Impact Windows in St. Lucie West, FL

Impact windows have become the go-to replacement in St. Lucie West because so many homes there are reaching the age where the original windows wear out. Core Communities acquired the land in the early 1990s and planned roughly 14,000 homes over 20 years on about seven square miles. The first houses are now three decades old. Their windows were built to the standards of their day, and many owners are dealing with stiff sashes, foggy glass between panes, worn weatherstripping and tracks that no longer drain.

Signs your windows are done

• Single-hung sashes that will not stay up or need a hard push to lock
• Condensation or haze between panes in dual-glazed units
• Water stains on the sill or drywall under a window after heavy rain
• Corroded aluminum frames, especially on the side facing the sprinklers
• Shutter tracks or anchors that are rusted or missing hardware

If you are seeing two or more of these, repair costs start to add up and a full replacement with impact glass usually makes more sense than fixing the old units.

What the replacement looks like

Most St. Lucie West homes are concrete block with stucco. We remove the old window, check the buck and the opening for damage, make any repairs, then set the new unit and fasten it with the anchor type and spacing shown on its product approval. The exterior is sealed and the stucco or trim is patched, and inside we finish the returns so the opening looks clean. Most single-family homes take a few days on site once materials arrive, depending on window count.

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The 25 percent rule matters here

Because many owners plan to replace windows over a couple of years, it is worth knowing about a Florida Building Code provision for existing homes. When more than 25 percent of a one- or two-family home's exterior glazing is replaced within a 12-month period, every replacement opening in that work must be impact rated or protected by approved shutters. For most St. Lucie West owners that is a non-issue because they are choosing impact glass anyway, but it matters if you were thinking of mixing standard and impact units.

Living near the ballpark and the turnpike

St. Lucie West grew into more than homes. It is home to Clover Park, the spring training site of the New York Mets, plus shopping and office space. Owners near busy roads often mention traffic noise. Laminated impact glass tends to dampen sound better than the original windows, and many people say the quieter house is the benefit they notice first.

Permits and inspections

St. Lucie West is inside Port St. Lucie, and the city requires a permit for window and door replacement. We file it, include product approvals for each unit, and schedule the inspections the city requires.