Nobody thinks about impact glass until a storm already has a name — and by then, you’re in line behind everyone else who had the same idea at the same time. RP Built installs PGT-grade impact windows and doors in as little as 4–5 weeks, but that clock only starts once you’re actually scheduled, which is exactly why the right time to install is before hurricane season, not during it.
How long does impact window installation actually take?
Once you’re on the schedule and product is ordered, PGT-grade impact windows and doors typically go in within 4–5 weeks. As with a pool cage rebuild, the physical install — removing old windows, setting new frames, sealing everything to spec — is the fast part. What varies is how long it takes to get on the schedule and get product ordered in the first place, and that’s exactly what backs up once storms start forming and every homeowner in the county calls at once.
Why timing matters more than most homeowners think
The same logic that applies to pool cage permitting timelines applies here: product lead time and installer scheduling both compound once demand spikes in-season. Starting the conversation in the January–April window, well before the seasonal rush, means you’re not competing with every other homeowner who waited for a forecast to make the decision for them.
What impact windows actually protect against
Impact-rated glass is engineered to resist wind-borne debris and the pressure changes that come with hurricane-force wind, without anything needing to be deployed or installed in the hours before a storm arrives. It’s a permanent, passive upgrade to the window itself — not a temporary measure you put up and take down.
Impact windows vs. shutters — the honest tradeoff
Shutters typically cost less upfront, but they’re an active system — someone has to physically put them up before every storm, which means they only protect your home if you’re there, aware of the timeline, and get to it before conditions make that unsafe. Impact windows are passive: once installed, they’re doing their job whether you’re home or evacuated three states away when the storm makes landfall. Neither option is wrong — it’s a real tradeoff between upfront cost and hands-off reliability, and worth being honest about both sides of it.
When to actually start
Mirror the same window that works for enclosures: getting quotes and scheduling in January or February gives enough runway to finish installation well before June 1, while avoiding the demand spike that hits every contractor's calendar the moment a storm gets named. Get your estimate started now →