Best window pros near Topsail Beach, NC

Picture windows last about 20 to 50 years, depending on the material, your location, and how well you maintain the windows over the years. Materials like vinyl and aluminum may not last as long, while fiberglass can last many years. Wood will last decades if you keep up with maintenance. Homes in areas with harsh weather throughout the year may cause windows to have shorter lifespans.

Impact windows are a type of window made with impact-resistant glass, designed specifically for hurricanes. The glass, treated with ethylene-vinyl, can withstand winds up to 200 mph, as well as flying debris. Brands sometimes test their impact windows with large missile impact tests.

Impact windows may be required in some places. For instance, the Florida Building Code requires homes to have impact-resistant windows if they live within a mile of the coast where wind speeds can reach 110 mph or more.

Windows provide light and a view of the outdoors without the inconveniences that the outside world can come with, like noise, rain, snow, and unpleasant scents. Vinyl windows also provide energy efficiency thanks to their insulating properties, keeping your home at its coziest temperature no matter what season it is. They’re also excellent noise dampeners, so your interior space can stay calm and quiet.

While plywood will keep winds and debris from shattering your windows from the outside, window film can help protect your windows from the inside. Window film can keep a window from shattering. If your windows break, the film can hold the shards of glass in place, reducing the risk of cuts.

While you may sometimes see window film marketed as "hurricane window film," note that it doesn't provide sufficient hurricane protection on its own. It's no substitute for plywood, storm windows, or hurricane shutters.