Window Manufacturers Respond to Harsh Weather Demands

Window manufacturers have been responding to the need for products that can stand up to the harshest of weather conditions. Home builders and remodelers involved in coastal clean-up projects, or else working in other weather-challenged areas of the country, now have options for window products that have been tested to various standards requirements.

According to window and door manufacturer Weather Shield, their LifeGuard® products have proven reliable in protecting homes from the violent winds of tropical storms and hurricanes. The firm says that in addition to pleasing aesthetics, their LifeGuard products have reliable energy performance and sound control, and can reduce the likelihood of wind-borne debris entering a home and subsequently subjecting it to destructive water damage.

At the heart of LifeGuard’s shield is laminated glass with a layer of a minimum .090” gauge polyvinyl butyral (PVB) bonded between two panes of annealed, heat-strengthened or tempered glass. If the glass is broken, the laminated interlayer remains intact to protect a home from wind-borne objects. In addition, this laminated glass also minimizes exterior noise and shattered glass, deters break-ins and minimizes UV fading. All LifeGuard single-glazed products have been tested to the requirements of the Florida Product Approval, the Miami-Dade County Protocol TAS201, TAS202 and TAS203 as well as the ASTM E1886 test method and ASTM E1996 standard specification. LifeGuard IG products have been tested in accordance with ASTM E1886 and E1996 as referenced in the International Building Code and the International Residential Code.

Patio Doors

The LifeGuard patio door line includes out-swing patio doors, French sliding patio doors and their Legacy Series®  Radius Top French Swinging Door.

Weather Shield interior French Door.

The two-panel French sliding patio door combines the look and charm of a French door with the space-saving benefits of a sliding door. It comes in widths between 5’ and 8’ and heights between 6’8” and 8’2”,.

Available in a single-glazed unit, the Legacy Series LifeGuard Radius Top French Swinging Door provides hurricane protection in a distinctive design. The door is constructed with advanced manufacturing technology in order to apply the aluminum cladding to the rounded design of the top of this door. The patio door has a 1-3/4” or 2-1/4” door panel constructed from kiln-dried select western wood that ensures the door is sturdy and resists warping. Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) used in the core of the door’s stiles further enhances the door’s structural integrity. The door is available for order in 5’0” to 6’0” widths and heights (including custom heights) up to 10’.

Stainless steel structural strike plates on all four corners of LifeGuard hinged French door panels reinforce stile and rail joints, as well as increase lock bolt retention in the active panels. Three-point combination weather stripping on LifeGuard IG hinged French doors ensures a leak-resistant seal that meets the water infiltration ratings of coastal building codes.

Options

LifeGuard products have durable extruded aluminum-clad exteriors that can be prefinished in an Accentials™ standard or designer color, virtually any custom color, or one of eight anodized aluminum finishes for precision down to the detail. LifeGuard units feature a topcoat finish that meets AAMA 2605 requirements for superior resistance to salt spray and industrial pollutants.

To the inside, LifeGuard Windows and Doors’ pine interiors can be prefinished in an Accentials color or a custom color, or are available with a choice of five wood species from the Custom Wood Interiors Collection®. To complete an impeccable interior design, Weather Shield offers 11 interior trim profiles and rosettes to match LifeGuard interiors.

LifeGuard IG windows and doors offer the hurricane resistance of LifeGuard single-glazed products, but with two panes of glass that provide extra insulation against heat/cold transference. Zo-e-shield, The World’s Best Energy Glass™, is available in a configuration approved for coastal applications. Other energy-efficient features include Low E² glass and argon-filled or krypton-filled airspace. To help windows meet and exceed strict energy codes, Weather Shield’s LifeGuard IG casements, stationary picture windows and transoms are manufactured with a technologically enhanced energy sash, which is thermally broken and engineered to reduce conductivity of heat and cold. This makes LifeGuard IG products ideal for storm-prone areas with impact requirements and energy-efficient building codes that specify minimum thermal performance.