Written by Big Easy Windows
Key Takeaways
- In everyday sales talk, “hurricane windows” usually means impact windows. The name isn’t a rating, though, so the test reports and product approval are what count.
- An impact window uses laminated glass in a reinforced frame. The large-missile test in ASTM E1996 fires a 9-pound 2×4 at 50 feet per second, and the unit has to keep the opening closed afterward.
- Impact rating and energy efficiency are separate. Check the NFRC label for U-factor and SHGC, and look for ENERGY STAR Southern zone certification, which covers Slidell.
- Whether your Slidell address needs impact protection depends on the wind-borne debris rules for your parcel, confirmed at permit time.
- Big Easy Windows installs impact-rated and standard windows across St. Tammany Parish. Call (504) 384-8165.
Are Impact Windows the Same as Hurricane Windows?
Quick Answer: Usually, yes. When a Slidell homeowner hears “hurricane windows,” the seller almost always means impact windows: laminated glass set in a frame built and tested to hold together after a strike from wind-borne debris. The catch is that “hurricane window” is a marketing name, not a code term, so the only way to know what you’re buying is to read the test standard and product approval for that exact unit.
We get this question on almost every Northshore estimate, and it’s a fair one. Two quotes can use the same words and describe very different products. One might be a fully impact-rated unit. Another might be a sturdy window with a high design pressure rating that was never put through a missile test. Both can look identical on the wall.
What Are Impact Windows, Exactly?
An impact window has two parts working together:
- Laminated glass. Two or more layers of glass are bonded to a tough plastic interlayer. When debris hits, the glass can crack, but the interlayer holds the pieces in place and keeps the opening closed.
- A reinforced frame. The frame, anchors, and glazing method are engineered to hold that cracked pane through the pressure swings of a storm. Laminated glass in an ordinary frame isn’t an impact window.
Manufacturers prove this in a lab. ASTM E1886 sets out the test method, and ASTM E1996 sets the performance levels. A common large-missile level for homes, Missile Level D, is a 9-pound 2×4 fired at 50 feet per second, followed by a set number of cycles of positive and negative air pressure. The unit passes only if the opening stays protected.
Our impact-resistant windows page covers the products we install, and our post on wind-borne debris rules in Louisiana explains what an inspector checks.
Why Do Slidell Homeowners Hear Both Names?
Slidell sits on the east end of the Northshore along Lake Pontchartrain, so storm protection comes up on nearly every window job here. Sellers reach for the word “hurricane” because it’s the threat everyone in St. Tammany Parish already thinks about from June through November.
That’s fine as shorthand. Trouble starts when the shorthand stands in for paperwork. Here’s how to sort it out on any quote:
- Ask which ASTM or other impact standard the unit was tested to, and at what missile level.
- Ask for the product approval document for the exact size and configuration being installed, not a brochure for the product line.
- Check the design pressure rating against what your opening needs. A big picture window needs more than a small bathroom unit.
- Get the impact rating written on the contract itself.
If a quote says “hurricane windows” and none of that comes back, you’re likely looking at a standard window with a storm-friendly name.
Are Hurricane Windows Energy Efficient?
They can be, but the impact rating doesn’t make them so. Impact performance and energy performance are measured separately, and a unit can be strong on one and average on the other.
For energy, read the NFRC label. Two numbers matter most in our climate:
- U-factor measures how much heat moves through the whole window. Lower is better.
- SHGC, the solar heat gain coefficient, measures how much of the sun’s heat gets through. In a cooling-heavy place like Slidell, this is the one we watch first.
ENERGY STAR Version 7.0, in effect since October 23, 2023, sets the Southern zone line at a U-factor of 0.32 or lower and an SHGC of 0.23 or lower. ENERGY STAR’s own climate zone list places every Slidell ZIP code in the Southern zone. An impact window that also carries that certification gives you both kinds of performance in one unit.
Our guide to reading a window energy label walks through the rest of the sticker.
Do Impact Windows Replace Shutters?
Where wind-borne debris protection is required, impact glass and approved shutter systems are 2 accepted ways to meet it. Impact glass is always in place. Shutters usually cost less up front, but someone has to put them up before every storm, which is a real problem if you’re away when a system turns toward the lake.
We lay out the tradeoff in impact windows vs hurricane shutters, and our post asking whether hurricane impact windows are worth it runs the cost side.
What Should a Slidell Homeowner Check Before Buying?
A few local questions save headaches later:
- Which permit office? Slidell runs its own building department inside city limits, while unincorporated addresses nearby go through St. Tammany Parish. Our St. Tammany window permit guide covers both.
- Does your parcel fall under wind-borne debris rules? The answer depends on where your parcel sits under the code’s wind provisions, so ask the permit office for your address.
- Are you chasing a Fortified designation or an insurance credit? Opening protection can matter there. Our Fortify Homes guide for Slidell explains how windows fit, and your agent can tell you what documentation a carrier wants.
- Do you want every opening done at once? Where protection is required, our wind-borne debris post explains why it generally covers the glazed openings as a set, so partial jobs need a plan for the rest.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are impact windows?
They’re windows built with laminated glass in a reinforced frame and tested to resist wind-borne debris. The glass can crack on impact, but it’s designed to stay in the frame and keep the opening closed.
Is a “hurricane-rated” window always impact rated?
Not always. Some sellers use the phrase loosely for windows with a high design pressure rating that were never missile tested. Ask for the impact test standard and product approval in writing.
Do impact windows keep out all storm damage?
No window is storm-proof. Impact units are tested to defined levels of debris and pressure, and a storm can exceed those levels. They also don’t stop flooding, which homeowners policies treat separately.
Can I add impact glass to my existing frames?
Generally, no. The rating belongs to the tested assembly, meaning the glass and frame together with their anchoring. Swapping laminated glass into an old frame doesn’t create a rated unit.
Get Impact Window Options for Your Slidell Home
We’ll check what applies at your address, quote impact-rated and standard units side by side, and hand over the product approvals with the job. See our storm windows in Slidell or the Slidell service area page. To book a visit, request an estimate online or call (504) 384-8165.
