Nature’s fury is a general term for any storm or natural disaster that may damage the local environment or cause property damage, and while these natural events cannot be prevented or diverted, modern construction methods such as installing hurricane impact doors or flood-resistant foundations can go a long way toward preventing major property damage. People can be evacuated from an area before a storm or disaster, but the buildings cannot be moved out of the way, so they are engineered for survival. Buildings near fault lines will have earthquake-resistant foundations and internal structures, and buildings in flood-prone areas have levees nearby as well as elevated foundations. And along the American east coast, many commercial buildings such as office buildings, condos, and hotels are built with hurricanes in mind. These powerful storms can devastate property, so countermeasures such as hurricane impact doors, hurricane glass windows, and more will be installed on those commercial buildings. Sliding glass door systems and hurricane proof doors can endure those strong winds and rain, keeping the building’s interior safe. The same is true when hurricane resistant windows are installed and fitted in just right.
The Power of Hurricanes
Meteorologists are hard at work every year studying hurricanes, so that evacuation efforts can be better coordinated and hurricane impact doors can be better designed to endure those storms. While meteorologists certainly can’t prevent hurricanes, they may use their data to better predict the power, timing, and movement of these storms to make human countermeasures more effective. Historically, some 158 different hurricanes were created in the 20th century, and 57 of them struck Florida in particular, and another 26 affected Texas’ coast. These hurricanes will vary in power and duration, as there are several Categories to measure them. But even smaller hurricanes may bring devastating wind and rain, and this is why hurricane impact doors are imperative for buildings along the east coast.
What is more, statistics and trends have suggested that now, in the 21st century, hurricanes are becoming even more powerful and frequent than ever before, making hurricane impact doors and windows more important than ever. In the year 2017, for a recent example, 10 different storms in a row developed into full-fledged hurricanes, a remarkable feat not seen since back in 1893. And Hurricane Irma, meanwhile, stands out as the most powerful Atlantic hurricane ever recorded. Forming in 2017, this mammoth storm was a Category 5 hurricane that boasted 185 MPH winds for 37 hours, and it had a staggering seven trillion watts of energy during its lifetime. This hurricane had a huge impact on the Caribbean, destroying 90% of the buildings on Barbuda in particular and leaving 60% of Barbuda’s population homeless. Many experts attribute this boost in hurricane power and frequency to climate change, but what’s known for certain is that cutting-edge hurricane impact doors and windows are essential to install along buildings on the east coast and Caribbean. Today’s technology and innovations may help make this possible.
Glass to Resist Hurricanes
As mentioned earlier, while people can be evacuated from an area before a natural disaster or storm strikes, buildings and other infrastructure cannot be moved. Instead, these buildings and structures must be built so that they can resist these storms and disasters and prevent major property damage. This takes a variety of forms depending on local climate and geography, and in the case of hurricanes in particular, the right glass doors and windows can go a long way toward minimizing property damage.
Commercial buildings in Florida may be built with anti-flooding measures in mind for hurricanes, but doors and windows must be ready, too. It’s not an option to construct a hotel, apartment, or condo without any windows at all, but windows are also a liability during hurricanes. So, contractors will turn to the right suppliers for impact-resistant windows and glass doors, and install them during a project. This prevents rain, wind, and windblown debris (and shattered glass) from getting into a building and causing extensive property damage. These glass doors and windows boast an impact-resistant glaze system of +105/-130, allowing them to survive 100 MPH winds and stronger. Windblown debris, meanwhile, may bounce right off these specialized windows.