Broward County Certificate of Competency 20-WD-21968-X
Hurricane protection: sliding glass doors in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, FL
Sliding Glass Doors for homes in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea and the rest of Broward County. Free estimate.
Most of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea sits within a few blocks of the Atlantic, and because the town is in Broward County's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ), the sliding glass door is often the largest glass opening in the house. When you choose who replaces or repairs one, look for three things: a Broward County Certificate of Competency that covers doors, a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA) on the product, and a contractor who pulls the permit and gets it closed out.
Cat 5 Home Shield works under Broward County Certificate of Competency 20-WD-21968-X, which covers windows, doors, shutters and garage doors. We replace sliders with impact-rated doors approved for the HVHZ and repair tracks, rollers, locks and screens. The estimate is free. Call (954) 906-1715 or use the quote form on this page.
Salt-laden wind and spray reach almost every street here, so galvanized hardware, tracks and locks can wear out years faster than they do inland in Broward. Many homes in town are one-story concrete block and stucco from the 1950s through the 1970s, and many of the patio and lanai openings were cut or reworked decades ago. Along El Mar Drive and A1A there are also many low- and mid-rise condominiums, where association rules apply in addition to the city permit. A slider in this setting faces constant salt, summer thunderstorms from June through October, and wind pressure and windborne debris in a strong storm. Any door replacement here needs to account for all of that.
Problems to watch for in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
Door drags or jumps the track
Salt air and grit wear down rollers and aluminum tracks near the beach. A door that sticks, scrapes or comes off its track often needs new rollers or a re-hang, and sometimes a new door.
Lock or latch that won't hold
Coastal moisture corrodes locks and handles. A slider that doesn't latch securely is also a weak point in a strong storm.
Water at the sill in heavy rain
Wind-driven rain during the wet season can find worn weatherstripping or a tired sill. In an older block home, that water can reach flooring and the wall below.
Original glass with no impact rating
Older sliders were often installed before today's HVHZ requirements. In a strong storm, standard glass can break under debris impact, which opens up the whole home to wind and rain.
Fogged or cracked glass in a sound frame
If the frame is still in good shape, replacing the glass unit can be a reasonable repair. Salt exposure makes it worth checking the frame and hardware before deciding.
Torn or sagging screen door
Screens on lanai and patio openings take sun, humidity and salt. Damaged screens and worn screen tracks are straightforward to repair or replace.
No approved protection on the opening
In the HVHZ, openings need approved protection, either impact-rated glass or an approved shutter. A slider with neither is usually the first opening to look at.
What we do
- Impact-rated slider replacementWe replace two-panel and multi-panel sliders onto patios, lanais and pool decks with products carrying an HVHZ approval, usually a Miami-Dade NOA.
- Roller, track and re-hang repairIf the frame is sound, we can often get a dragging door rolling smoothly again with new rollers, a cleaned or repaired track, or a proper re-hang.
- Glass unit replacementWhere the frame is in good condition, we can replace the glass unit rather than the whole door.
- Locks, handles and weatherstrippingWe replace worn locks, handles, latches and weatherstripping so the door closes, locks and sheds water. In this salt-air setting, corrosion-resistant hardware is worth asking about.
- Permits and inspectionsFor replacements we pull the permit, schedule the inspections and see the permit through to close-out. Repairs usually need no permit, but verify with the city's building department.
Permits, codes and licensing in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
Broward County is in the Florida Building Code's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, so replacement sliders need a Miami-Dade NOA product approval. A replacement generally needs a permit from the city's building department, followed by inspections and a permit close-out. Specific submittals and inspection steps vary, so verify with the city's building department. Contractor licensing is overseen by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) through the Construction Industry Licensing Board, and in Broward County also through the Broward County Central Examining Boards, with code administration overseen by the Broward County Board of Rules and Appeals. Our work on this page falls under Broward County Certificate of Competency 20-WD-21968-X. If you live in a condominium or HOA community, check association approval too. On the wind-mitigation form OIR-B1-1802, opening protection is one category, evaluated across all openings in the home, and a licensed inspector completes the form. Florida law (s. 627.0629, Florida Statutes) requires insurers to offer discounts for wind-loss-mitigation features, but amounts vary by insurer. The free Wind Mitigation Credit Checker on this site can help you see where your home stands.
Sliding Glass Doors work is done under Broward County Certificate of Competency 20-WD-21968-X.
When to call
Hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, and in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea work picks up ahead of it and again in the November to April snowbird season, when seasonal owners return and have deferred repairs done. Replacement doors take time for ordering and permitting, so it helps to ask about them well before the storm season. A quick check that your slider closes, locks and has approved protection is a good habit at the start of June. To get started, call (954) 906-1715 or send the quote form on this page for a free estimate.
We serve Broward County, including Lauderdale-by-the-Sea's village center, El Prado Park area, El Mar Drive beachfront, Terra Mar and Bel Air, plus nearby Sea Ranch Lakes, Imperial Point, Coral Ridge, Hillsboro Shores and Lighthouse Point.
Sliding Doors in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea: questions we hear
- Do I need a permit to replace a sliding glass door in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea?
- Replacements in Broward County generally need a permit from the city's building department, with inspections and a close-out. We pull the permit when the work needs one. Repairs usually do not, but verify with the city's building department.
- What does HVHZ approval mean for a slider?
- Broward County is in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, so replacement doors need a product approval for it, usually a Miami-Dade NOA. This confirms the door was tested for the high wind pressures and debris impact the zone requires.
- Does salt air near the beach really affect a sliding door?
- Yes. With most of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea only a few blocks from the Atlantic, salt and grit wear down rollers and tracks and corrode locks and handles. Corrosion-resistant hardware is worth discussing when you replace or repair a door.
- I live in a condo along El Mar Drive or A1A. What else should I check?
- Condominium and HOA communities often have association rules and board approval in addition to the city permit. Check your association's requirements before ordering a replacement door.
- Will a new impact slider lower my insurance premium?
- Opening protection is one category on form OIR-B1-1802, and Florida law requires insurers to offer discounts for wind-loss-mitigation features. Amounts vary by insurer and we can't promise a credit. Ask your insurer, and try the free Wind Mitigation Credit Checker on this site.
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