Frequently asked questions

Yes, the glass can break, but it takes far more of an impact. It can withstand blow after blow from a 9-pound 2×4 travelling at 34 miles per hour, followed by hurricane-force winds, and still remain in its frame. If it does break, the durable inner layer holds the glass together so the opening stays sealed.

Should impact glass break or crack, it can be re-glazed by a certified re-glazer without removing the window or replacing the whole unit.

Yes. We recommend hurricane impact protection for every opening in the home.

Since Hurricane Andrew in 1992, engineers have gone beyond a single wind-speed figure. Design Pressure calculations use wind speed in relation to the ASCE wind-speed map, plus building height, mean roof height, roof overhang, where the opening sits on the wall, whether it is in an end zone or interior zone, water intrusion and forced entry. That produces a positive and negative design pressure number for every opening. Your windows and doors must meet or exceed those pressures, which is where Dade County testing comes in.

They help. The laminated inner layer that holds the glass together during an impact also dampens sound transmission, so most customers notice outside noise is reduced.

Yes. In Florida, replacing windows and doors is permitted work, and the product approval documentation is submitted with the permit. The installation is then inspected.

It depends on how many openings there are and what the walls are made of. A small job can be a day; a whole house is longer. We give you a realistic window when we quote rather than a number that sounds good.

It isn't advisable. Impact units only perform to their rating if they are fixed exactly as tested, and the work has to pass inspection against the permit. A unit that is installed wrong doesn't meet the design pressure it was specified for.

No. Work is done opening by opening, and the house is secure at the end of each day.

Three is a sensible number. It gives you a sense of the real range without dragging the process out. Compare what each quote actually includes rather than just the total.

The units themselves and their specification, labour, the permit, removal and disposal of the old units, and making good around the openings. If any of those are missing from a quote, ask why.

We're based in West Palm Beach and work across Florida. Palm Beach County is where we do the most work, so lead times there are shortest. If you're unsure, call (561) 422-1012 and ask.

TDC Windows & Doors, Inc. was incorporated in Florida in 2011 and has traded continuously under the same name since. It is family-run.

We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express.

They don't have to, but frames and finishes are usually specified together so the exterior reads as one job rather than two.

Yes. Sliding glass doors are available as impact-rated assemblies, and given the size of the opening they are one of the most worthwhile to upgrade.