Broward County Certificate of Competency 20-WD-21968-X
Storm-ready impact windows in Lauderdale Lakes, FL
Impact Windows for homes in Lauderdale Lakes and the rest of Broward County. Free estimate.
Lauderdale Lakes was mostly built out between the late 1950s and the 1980s, so many of its single-story concrete-block-and-stucco homes and low-rise condo and co-op buildings still have original or first-replacement windows. The whole city sits inside Broward County's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ), which means replacement windows need an HVHZ product approval, usually a Miami-Dade NOA. Plan around three things: manufacturing lead time, association approval if you live in a condo or HOA community, and the building permit.
Cat 5 Home Shield installs impact-rated single-hung, horizontal-roller, casement and fixed windows, measured to each opening and anchored to the product approval. We pull the permit when the work needs one, schedule the inspections and see the permit closed out. Start with a free estimate.
Much of Lauderdale Lakes is aging condo and co-op stock from the 1960s to the 1980s, where original hardware is working against constant humidity. Although the city sits about five miles inland, salt-laden air off the Atlantic still drifts west and can speed up corrosion on older aluminum frames, tracks and fasteners. In a strong storm, an unrated window can let wind-borne debris reach the interior. Aged frames can also leak around the perimeter during the May–October rainy season. Post-Andrew and post-Irma wind codes, plus association rules, shape which replacement windows are accepted on Broward County properties, so the product approval matters as much as the glass.
Problems to watch for in Lauderdale Lakes
Original windows with no impact rating
Homes and condos built between the late 1950s and the 1980s often still have windows that were never tested for wind-borne debris in the HVHZ.
Corroded aluminum frames and tracks
Year-round humidity and salt-tinged air, even five miles inland, can pit older aluminum frames, rollers and locks until windows stick or no longer seal.
Water intrusion around old frames
Daily summer thunderstorms and wind-driven rain can find gaps in aging sealant and stucco around block openings, leading to staining, rot at interior trim and mold.
Products without HVHZ approval
A window that lacks a Miami-Dade NOA or an approval valid for the HVHZ will not satisfy the permit, so check the approval before you order.
Condo and co-op approval delays
Many Lauderdale Lakes buildings are association-governed, and the board may need to approve window style, color and installation before work starts.
Mixed protection across openings
Impact windows on one side with unprotected doors or a garage door on another leave gaps, because opening protection is evaluated across all openings.
What we do
- Measure each openingWe measure every opening so the window and its approved anchoring match the block or frame opening, including the single-story CBS homes common in the city.
- Match the approval and design pressureWe choose impact-rated single-hung, horizontal-roller, casement or fixed windows with an HVHZ approval, usually a Miami-Dade NOA, rated for the design pressures at that opening.
- Permit and paperworkWe prepare the permit application with the product approval and attachment details for the city's building department. Verify the exact submittal requirements with that department.
- Install and anchor to the approvalWindows are installed and anchored as the approval specifies, with sealing around the frame to address water intrusion.
- Inspections and close-outWe schedule the required inspections and follow through until the permit is closed out.
Permits, codes and licensing in Lauderdale Lakes
Every city and unincorporated area of Broward County falls under the Florida Building Code's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone provisions. Windows need a Miami-Dade NOA or a Florida Product Approval valid for the HVHZ, with large- and small-missile impact and cyclic pressure testing, and they must be rated for the design pressure at the specific opening. A permit is needed for window replacement, including like-for-like impact replacements and any change in opening size. It is issued by the city's building department, or by Broward County Building Code Services in unincorporated areas, usually with the approval and attachment details; verify the specifics with the city's building department. Condo and HOA approval is usually needed too. Impact window installation is permitted work and should be done by a properly licensed contractor; the Florida DBPR (through the Construction Industry Licensing Board) and the Broward County Central Examining Boards handle qualification and registration. Cat 5 Home Shield holds Broward County Certificate of Competency 20-WD-21968-X, which covers windows, doors, shutters and garage doors. On Florida's wind-mitigation form OIR-B1-1802, completed by a licensed inspector, impact windows relate to the opening protection category. Florida law (s. 627.0629, Florida Statutes) requires insurers to offer discounts for wind-loss-mitigation features, but amounts vary by insurer. Our free Wind Mitigation Credit Checker at /tools/wind-mitigation-checker can help you see which categories apply.
Impact Windows work is done under Broward County Certificate of Competency 20-WD-21968-X.
When to call
Orders and installs tend to peak in spring and early summer as owners prepare for the June 1 start of hurricane season, and again whenever a storm threatens. In Lauderdale Lakes, demand also picks up in the winter months when seasonal residents return and open long-closed homes. Manufacturing lead times often mean ordering months ahead, and the winter dry season is generally the shortest lead-time window. Condo and co-op owners should allow extra time for association approval. To get started, call (954) 906-1715 or use the estimate form on this page for a free estimate.
We install impact windows in Lauderdale Lakes, including Oriole Estates, Oriole Gardens, Hawaiian Gardens, Somerset, Cypress Chase, and along the State Road 7 / US-441 and Oakland Park Boulevard corridors and the Mainstreet district.
Impact Windows in Lauderdale Lakes: questions we hear
- Do I need a permit to replace my windows in Lauderdale Lakes?
- Yes, a permit is required for window replacement, including like-for-like impact replacements. It comes from the city's building department, so verify the current submittal steps with them.
- What does the Miami-Dade NOA have to do with my windows?
- Broward is in the HVHZ, and windows installed here need an HVHZ product approval, usually a Miami-Dade NOA. The approval shows the window passed impact and cyclic pressure testing and is installed to specific anchoring details.
- I live in a condo or co-op in Lauderdale Lakes. Can I just order windows?
- Not usually. Much of the city's condo and co-op stock is association-governed, and the board typically needs to approve the work in addition to the building permit. Check your association's rules first and share them when you request an estimate.
- Does salt air matter this far inland?
- The city is about five miles from the coast, but salt-laden air still drifts west and can corrode exposed metal. That is one reason older aluminum frames and hardware often show wear, and why we look at the frame condition during the estimate.
- Will impact windows lower my insurance cost?
- Florida law requires insurers to offer discounts for wind-loss-mitigation features, and impact windows relate to the opening protection category on form OIR-B1-1802. Amounts vary by insurer, and a licensed inspector completes the form, so ask your insurer what applies.
Get a free impact windows estimate in Lauderdale Lakes
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