Broward County Certificate of Competency 20-WD-21968-X
Hurricane protection: impact entry & sliding doors in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, FL
Impact Entry & Sliding Doors for homes in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea and the rest of Broward County. Free estimate.
Lauderdale-by-the-Sea is only a few blocks wide between the Atlantic and the Intracoastal, so nearly every door in town deals with salt-laden wind and spray, and every one of them sits in Broward's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ). Cat 5 Home Shield installs impact-rated entry, French, patio and sliding glass doors here under Broward County Certificate of Competency 20-WD-21968-X. When you choose who does this work, look for a Broward County certificate that covers doors, products with a Miami-Dade NOA or an approval accepted for the HVHZ, and a contractor who handles the permit and inspections.
We replace the door, not just the glass. That means an approved unit rated for the opening's design pressure, new sill pans and flashing, and installation to the product approval. We pull the permit when the work needs one, schedule the inspections and close out the permit. Estimates are free.
Much of the housing here is mid-century, built from the 1950s through the 1970s: one-story concrete block and stucco homes, plus low- and mid-rise condominiums and older motel-style buildings along El Mar Drive and A1A. Older openings often have worn sills, aging tracks and large glass areas that were never designed for HVHZ pressures. Because salt corrosion is the main maintenance driver within a few blocks of the beach, galvanized rollers, locks and hardware can wear out years faster than they would inland in Broward. Door frames and hardware that resist that environment are worth discussing at the estimate.
Problems to watch for in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
Salt-corroded rollers and tracks
Constant salt spray near El Mar Drive and the beach can seize slider rollers and pit aluminum tracks. A door that sticks or drags often signals hardware that has outlived its coating.
Doors that won't lock
Corroded latches and deadbolts, or frames that have shifted in older block walls, can leave an entry or slider that no longer secures properly.
Unrated glass in large openings
In a strong storm, standard sliding glass doors can break from wind pressure or windborne debris. In the HVHZ, replacements need an approved, impact-rated product.
Water at the sill
Wind-driven rain during the June to October wet season can find its way past worn sealant or missing sill pans. Staining or soft flooring near a door is a clue.
Heavily remodeled or undersized openings
Mid-century homes and older condo buildings often have altered openings. Any change to the opening's size or structure has to be covered by the permit.
Pool-area doors
A door that serves as a pool barrier opening may also need self-closing, self-latching hardware or an alarm under the code's pool barrier rules.
Old products without an approval
A door with no visible product approval or rated label is hard to document for a permit, an inspector or an insurer.
What we do
- Impact-rated doors for the HVHZWe supply entry, French, patio and sliding glass doors with a Miami-Dade NOA or an approval accepted for the HVHZ, matched to the opening's design pressure.
- Sill pans and flashingEach door gets a proper sill pan and flashing to help keep wind-driven rain out of the wall and floor, a real concern this close to the Atlantic.
- Installation to the approvalAnchors, spacing and sealants follow the product approval's attachment details, which are submitted with the permit.
- Permit and inspectionsWe pull the permit when the work needs one, schedule the inspections and close it out with the building department.
- Hardware for salt airWe can discuss stainless or coated hardware choices that hold up better in coastal conditions than plain galvanized parts.
Permits, codes and licensing in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
Broward County is the Florida Building Code's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, so exterior doors and sliders need a Miami-Dade NOA or a Florida Product Approval accepted for the HVHZ, rated for the opening's design pressure. Door replacement needs a permit from the building department where the property sits (verify with the city's building department for Lauderdale-by-the-Sea). The product approval and attachment details go in with the application, and a final inspection is required before the permit is closed. Impact door and sliding glass door replacement is permitted work that should be done by a licensed contractor. Confirm the license classification and its scope with the Florida DBPR (Construction Industry Licensing Board) and Broward County. Our work on doors falls under Broward County Certificate of Competency 20-WD-21968-X. Condo and townhome associations are widespread here, and they commonly require approval for exterior door changes in addition to the permit.
Impact Entry & Sliding Doors work is done under Broward County Certificate of Competency 20-WD-21968-X.
When to call
Demand builds in spring ahead of hurricane season, which runs June 1 to November 30, and again when seasonal owners return in the November to April snowbird season. The dry season from November to April generally offers easier scheduling and better installation conditions. To get started, call (954) 906-1715 or send the estimate form on this page. Free estimate, Broward County only.
We serve Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, including the Downtown / Commercial Boulevard village center, El Prado Park area, El Mar Drive beachfront, Terra Mar and Bel Air, along with nearby Sea Ranch Lakes, Imperial Point, Coral Ridge, Hillsboro Shores and Lighthouse Point, all in Broward County.
Impact Doors in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea: questions we hear
- Do impact doors need a Miami-Dade NOA in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea?
- Yes. All of Broward is in the HVHZ, so exterior doors need a Miami-Dade NOA or a Florida Product Approval accepted for the HVHZ. The approval and attachment details are submitted with the permit.
- Will my condo association need to approve new sliding doors?
- Condo and townhome associations are widespread in town, and approval for exterior door changes is commonly required on top of the city permit. Check your association's rules before ordering.
- How does salt air affect doors this close to the beach?
- With most of the town within a few blocks of the Atlantic, salt spray corrodes rollers, tracks, locks and other hardware faster than inland. Stainless or coated hardware is worth asking about.
- How do impact doors relate to the wind-mitigation form?
- Form OIR-B1-1802, completed by a licensed inspector, includes an opening protection category evaluated across all openings. Florida law (s. 627.0629, Florida Statutes) requires insurers to offer discounts for wind-loss-mitigation features, but amounts vary by insurer. Try the free Wind Mitigation Credit Checker on this site at /tools/wind-mitigation-checker.
- Can you replace the door and handle the permit?
- Yes. We install to the product approval, pull the permit when the work needs one, schedule the inspections and close out the permit. Verify local details with the city's building department.
Get a free impact doors estimate in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
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