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Hurricane Windows in Ocala and Central Florida
Storm-rated replacement windows, installed by a family-owned Ocala company that has been doing this since 2009. We pull the permits, we handle the inspections, and our own crews do the work.
- Licensed and insured, Florida CBC1267851
- Serving Marion, Alachua, Lake, Sumter, Citrus and Levy counties
- Lifetime warranty on installation
What "Hurricane Rated" Actually Means
A window earns a storm rating by passing two different kinds of testing, and most homeowners are never told they are separate things. Knowing the difference is the whole ballgame when you are comparing quotes.
Design Pressure (DP) Rating
How much wind load the unit can take before the frame, the glass or the hardware gives out. Every window we install is engineered and permitted for the wind zone at your specific address. This is not optional and it is not an upgrade. It is what the Florida Building Code requires.
Impact Rating
Whether the glass stays in the opening after being struck by flying debris. Impact glass uses a laminated interlayer, so it can crack but still hold together and keep your building envelope sealed.
Do You Actually Need Impact Glass in Marion County?
Here is the honest answer, and it is not the one most window companies give you.
Marion, Alachua, Lake and Sumter counties are inland. For most homes out here, impact-rated glass is not required by code the way it is along the coast or down in Miami-Dade and Broward. If a salesperson tells you the county is forcing you into impact glass, ask them to show you where.
That does not make it a bad idea. It just makes it a choice, and you deserve to make that choice with real information. Here is why Central Florida homeowners upgrade anyway:
- You never put up a shutter or a plywood panel again
- Laminated glass is much harder to break through, so it doubles as security glass
- Noticeably quieter rooms, which matters near a highway or a busy road
- The laminated interlayer blocks most UV, so floors and furniture fade less
- It may qualify for wind mitigation credits on your homeowners policy
What You Get Either Way
Whether you go with impact glass or a standard storm-rated package, the fundamentals of the job do not change.
- Engineered and permitted for the wind load at your address
- Florida Product Approval documentation on every unit we install
- Permits pulled and inspections scheduled by us, not by you
- Installed by our own crews [[VERIFY: confirm no subcontracting]]
- Insulated vinyl frames with Low-E and argon gas
- Lifetime warranty, and a company you can still call in ten years
Insurance Credits and the My Safe Florida Home Program
Wind Mitigation Credits
Florida insurers offer premium credits for documented opening protection. A wind mitigation inspection records what your home actually has, and your carrier prices off that report.
Credits vary widely by carrier, by policy and by what else on the house has been hardened. Windows alone will not always move the number. We will give you the product documentation your inspector needs, but your agent is the only one who can tell you what it is worth on your policy.
My Safe Florida Home
The state program provides free wind mitigation inspections and matching grants of up to $10,000 for approved hurricane hardening, including opening protection. Funding runs in cycles and is first come, first served.
Do not start work before you have an award letter. Starting early disqualifies the application. Check current status and apply at mysafeflhome.com.
First Choice Windows does not administer the My Safe Florida Home program and is not an agent of the Florida Department of Financial Services. Eligibility, award amounts and insurance credits are determined by the state and by your insurance carrier.
Storm-Rated Windows in Every Style We Offer
Hurricane protection is a glass and frame package, not a window shape. You do not have to give up the look of your home to get it.
Bay and Bow Windows
Large multi-panel units on the front of the house are usually the biggest single opening you own. They are also the most visible upgrade you can make.
Architectural and Shaped
Arches, radius tops and gable-end shapes are all buildable as storm-rated units. Odd shapes are where cheap quotes tend to fall apart.
Single Hung and Sliders
The everyday workhorses. Most whole-home replacements in Central Florida are built around these two styles.
You Are Not Stuck With White
Almost every hurricane window photo you will find online shows a white vinyl frame, which leaves a lot of homeowners assuming that is the only option. It is not.
Bronze and darker exterior finishes are available, and on a stucco home with arched openings the difference is dramatic. The windows below are storm-rated units on a home right here in the area.
How the Project Runs
01
Free In-Home Estimate
A call or a form is all it takes. We measure your openings, walk you through the glass and frame options, and tell you what your address actually requires.
02
Permits and Installation
We pull the permits and schedule the county inspection. When your product arrives, our crew installs, seals and cleans up. Most homes are done in one to three days.
03
Documentation and Warranty
You get the product approval paperwork for your insurance agent or wind mitigation inspector, plus the manufacturer warranty and our workmanship coverage.
Hurricane Window Questions We Get in Central Florida
Are hurricane windows required in Ocala and Marion County?
For most homes, no. Marion County is inland and sits outside the Wind-Borne Debris Region, where impact-rated glazing or approved shutters are mandatory. Every replacement window still has to meet the design pressure requirements for your wind zone and still needs a permit. Requirements can change with code cycles and can differ by address, so we confirm yours during the estimate.
What is the difference between hurricane windows and impact windows?
People use the terms interchangeably, which causes most of the confusion. "Hurricane rated" generally refers to a window engineered to handle a specific wind pressure. "Impact rated" means the glass has been tested against flying debris and uses a laminated interlayer to stay in the opening after it is struck. A window can be pressure rated without being impact rated. Ask any company you are quoting to tell you which one they are selling you.
Will hurricane windows lower my insurance?
They can, but it is not automatic. Florida carriers offer wind mitigation credits based on a wind mitigation inspection report. How much you save depends on your carrier, your policy and what else on the home has been hardened, including the roof and the garage door. Windows alone do not always change the premium. We provide the product documentation your inspector needs, and your agent can tell you what it is worth.
Do I still need shutters if I have impact windows?
Generally no. Impact-rated glazing and approved shutters are two accepted ways of protecting an opening, so if your windows are impact rated you are not also expected to cover them. That is the main reason people upgrade, especially homeowners who are past the age of hauling panels around in August.
How much do hurricane windows cost in Central Florida?
It depends on the number of openings, the sizes, the shapes and whether you go with impact glass or a standard storm-rated package. Arched and custom-shaped units cost more than rectangles. The only honest number is the one that comes after somebody measures your house, which is why the in-home estimate is free. [[VERIFY: add a starting-at figure or a typical project range if the client is willing to publish one.]]
How long does installation take?
Most whole-home projects run one to three days on site. The longer part is manufacturing lead time after you order, which varies by season and by product line. Hurricane season is the busy stretch, so ordering in the winter or spring usually means a shorter wait.
Do you handle the permits?
Yes. We pull the permits and schedule the county inspections as part of the job. You should be skeptical of any window quote in Florida that does not include permitting, because unpermitted window work can create real problems at resale and with insurance claims.
Local Service. Better Results.
We have been replacing windows for Central Florida homeowners since 2009, out of one location on SW 17th Street in Ocala. Same crews, same warranty, wherever you are in the service area.
- Family-owned and operated in Ocala
- 50+ years of industry experience
- Licensed in Florida (CBC1267851) + A+ BBB rating
- Built for Florida’s climate
Get a Straight Answer About Your Windows
We will tell you what your address actually requires, what impact glass would add, and what it costs. No pressure, no scare tactics about the county making you do it.