Impact Windows in Westwood Lakes, FL

Westwood Lakes is older than most of west Miami-Dade, which is why impact windows here so often replace jalousies and aluminum awnings. The 1960 census already counted 22,517 residents, at a time when places like Kendall West and The Hammocks were still open land. Its population has stayed near 11,000 to 12,000 since 1970, and the 2020 census counted 3,502 housing units.

Jalousies and awnings

Homes from that era commonly had jalousie windows, rows of glass slats on a crank, or aluminum awning windows. They were built for airflow, not wind resistance. Jalousies especially leak air, water and insects and offer almost no security. Replacing them with impact units changes how a house feels: quieter, tighter and easier to cool.

Hurricane shutters as a bridge

If you need to phase the project, approved hurricane shutters protect openings you are not replacing yet. Panels are the lowest-cost choice but take effort to put up. Accordions stay on the house and close across the opening. Roll-downs operate by crank or motor. All of them need their own product approval, and permanent shutters in an HOA community require an attestation before the county will permit them.

Masonry openings from the 1950s

Older concrete block homes sometimes have openings that are not quite square or have deteriorated bucks. We find these issues during measurement and include them in the estimate, so there are no surprises on installation day.

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Permits through Miami-Dade

Westwood Lakes is unincorporated, so the permit goes through the county. Expect an NOA for every product type, a plan showing each opening, and inspections during installation. Bedroom windows need to remain usable as emergency exits.

Choosing a window style

When a jalousie opening becomes an impact window, you get to pick the style:

• Single-hung: the familiar lower sash that slides up, simple and affordable
• Casement: cranks outward, opens fully for airflow, closest to the jalousie feel
• Horizontal roller: slides sideways, good for wide, short openings
• Fixed: no moving parts, maximum glass, best where you do not need ventilation

Bedrooms need at least one window that opens wide enough to serve as an escape route, which rules out fixed glass there.

Doors from the same era

Older homes here often have hollow front doors and aluminum sliders from the same decade as the jalousies. If you are already replacing windows, price an impact entry door and slider at the same time. Bundling them means one permit cycle and one set of inspections instead of several.

Low ground

Wikipedia lists Westwood Lakes' elevation at about 0 feet. Low elevation affects flooding rather than wind, but it is worth paying attention to how sills drain: water should move away from the house, not pool at the base of a new door. Call (786) 699-6948 to book a measure.