Hurricane screens and impact windows can both form part of a code-approved opening-protection plan. The key distinction is how they protect the opening: Fortress Screens add a permanent exterior barrier, while impact windows replace the glass and frame assembly itself.
The right choice depends on the existing windows, the openings you need to protect, security priorities, appearance, project scope, and the approval requirements for the property. This comparison focuses on those practical differences without treating either category as a universal answer.
Key takeaways
- Fortress Screens are installed outside existing windows and remain in place year-round.
- Impact windows replace the existing window assembly with laminated impact-resistant glazing and a tested frame system.
- An exterior screen can add a physical security barrier before an intruder or airborne debris reaches the glass.
- Product approvals, installation details, egress, permits, and the condition of the existing opening all need project-specific review.
Hurricane screens vs. impact windows
What are impact windows?
Impact windows use laminated glass, typically built with an interlayer that helps hold broken glass together after impact. The glazing, frame, anchors, and installation details work as a tested assembly. A product’s approval and design pressures must match the opening and the project conditions.
For a property with aging, inefficient, leaking, or otherwise unsuitable windows, replacing the complete assembly may address needs beyond hurricane protection. That broader replacement scope is one reason impact-window proposals can differ substantially from projects that add protection outside existing glass.
What are hurricane security screens?
Fortress Screens use 12 × 12 stainless steel mesh with 120,000 pounds of tensile strength set in a structural aluminum frame. Each screen is custom manufactured for the opening and mounted outside the existing window or door.
The system is Category 5 hurricane rated and carries Florida Building Code approvals FL32125.1-R2 and FL32125.2-R2. Because the screen is permanently installed, it provides an exterior impact and security barrier without a motor, track, seasonal storage, or deployment step. Learn more about the complete hurricane impact screen system.
The differences that matter most
Protecting existing glass or replacing it
A screen project normally leaves the existing window in place and adds protection outside it. An impact-window project removes and replaces the window assembly. If the current windows are in good condition, an exterior screen may avoid replacing functional units. If the windows themselves need replacement, impact glazing may solve a different set of building-envelope issues.
Security after the workday
Fortress adds cut-proof stainless steel mesh before a person reaches the glass. If the glass behind the screen is damaged, the mesh and frame remain a separate physical barrier around the opening. Impact windows rely on laminated glazing and their tested frame assembly. Both approaches should be considered alongside locks, alarms, lighting, access control, and the rest of the property’s security plan.
Appearance from inside and outside
Impact glazing looks like a conventional clear window. Fortress mesh is visible from outside and is designed to preserve daylight, airflow, and outward visibility from inside. Frame color, window shape, sightlines, and the architecture of the property should all be reviewed with physical samples and project photographs.
Damage assessment and repair
No opening-protection product eliminates the need for inspection after a major event. A severely impacted Fortress opening should be checked for damage to the screen, frame, fasteners, substrate, and glass behind it. Impact-window glass can crack while its interlayer helps retain fragments; a damaged unit may need professional evaluation and replacement.
Cost and construction scope
Published “per window” comparisons rarely capture the full project. Pricing varies with opening dimensions, quantity, frame selection, installation conditions, permits, engineering, access, and location. Compare written proposals that define the same openings, approvals, installation work, finish details, and warranty coverage.
How to choose for your property
- Inspect the existing windows. Determine whether they are sound and worth protecting or need replacement for reasons beyond storm protection.
- List every opening in scope. Include windows, entry doors, sliding-glass doors, egress openings, lanais, storefronts, and special shapes.
- Confirm the approval details. Match the selected product, design pressure, opening conditions, anchors, and installation requirements to the property.
- Compare everyday use. Review visibility, airflow, cleaning, security, emergency egress, and how the system looks from the street and indoors.
- Compare complete proposals. Evaluate the same openings and include permits, engineering, removal work, finish repairs, warranty coverage, and post-installation documentation.
Frequently asked questions
Are hurricane screens better than impact windows?
Not for every property. Fortress Screens are well suited when the existing windows can remain and the owner wants a permanent exterior impact and security barrier. Impact windows may make more sense when the window assemblies themselves need replacement. The approvals and installation details must be evaluated for the actual opening.
Can impact windows still crack?
Yes. Laminated impact glass can crack under severe impact while the interlayer helps retain glass fragments and preserve the tested assembly’s protective function. Damage should be professionally evaluated, and replacement may be required.
Do Fortress Screens require storm deployment?
No. Fortress Screens remain mounted over the selected openings year-round. They do not use a motor or require panels, fabric, or shutters to be deployed before a storm.
Can Fortress Screens be installed over doors and sliding openings?
Yes. Fortress can evaluate windows, entry doors, French doors, sliding-glass doors, lanais, and other custom openings. Required emergency-egress conditions and the operating needs of each opening must be included in the project plan.
Decision summary
Start with the condition of the opening
Choose impact windows when replacing the window assembly is itself part of the project. Choose Fortress Screens when you want to keep suitable existing windows and add a permanent exterior layer for hurricane protection, everyday security, and solar control.
The useful next step is a property-specific review. Request an onsite estimate to compare the openings, frame options, approval documentation, and complete installation scope.