by Heather Wallace 

The current devastation in Japan got me thinking...

There is no way to predict the weather.  There is nothing you can do to prevent a natural disaster. What we can do, however, is educate people on current building science and products available to help them come through these, and other situations, the best way possible. 

I recently returned from Orlando where our ReVISION House is located.  PGT is our window and door sponsor at this demonstration home.  PGT helped to develop the testing protocols used for current hurricane codes.  They were the first to offer a complete line of residential aluminum impact-resistant windows and doors over ten years ago. 

 Photo by Andy Frame Photography

PGT's revolutionary WinGuard® technology is comprised of two panes of glass bonded together with a special layer of clear polyvinylbutyral. WinGuard can withstand multiple blows by a nine-pound, 2 x 4 beam traveling at 34 miles per hour, followed by hurricane-force winds - after which the glass still remains in the frame. If the impact-resistant glass should crack, the durable interlayer keeps the window intact and in place.

And the technology is not only great for resisting hurricane damage - the impact-resistant glass also protects against intruders, reduces outdoor noise, and filters out 99% of UV light.  The insulating glass improves energy efficiency which, in turn, reduces cooling and heating costs.

So, if you live in an area like Florida that is prone to hurricanes and high-force winds you may not be able to control these events but you can do something to help protect your home and your family.