The morning your impact windows are installed will probably be noisier than an ordinary day at home. Installers will move equipment, remove old windows, prepare openings, and carry new glass into the house. For a short period, individual openings will also be exposed while installers remove the old window and install the new one.
That sounds disruptive, but a professional installation is usually far more organized than homeowners expect.
So, what should homeowners expect during impact window installation? Most projects involve preparation inside the home, removing the existing windows, carefully installing and sealing the new products, cleanup, a walkthrough, and a final permit inspection. For many single-family homes, the actual installation takes only a few days.
Knowing what to expect ahead of time makes those days much easier.
The Work Starts Long Before Installation Day
By the time an installation crew arrives, much has already happened behind the scenes.
Impact windows are custom products. After a homeowner approves a project, we take final measurements so the windows fit the home’s existing openings correctly. Permits must also be submitted, and the windows have to be ordered and manufactured.
Absolute Window LLC takes final measurements before submitting a custom order. The company also handles the permit application and inspects the products when they arrive at its warehouse.
This preparation matters because no one wants to remove an old window and discover the replacement doesn’t fit properly.
Once the products are ready and the permit is issued, you can schedule the installation date.
How Should You Prepare the House?
You do not need to empty entire rooms, but installers need room to work around each window.
Before the crew arrives, move furniture, lamps, plants, and decorative items away from the work area. Remove fragile objects from nearby shelves and walls. Vibrations from construction work can sometimes move things you would never expect to move.
Window treatments may also need attention. Depending on the installation and the type of blinds, curtains, or shutters you have, you may need to remove them before work begins.
Pets deserve some planning too.
A normally relaxed dog can get nervous when unfamiliar people come in and out of the house. Cats have an impressive ability to find the one open door or window nobody expected them to notice. Keeping animals in a secure room, or arranging for them to spend installation day elsewhere, can make things easier for everyone.
Yes, There Will Be Some Noise
Removing an existing window is construction work, so you should expect noise.
The crew may use drills, saws, pry tools, and other equipment as they remove frames and prepare the openings. If you work from home and spend much of the day on calls, installation day probably is not the best time to schedule your most important video meeting.
There can also be dust and small amounts of debris.
Professional crews protect the work area and clean up as they go, but no window replacement is completely invisible. Old frames, sealants, fasteners, and other materials have to come out before the new window can go in.
The temporary inconvenience is usually short-lived.
What Happens to the Old Windows?
Installers must carefully remove the old window without unnecessarily damaging the surrounding opening.
Once it is out, the installers can assess the condition of the opening. They prepare it for the replacement window, position the new unit, secure it per applicable installation requirements, and seal the surrounding area.
This part of the job matters just as much as the window you purchased.
Impact glass gets most of the attention, but a hurricane window is a system. The frame, anchoring, installation method, and connection to the structure all affect performance.
That is one reason Absolute Window uses its own factory-trained employees rather than subcontracting its window and door installations.
Will the House Be Left Open?
Only temporarily, while crews work on each opening.
Crews typically work through the project in a controlled way rather than removing every window in the house at once and leaving the home exposed.
Of course, Southwest Florida weather does not always cooperate with anyone’s schedule. Heavy rain or severe weather can affect installation plans when opening parts of the home creates unnecessary risk.
If weather causes a problem, it is better to adjust the schedule than rush work that needs to be done correctly.
How Long Will the Installation Take?
This depends largely on the number and type of openings.
Absolute Window reports that one installation team can generally complete about six windows per day. Most single-family homes take about one to three days, though larger houses, unusual openings, doors, or more complex projects may take longer.
A standard installation crew typically includes a lead installer and one or two helpers.
That means a homeowner replacing a handful of windows may have a relatively short installation, while someone replacing every window and exterior door should expect a larger project.
Don’t confuse installation time with the full project timeline. Measuring, permitting, custom manufacturing, scheduling, and inspections all happen outside those one to three installation days.
What Happens When the Windows Are In?
Before considering the job complete, a few things still need to be done.
We check the windows for proper operation and finishing details. This is a good time for homeowners to ask questions about locks, screens, cleaning, or anything else they want demonstrated.
Absolute Window includes a walkthrough after installation so the homeowner can review the completed work.
The permit process also needs to be completed.
Florida window replacement projects generally require permits, and a final inspection by the appropriate city or county building department closes out that permit. Absolute Window coordinates that inspection with its customers.
If any finishing items remain after inspection, they can be handled during the project’s final punch-out.
Keep Your Paperwork After the Job
Do not throw the permit package into a drawer and forget where you put it.
Documentation for impact windows can matter later.
Product approvals, permit records, inspection information, and related documents may be useful when you sell the house or provide information to your insurance company. Homeowners pursuing wind-mitigation credits may also need documentation showing exactly what was installed.
Absolute Window provides customers with product and permit-related records for their installations.
Keep those documents with your other important home records.
A Few Days of Work for a Long-Term Upgrade
Once the tools are packed away and the old windows are gone, homeowners can begin enjoying the benefits of their new windows every day, not just when a storm is approaching.
Knowing what to expect also makes installation day easier. Clear the work areas, secure pets, plan for some noise, and keep your paperwork after the project is complete. The rest is largely up to the installation crew.
If you are considering impact windows for your Southwest Florida home, Absolute Window LLC can guide you from the first measurements through permitting, installation, and final inspection. Contact Absolute Window LLC to schedule a free in-home estimate and find out what an impact window project would involve for your home.
