Impact Windows in Westchester, FL

Westchester is a large unincorporated community in western Miami-Dade, and for most owners here impact windows are part of a bigger plan that includes the front door. The 2020 census counted 18,362 housing units, and with University Park merged into the CDP for that count, the area now runs from the Palmetto Expressway west past Florida International University.

The front door is an opening too

An entry door is one of the biggest weak spots on a house in a hurricane. If it blows in, wind pressure inside the home can push up on the roof. An impact entry door has a reinforced slab, laminated glass in any lites or sidelights, multi-point locking and a frame designed to stay anchored under load. Westchester homes often have a single door with a small window or a door with sidelights, and both can be replaced with approved impact assemblies.

What the county asks for

Westchester is unincorporated, so the permit goes through Miami-Dade County. The county's windows, shutters and doors page uses separate category codes on the permit application: new or replacement windows and glass doors fall under codes 82 and/or 83, exterior doors with no glass under 104, and garage doors under 22. A current NOA is required for each window, door, glass door and mullion, and if you use more than one product type, each one needs its own approval.

Security bars and egress

Many Westchester homes have security bars on the windows. When you upgrade, some owners remove bars because the impact glass is much harder to break. If you keep or add bars, the county requires emergency escape openings to have at least 5.7 square feet of net clear area (5 square feet at grade), a 24-inch minimum height, a 20-inch minimum width, a sill no higher than 44 inches, and release from inside without keys or tools.

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Garage doors are part of the envelope

If your house has an attached garage, its door is the largest single opening on the home. Impact or wind-rated garage doors carry their own approvals and have their own permit category. Garage doors are a separate trade we do not install, so plan that door with a garage door company alongside your window project so the whole envelope ends up protected.

A neighborhood known for weather science

The National Weather Service Miami office sits on the FIU campus in the northwest part of the CDP. You do not need a forecaster to know the season runs June through November, but it is a good reminder to schedule window and door work well before the busiest weeks. Call (786) 699-6948 to get on the calendar.