Oceanfront Condo Views Sparkle Through Simonton StormBreaker Plus® Windows and Doors

Fast forward to 2008, and the McCabe family, who had run the motel for 35 years, decided it was time for a change. They tore down the 50-year-old motel and used the land to construct a stunning mixed development structure featuring 14 condominiums and a dozen retail shops.

The lucky homeowners at Blue Surf Condos have oceanfront views, fast access to the beach and retail shopping right below their boardwalk location. Best of all, their beachfront homes were constructed with low-maintenance, durable products designed to withstand severe weather.

To capture the panoramic views, builder Coleman Bunting of Bunting Construction recommended impact-resistant Simonton StormBreaker Plus® windows and doors. The insulating glass unit in the windows and patio doors features impact-resistant laminated glass, which consists of a durable interlayer sandwiched between two pieces of glass, along with an outer layer of tempered glass.

“The high-performance laminated glass in these products is designed to help resist strong winds and penetration from windborne debris,” says Bunting, owner and president of Bunting Construction. “I saw the products exhibited at the International Builders’ Show several years ago and was very impressed with the units.

“Since many of the condo owners are not full-time residents, it’s important to have these Simonton products installed that meet area building codes while helping protect their housing investment and contents during high-wind events, such as hurricanes or nor’easters,” says Bunting.

Testing Mother Nature

After spending a night in one of the vacant units during a roaring nor’easter in the winter of 2010, developer Gerald McCabe agrees with Bunting. “This is the ideal window for this coastal location,” says McCabe. “I purposely stayed in a unit when there were 60 mph winds slashing rain and debris at the condos to see how the windows and doors would stand up to Mother Nature.

“I couldn’t find a drop of water anywhere inside the condos. Nothing. The old motel would have had water seeping in under the doors and around the window frames, but these Simonton products performed phenomenally,” McCabe says.

According to McCabe, peace of mind is important to the long-distance owners of the condo units. “Our owners truly appreciate the worry-free lifestyle that the Simonton StormBreaker Plus windows and patio doors bring to their condos,” says McCabe. “Along with reducing their anxiety level when severe weather is forecast, they appreciate the noise reduction these products offer on a daily basis.

“The boardwalk area can get fairly noisy during the summer. When inside with these windows and doors closed, you can’t even tell you’re at a premier beachfront location," McCabe explains. "That’s how impressively these units control noise infiltration.”

McCabe, who selected the impact-resistant products based on the enthusiastic recommendation of his builder, believes that the Simonton StormBreaker Plus windows and doors will help ensure the long-term success of his project.

“Even if the outer layer of tempered glass is shattered during a severe weather event, the tough interlayer is extremely resistant to breaking– reducing the possibility of injury or damage,” says McCabe. “This helps eliminate the fear of our homeowners when bad weather is forecast. There’s no ‘shuttering up’ or ‘boarding up’ of these units – the windows are on guard 24/7 against severe weather conditions. That’s been a great selling point for these condos and makes our homeowners extremely happy.”

A Builder's Perspective

As a residential oceanfront builder, Coleman Bunting is not easy to impress. He knows the kind of severe weather that can play havoc with a home that’s continually subjected to salt air, sea spray, and high levels of humidity.

“We build single-family seaside homes and condominiums,” says Bunting, whose company is based in Selbyville, Delaware. “The Blue Surf Condo project was the first time we specified and installed Simonton StormBreaker Plus products, and I’m very impressed with them. Everything went fine with these units from the delivery to the installation and now to the long-term use of the products.

“I’m most pleased with the fact that there are no leaks in these units. These windows and doors live up to their reputation and I’ll be installing them in other projects my company undertakes in the future.”

Constructed to Last

The selection of Simonton StormBreaker Plus products for Blue Surf Condos wasn’t necessarily a surprise to Jeff Hunt, sales manager at Reeb Millwork in Barclay, Maryland. “I’ve been successfully selling these products to our customers for oceanfront projects for the past several years,” says Hunt. “In this case, Atlantic Millwork out of Lewis, Delaware, purchased the products from us to supply to the builder. Based on the stringent testing these products have met, they’ve become increasingly popular for projects on the Atlantic Coast.”

Approved to the High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHA) certification standards through the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) and the Florida Building Commission (FBC) to withstand flying debris during severe storms, Simonton StormBreaker Plus windows and doors work 24/7 and never need to be boarded up or shuttered if properly installed and maintained. The windows and patio doors are also tested in compliance with the windborne debris standards adopted in the International Residential Building Code, and the Florida Building code, ensuring that they can be used in all regions of the country that have building code requirements for impact-resistant products. This includes the Florida coast, the Gulf of Mexico coast and the east coast, and is recognized by the Texas Department of Insurance windstorm inspection program.

"There’s a great deal of testing involved for these impact-resistant windows and patio doors because they’re so important in helping keep a home secure during severe weather,” says Cristen Baca, vice president of new product development for Simonton Windows. “At our testing facilities, we conduct impact, structural pressure and water infiltration testing on our Simonton StormBreaker Plus products, subjecting them to extreme weather conditions. We simulate the effects of severe storms on the windows to ensure they’ll help protect a home.”

In addition to enhanced protection from severe weather, StormBreaker Plus windows and doors offer superior energy efficiency benefits to homeowners, helping reduce energy bills. The windows and doors also reduce outside noise infiltration; and help prevent the sun’s harmful UV rays from damaging furnishings. Burglary attempts are also deterred by the impact-resistance of these durable windows and doors.

“These top-of-the-line windows and doors really help protect the home --- and in this case the entire Blue Surf Condo development --- while saving people money,” says Baca. “In addition to reduction of energy costs, many insurance companies also offer a discount when people have impact-resistant products installed in their home.”