Table of Contents
- Are impact windows really unbreakable?
- Are they too expensive to be worth it?
- Do hurricane shutters do the same job?
- Do they block light and ruin your views?
- Are all ‘hurricane windows’ the same?
- If I have an alarm and bars, am I already protected?
- Do I only need them if I live on the coast?
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Many People Believe About Impact Windows Can Be Costly
Every year, homeowners across Puerto Rico delay a decision that could protect their home, their family, and their investment. It’s not always for lack of interest — it’s because of ideas they’ve heard that end up shaping the decision: “They’re too expensive,” “shutters are enough,” or “it’s cheaper just to replace a broken window.”
The problem isn’t just the misinformation. The real problem is what it can cost to believe it when a storm arrives, a break-in happens, or a higher-than-necessary electricity bill shows up.
This blog breaks down, one by one, the seven most common myths about impact-resistant windows and security doors. With verified data. No exaggeration.
1. Are Impact Windows Really Unbreakable?
❌ MYTH: Impact windows are unbreakable.
✅ THE TRUTH: They’re not unbreakable — they’re resistant. The glass can crack under extreme impact, but the PVB interlayer keeps the fragments bonded and the barrier intact. That’s exactly the design: not to prevent visible damage, but to prevent that damage from creating an opening.
This distinction matters because it sets a useful expectation. PVB (polyvinyl butyral) laminated glass is engineered to behave like an automobile windshield: it cracks in a spider-web pattern, but does not separate.
- Under projectile impact: the glass marks, but the panel stays in place.
- Under hurricane pressure: the barrier holds even if the outer glass fractures.
- Under a break-in attempt: the intruder cannot create an opening, even after breaking the outer pane.
Impact-resistant windows perform significantly better than standard residential windows under demanding load and impact conditions.
What impact glass does not do is resist indefinitely against a sustained attack with specialized tools. What it can do is buy you time: enough to deter an intruder, activate a security response, or get help. Standard glass yields in seconds. The same principle applies to impact security doors: reinforced aluminum frames and multi-point locking systems create a barrier that holds against a kick or basic forced-entry tools.
2. Are Impact Windows Too Expensive to Be Worth It?
❌ MYTH: Impact windows are too expensive. They’re not worth the cost.
✅ THE TRUTH: They cost more than standard windows, but they’re an investment with multiple returns. The additional investment can be recovered over time. Insurance savings, energy reduction, and avoided storm damage can help recover the investment within an estimated 3 to 7 years.
The mistake is comparing purchase prices without accounting for total cost of ownership over time. And if the upfront cost is a concern, Air Master offers 0% financing for up to 18 months through Synchrony, allowing you to start benefiting from savings and protection right away.
3. Do Hurricane Shutters Do the Same Job?
❌ MYTH: Hurricane shutters protect just as well as impact windows.
✅ THE TRUTH: No. Shutters only work when you install them before a storm. Outside of storm season, they offer no active protection: no security against break-ins, no noise reduction, no energy efficiency improvement, and their effect on insurance premiums is usually limited or nonexistent outside of active storm season.
What is a hurricane shutter?
A hurricane shutter is a protective panel (usually made of aluminum, steel, or polycarbonate) that you install over your windows and doors before a storm arrives and remove once it passes. Think of it as a temporary protective solution: it does its job during the hurricane, but the rest of the year it sits in storage. It offers no daily security, no energy savings, and no noise reduction. You have to remember to put it up and take it down every time a storm threatens.
How they compare:
| Protection | Shutters | Impact Windows |
|---|---|---|
| 🌪️ Hurricanes & storms | ✅ Only if installed | ✅ Always, no prep needed |
| 🚪 Break-ins & burglary | ❌ No | ✅ 24/7 |
| 🔇 Noise reduction | ❌ No | ✅ 30–50% less noise |
| ⚡ Energy efficiency | ❌ No | ✅ 20–35% savings |
| 📋 Insurance discount | ❌ Minimal or none | ✅ 30–45% reduction |
| ⏰ Preparation required | ⚠️ Before every storm | ✅ None |
Comparison: shutters vs. Air Master impact windows — protection, security, and energy efficiency year-round.
Shutters have their place as emergency protection when no other option exists. But reliable protection shouldn’t depend on installing it at the last minute when a storm advisory is already active.
4. Do Impact Windows Block Light and Ruin Your Views?
❌ MYTH: Impact windows darken rooms and ruin the view.
✅ THE TRUTH: Impact-resistant laminated glass maintains a high level of transparency and visual clarity. The visual difference compared to standard glass is usually practically imperceptible to the naked eye. One of its most important effects is that Low-E coatings help filter solar infrared radiation, which translates into less heat without sacrificing natural light.
This myth likely comes from confusing impact glass with privacy-tinted glass, which does darken rooms. They’re different products. Air Master impact windows use clear laminated glass with optional Low-E coating that:
- Transmits visible light: equal to or comparable with standard glass.
- Filters infrared radiation: the component that heats the room, not the one that lights it.
- Maintains undistorted views: no mirror effect, no optical warping.
- Reduces glare: a secondary benefit in spaces with direct sun exposure.
The result: more interior comfort, unobstructed views, and lower air conditioning bills.
