Break Through the Storm With New Simonton StormBreaker Plus Products

July 18th, 2007

Do you live in a home on the coast? Or, maybe you do construction work on homes in a windy, coastal area? If so, you can now relax and sleep a little easier.

Simonton Windows has introduced Simonton StormBreaker Plus, an impact resistant product line designed for high windborne coastal areas. Double Hung Tilt, Casement, Awning, Geometric and Picture style windows are all included in the new product line, plus an impact resistant Garden Door (available with center hinge outswing).

From:

http://www.simontonwindows.com/shared/media/articles/ssparticle.htm

Products in the Simonton StormBreaker Plus line feature KeepSafe Maximum glass. The units are composed of a piece of heavy polyvinyl butyral (PVB) plastic interlayer sandwiched between two pieces of double-strength glass. The laminated glass is then combined with another piece of double-strength tempered glass to form an insulating glass (IG) unit. The IG unit, which has been sealed together to form a strong, impact-resistant bond, is then glazed into the sash to hold the glass in the frame. The glazing process from Simonton uses a structural back bedding system to ensure the entire unit passes impact tests and performs admirably in installed situations.

“Living in a coastal areas with high winds can be a wonderful, yet sometimes unsettling experience,” says Bill Lazor, senior brand manager at Simonton Windows. “Unexpected powerful storms can cause damage to the home — and windows are oftentimes most vulnerable. The new Simonton StormBreaker Plus products can lessen concerns about the exposure of the home to both storms and potential intruders. These products have been proven to offer security and safety to the home.”

Product Features The Four S’s

Impact resistant windows and doors, such as those found in the new Simonton StormBreaker Plus line, provide safety and security for families from both storms and intruders. In addition, the units offer increased sound and solar control. The strength of the glass with the laminate interlayer actually reduces the amount of exterior noise, and ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun, which can penetrate the home. When struck by a blunt object, like blowing debris or a crowbar, the glass may crack, but the pieces do not fly out of the frame — they adhere to the plastic interlayer.

Stainless steel balances on the units and the coatings on the window hardware resist corrosion caused by sea air and salt spray. A unique snubber (located on the hinge side of Casement windows) holds the sash to the frame in winds up to 130 mph. After the storm, the snubber interlocks into the window again to make the unit functional.

On the Double Hung Tilt windows, believed to be one of the first vinyl Double Hung Tilt windows introduced in the country meeting strict impact resistant building codes, a coil balance spring coated with Teflon allows the sash to raise and lower smoothly. The surface-mounted tilt latch is ergonomically designed for ease of operation and safety. The design forces the operator to use both hands to lift the sash, push forward to disengage the sash and then pull the sash toward him.

The durable Simonton StormBreaker Plus window is very heavy and homeowners should maintain a firm grasp on the unit to handle the operable sash. Compared to a regular Double Hung Tilt unit (which weighs approximately 75 pounds and has a 30-pound sash), the strong Simonton StormBreaker Plus Double Hung Tilt window weighs 120 pounds and has a hefty 50-pound sash.

Testing Results

Independent testing results show that Simonton StormBreaker Plus products meet or exceed various windborne debris standards set by the Southern Building Code Congress International – SSTD-12, the American Society for Testing and Materials – E1886 and E1996, and the Texas Department of Insurance TDI 1- 98. Passing these tests means that the Simonton StormBreaker Plus product line can be used in the majority of hurricane-prone areas of the United States.

Product testing was performed by an independent testing firm in Pennsylvania using air cannons. In the tests, a two-by-four piece of lumber, nine-feet long, weighing nine pounds, was shot at specific and varying parts of units at a rate of 50-feet per second. After the impacts, the units were then subjected to 9,000 cycles of combined positive and negative pressure. To pass the test, each unit subjected to these conditions needed to continue to function. The glass must stay intact in the sash, and Double Hung and Casement windows must be operable.

The Simonton StormBreaker Plus products all achieved a Design Pressure (DP) rating of 50 or greater, which meets Category B hurricane standards for maximum protection against storms in most coastal areas of the country.  The higher the DP rating, the better a window or Garden Door is able to handle storm conditions.

“There are two components that make a unit impact resistant — the glass and the frame,” says Lazor. “Both these components need to be extremely strong to pass the tests.

We’ve invested a great deal of time, energy and resources into the creation of Simonton StormBreaker Plus. As building codes change throughout the country, we believe the features of safety, security, solar and sound control will have far-reaching benefits to consumers in all areas.”

Product Options and Availability

Simonton StormBreaker Plus products can be ordered with Solar E glass that meets ENERGY STAR requirements in various parts of the country. Interior/exterior color combinations of white/white and tan/tan are available in the product line. Grid styles and patterns include colonial flat and sculpted (in either white or brass) and diamond patterns (in brass, white and tan).

Beginning immediately, Simonton StormBreaker Plus products will be available in limited coastal areas of Florida that traditionally experience high winds related to storms. It is expected that the product will have widespread distribution within the next year.

Double Hung windows in the Simonton StormBreaker Plus product line are available in sizes up to 37 x 76. Picture window are available up to 72 x 60. Casements are available up to 30 x 65 and 36 x 50, along with twin mulled Casements up to 60 – ?? x 65. Awnings are available in sizes up to 53 x 26. Geometrics are available in six stock sizes.

From: http://www.simontonwindows.com/shared/media/articles/ssparticle.htm

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