Broward County Certificate of Competency 20-WD-21968-X
Impact Entry & Sliding Doors before the next storm in Lauderdale Lakes, FL
Impact Entry & Sliding Doors for homes in Lauderdale Lakes and the rest of Broward County. Free estimate.
Most of Lauderdale Lakes was built out between the late 1950s and the 1980s, so a slider that sticks, won't lock, or leaks at the sill is often original or first-replacement hardware wearing out in humid, salt-tinged air. Because the whole city is in Broward's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ), a replacement door has to be more than a like-for-like swap. It needs a product approval accepted for the HVHZ, usually a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA), and it must be rated for the design pressure of that opening.
Cat 5 Home Shield replaces entry doors, French and patio doors, and sliding glass doors with impact-rated products approved for the HVHZ. We offer a free estimate, pull the permit when the work needs one, schedule the inspections, and follow through until the permit is closed out. Our service area is Broward County only.
Lauderdale Lakes sits about five miles inland, but salt-laden air off the Atlantic still drifts west and speeds corrosion on exposed metal such as rollers, tracks, hinges and lock cylinders. Add a May–October rainy season with daily summer thunderstorms, and sill water intrusion and sticking sliders follow. Much of the city's 1960s–80s condo and co-op stock still has decades-old entry and slider hardware, and association rules, together with the HVHZ wind codes adopted after Hurricane Andrew and Irma, shape what can be installed. In a strong storm, a large glass opening without approved impact protection can be the weak point in an otherwise solid concrete-block home.
Problems to watch for in Lauderdale Lakes
Slider that won't lock or latch
Worn rollers, bent tracks and corroded lock hardware let a slider drift out of alignment. In older Lauderdale Lakes condos and block homes, this often points to original hardware that has had decades of humidity and salt air.
Water at the sill after heavy rain
Daily summer thunderstorms and wind-driven rain find any gap in old sealant or missing sill flashing. A proper sill pan and flashing detail matters when the door is replaced.
Corroded tracks and rollers
Salt-tinged air reaches this inland city and attacks exposed metal. Rough, noisy or stuck sliding doors are a typical sign.
Non-impact glass in a large opening
Wind-borne debris and wind pressure act on big sliders and French doors in the HVHZ. Standard glass with no approved protection can leave that opening exposed.
Replacement without an HVHZ approval
A door that lacks a Miami-Dade NOA or an approval accepted for the HVHZ may not pass the permit and inspection steps. Check the approval before ordering.
Entry doors that no longer seal
Swollen, warped or corroded entry doors and frames let in moisture and fail to lock. A replacement can be sized and anchored to its approval.
Association rules on exterior changes
Many Lauderdale Lakes condos and co-ops are governed by associations, and exterior door changes often need board approval before work begins.
What we do
- Impact-rated entry and French doorsWe install impact-rated front entry and French doors approved for the HVHZ, usually under a Miami-Dade NOA, and matched to the opening's design pressure.
- Impact sliding glass doorsPatio sliders are replaced with approved impact units. This takes in the large openings that tend to be the most exposed in a block home or condo.
- Sill pans and flashingWe build in sill pans and flashing so rain driven by a thunderstorm drains out instead of tracking into the wall or floor.
- Installation to the approvalAnchors, spacing and sealant follow the product approval submitted with the permit. This is the detail inspectors check.
- Permits and inspectionsWe pull the permit when the work needs one, schedule the inspections, and follow up until the permit is closed out.
Permits, codes and licensing in Lauderdale Lakes
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 city building department where the property sits. Product approval and attachment details are submitted with it, and a final inspection follows; verify the specific steps with the city's building department. Replacement is permitted work that should be done by a licensed contractor. Our work on impact doors and sliding doors falls under Broward County Certificate of Competency 20-WD-21968-X. Confirm any contractor's classification and scope with the Florida DBPR (Construction Industry Licensing Board) and the Broward County Central Examining Boards. If a door serves a pool barrier opening, the code's pool barrier rules may add self-closing, self-latching or alarm requirements. On Florida's wind-mitigation form OIR-B1-1802, opening protection is evaluated across all openings, so doors, windows and garage doors each count. A licensed inspector completes that form. Florida law (s. 627.0629, Florida Statutes) requires insurers to offer discounts for wind-loss-mitigation features. You can use the free Wind Mitigation Credit Checker on this site to see where your openings stand.
Impact Entry & Sliding 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 demand builds from spring up to June 1 and after any storm scare. In Lauderdale Lakes, seasonal residents also return and reopen long-closed homes in the winter months. The November–April dry season generally offers easier scheduling and better installation conditions. Door orders and permits take time, so starting early helps. Call (954) 906-1715 or use the quote form on this page for a free estimate.
We work throughout Lauderdale Lakes, including Oriole Estates, Oriole Gardens, Hawaiian Gardens, Somerset, Cypress Chase, the State Road 7 / US-441 and Oakland Park Boulevard corridors, and the Mainstreet district, as well as nearby Broward cities such as Lauderhill, Tamarac and Plantation.
Impact Doors in Lauderdale Lakes: questions we hear
- Do I need approval from my condo or co-op association in Lauderdale Lakes?
- Association or HOA approval is commonly needed for exterior door changes, and many Lauderdale Lakes buildings are association-governed. Check your board's rules before ordering, since that approval is separate from the city permit.
- What does an HVHZ product approval mean for a sliding door?
- Broward is in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, so a door needs a Miami-Dade NOA or an approval accepted for the HVHZ. It must also be rated for the design pressure of the opening it goes in.
- Why does my older slider corrode even though the city is inland?
- Lauderdale Lakes is about five miles from the coast, but salt-laden air still drifts west and speeds up corrosion on rollers, tracks and lock hardware. Year-round humidity adds to it, especially on decades-old hardware.
- Does a permit apply when I replace a door in Lauderdale Lakes?
- Door replacement needs a permit from the city building department, with the product approval and attachment details submitted and a final inspection. Verify the city's specific steps with the building department. We pull the permit when the work needs one and see it closed out.
- Will new impact doors lower my insurance premium?
- Florida law requires insurers to offer discounts for wind-loss-mitigation features, but amounts vary by insurer and we can't promise a credit. A licensed inspector records your home's features on form OIR-B1-1802.
Get a free impact doors estimate in Lauderdale Lakes
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