5. Are All ‘Hurricane Windows’ the Same?
❌ MYTH: Any window labeled ‘hurricane-proof’ offers the same protection.
✅ THE TRUTH: ‘Hurricane-proof’ is not an official certification; it’s a commercial description that, on its own, does not guarantee proven performance. One of the most reliable ways to verify that a window meets real protection standards is to check whether it carries Florida Product Approval certification, issued after independent laboratory testing.
What separates a certified product from an uncertified one isn’t price or appearance. It’s the test protocol. Before receiving Florida Product Approval certification, a window must pass:
- Large missile impact: a 9-lb., 8-foot 2×4 board fired at 50 mph. No penetration allowed.
- Small missile impact: ten steel ball bearings at 80 mph across the surface. No penetration.
- 9,000 cyclic pressure cycles: simulating 30 continuous hours of hurricane conditions.
⚠️ Important consideration: In some cases, the absence of recognized certifications may affect claims processes or eligibility for certain insurance discounts. It’s worth checking with your insurer.
Air Master is the only manufacturer in Puerto Rico with Florida Product Approval certification for both windows and security doors. Every product comes with its certification number on record. Why certification makes the difference →
6. If I Have an Alarm System and Bars, Am I Already Protected?
❌ MYTH: With a security alarm and window bars, I don’t need impact windows.
✅ THE TRUTH: Alarms notify you after an intrusion has already started. Window bars prevent access but offer no storm protection. Impact windows are one of the most complete solutions because they combine physical protection and weather resistance in a single system, without anyone having to activate them.
The difference isn’t about technology. It’s about protection philosophy:
- Alarms: detect and notify. Protection depends on police response time.
- Bars: deter but offer no storm protection, no noise reduction, no energy savings, and can become an evacuation hazard in emergencies.
- Impact windows: create a physical barrier of noisy, sustained resistance. Many opportunistic burglaries happen in a matter of minutes, so any barrier that is visible, loud, and difficult to defeat can help discourage the attempt. Certified security doors add a second layer: reinforced aluminum frames, laminated glass panels, and multi-point locks that distribute impact force instead of concentrating it at a single weak point.
57% of home burglaries occur through doors and first-floor windows. Impact windows don’t just record the attempt — they prevent it.
FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program
All three solutions can coexist. But none of them replaces the permanent physical protection that certified impact windows and doors provide together.
7. Do I Only Need Them If I Live on the Coast?
❌ MYTH: Impact windows are only necessary for coastal properties.
✅ THE TRUTH: Even after a hurricane makes landfall, its winds, rainfall, and debris can continue to pose a serious risk further inland. Hurricane María (2017) caused severe damage dozens of kilometers from the coast. Security, energy efficiency, and noise benefits apply regardless of your distance from the water.
This myth ignores two Caribbean realities:
- Hurricane winds reach inland: wind damage, horizontal rain, and flying debris don’t respect distance from the ocean. Interior municipalities in Puerto Rico recorded severe structural damage from hurricanes in homes considered ‘far from the coast.’
- Protection isn’t only about storms: insurance savings, energy efficiency, and burglar resistance apply equally in Ponce, Arecibo, or San Germán as in San Juan or Loíza.
The right question isn’t “where do I live?”, but rather “what do I want to protect?” If the answer includes your family, your belongings, or your monthly budget, location is a secondary factor.
Ready to make a better-informed decision and protect what matters most?
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airmasterwindows.com • 0% Financing → • 787-999-0717
Frequently Asked Questions
Can impact windows break during a hurricane?
The glass may crack under extreme impact, but the PVB interlayer keeps the fragments bonded and the barrier intact. Unlike standard glass, which shatters and creates an immediate opening, impact glass does not collapse. That difference is what prevents wind, water, and pressure from entering and compromising the structure.
Do hurricane-rated windows actually work?
Yes, as long as they carry recognized certifications and have been tested under established standards for impact and pressure. The key is Florida Product Approval certification, not the product name.
What’s the difference between impact windows and hurricane shutters?
Shutters are emergency protection installed before a storm and removed afterward — they offer nothing the rest of the year: no burglar deterrence, no energy efficiency, no noise reduction. Impact windows provide permanent protection, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with zero pre-storm preparation.
Are there any disadvantages to impact windows?
The main disadvantage is usually the upfront cost — 40–60% more than standard windows. Air Master’s 0% financing for 18 months through Synchrony eliminates that barrier from day one, while insurance and energy savings begin immediately.
Do impact security doors offer the same protection as impact windows?
Yes, and in many ways they add a critical extra layer. Certified impact doors combine laminated PVB glass with reinforced aluminum frames and multi-point locking systems that distribute kick force across several points in the frame. Unlike a standard door with a single-point lock, this type of system helps distribute impact force more effectively and reinforces the entire assembly. Front doors are the most common entry point in home burglaries: upgrading both windows and doors with certified impact products closes the full vulnerability — not just half of it.
Author
Air Master Windows and Doors Technical Team. Since 1974, Air Master has developed impact-resistant window and door solutions for Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, with recognized certifications for this type of system. Headquartered in Barceloneta with a San Juan showroom at De Diego Avenue 258.
