Windows & Doors

Miami-Dade and Broward County are located in what is referred to as the "High Velocity Hurrricane Zone" in the Florida Building Code.

This means that these two Counties have stricter design requirements then the rest of the state.

The minimum (hurricane) wind speed that one must design for is 146 mph in Miami-Dade and 140 mph in Broward. This wind speed is the same for all buildings and not to be confused with the design wind pressure which varies from building to building.

In order for a manufacturer of windows and doors to be able to sell their product to the public it must comply with the above Code requirements, be tested and receive a product approval or Notice of Acceptance (NOA) from Miami-Dade county.

Just because a product has an NOA does not mean that it can be used everywhere. The product comes rated at a certain wind pressure that must be equal or greater than what the architect or engineer has determined is the design wind pressure for your home.

The tip here is: MAKE SURE THAT, BEFORE YOU BUY WINDOWS OR DOORS, YOU ASK TO SEE A COPY OF THE NOA AND CHECK THAT THE RATED WIND PRESSURE FOR THE WINDOW IS SUFFICIENT TO MEET THE DESIGN WIND PRESSURE FOR YOUR HOME.