helps with flooding, not wind. Wind pressure on your openings depends on exposure and building height, which is why we confirm design pressures at each address.

What made Andrew so destructive

Andrew struck as a Category 5 storm with 165 mph winds at its first landfall on Elliott Key, before crossing the mainland in South Dade. Florida lost about 63,000 homes, most of them in Dade County, and 90% of the county's mobile homes were destroyed. Studies after later storms found that homes built under the newer statewide code averaged less damage than those built from 1994 to 2001. For a Cutler Bay house from those years, upgrading openings to approved impact products is one of the clearest ways to bring it closer to today's standard.

Permits in the town

Cutler Bay has its own building department. Plan on product approvals for each window, door and shutter type, a plan locating each opening and inspections before the work is covered. We prepare the package and keep labels on the glass until final. Call (786) 699-6948 to book.