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Miami — Tier-1 Pillar

Miami Impact Windows — HVHZ Large Missile, NOA, PGT vs CGI vs ES Windows

Miami impact window reality. HVHZ Large Missile Impact required, current Miami-Dade NOA for every product, PGT WinGuard vs CGI Sentinel vs ES Windows, laminated glass with PVB interlayer. $75-$200/sqft installed. Full-home replacement $35K-$150K.

~1 min read·Updated 2026-04-23

Every Miami-Dade and Broward window replacement must meet HVHZ Large Missile Impact standards (ASTM E1886/E1996) and carry a current Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance. The top impact-window manufacturers for South Florida: PGT WinGuard (vinyl, hybrid, aluminum), CGI Sentinel (aluminum premium), ES Windows (aluminum mid/high-end), Andersen Stormwatch (wood/clad premium). Laminated glass with PVB interlayer is the core impact-resistance technology.

AskBaily routes Miami impact-window projects to one Florida CILB-licensed specialty Structural or Glazing contractor with active NOAs for current-generation products.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need impact windows in Miami? Yes — HVHZ code requires impact-rated openings on every residential exterior. Non-impact windows + hurricane shutters is a legal alternative, but most buyers and insurers prefer impact.

What is Large Missile Impact? ASTM E1886/E1996 test — a 9-pound 2x4 fired at 50 ft/s at the product, followed by cyclic wind-load simulation. HVHZ zones (Miami-Dade, Broward) require Large Missile; some wind-zone inland areas allow Small Missile.

How much do Miami impact windows cost? $75-$200/sqft installed depending on brand and frame. Vinyl PGT: $75-$125/sqft. Aluminum CGI: $110-$165/sqft. Wood-clad premium: $165-$200/sqft. Full-home replacement: $35K-$150K.

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Baily is named after Francis Baily — an English stockbroker who retired at 51, became an astronomer, and in 1836 described something on the edge of a solar eclipse that nobody had properly articulated before: a string of bright beads of sunlight breaking through the valleys along the moon’s rim.

He wasn’t the first to see them. Edmond Halley saw them in 1715 and barely noticed. Baily’s contribution was clarity — describing exactly what was happening, in plain language, so vividly that the whole field of astronomy paid attention. The phenomenon is still called Baily’s beads.

That’s what we wanted our AI to do. Every inbound call and text has signal in it — a homeowner’s real question, a timeline, a budget, a hesitation that means “yes but.” Baily listens to every one, 24/7, and finds the beads of light.

Baily was a businessman before he was a scientist. That’s our vibe too.

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