Replacing Doors and Windows in Condominiums with New Impact Doors and Windows

By Louis J. Daniello, Vice President / Published February 2020

Many older condominium buildings have windows and doors that were the standard when the building was built years ago. However, over a period of time with exposure to the salt-laden air and rain, especially in South Florida, they have deteriorated and are leaking whenever it rains heavily. This is true especially in wind-driven rain during severe storms. The water and moisture cause damage to drywall, carpeting, and other areas inside the apartment. If left in disrepair, the drywall and trim will have to be replaced, and the inside of the apartment may become infested with mold, which can cause sickness in humans.

     In the past, some condominiums made hurricane shutters mandatory in order to moderate the situation. This helped, but wind-driven rain still came through the spaces and gaps left open in the shutters and still allowed water intrusion into the apartments. The old remedy was for the apartment owners to constantly replace damaged drywall moldings and carpet over the years. This did not stop the water intrusion during heavy rains.

     Furthermore, this constant moisture usually causes damage to the steel in the concrete around the doors and windows, causing the sliding door to become extremely difficult to move because of the pressure imposed by the expansion of the rusting steel. 

     What is the best solution? The newest remedy is the installation of new, improved impact windows and doors. Prices began to drop due to increased demand and more efficient production costs, which makes the cost significantly more reasonable.

     The latest technology became better and reduced water intrusion because the engineers and manufacturers developed bottom track systems that are tighter. These still allow water to accumulate in the tracks, but the water weeps out through holes in the track designed for that purpose. Our company has completed several projects that replaced the doors and windows with new impact windows and doors, including outfitting main lobby entrances with impact electric automatic doors.

    These projects require several different trades and companies to complete the project. The team consists of board members, engineers, a concrete contractor, an impact window and door company, and a paint company to complete the job. The major benefit of this team approach is that the deteriorated concrete that was causing most of the problems is repaired before the new windows and doors are installed. By working together as an experienced team and even using some of the same scaffolding, the owner gets the benefits in lower mobilization and scaffold rental costs.

     Our team has included Daniello as the concrete contractor, Complete Aluminum Doors and Windows as the replacement company, and Munyan Painting as final finisher of the building for several successful completed projects. These include Mayan Towers and Connemara on Singer Island, Coastal House in Delray, Casurina Condominium in Highland Beach, and the Sheldon Hotel in Hollywood, FL. The same proven team is currently working on the Gemini Condominium in North Palm Beach.

Benefits of Door and Window Replacement

• The owners do not have to contend with moisture inside the apartments, which can cause mold and mildew and has been found to be detrimental to the occupants’ health.
• As a general rule, after the completion of the project, the value of the apartment is substantially increased.
• The new sliding doors are easier to move because of the increased engineering efficiencies and the removal of the rusted rebar which presses on the bottom tracks.
• Some of the door manufacturers offer a choice of different colors inside and outside, allowing the owner to enhance the overall look inside the apartment with a different color finish. Furthermore, one of the door and window companies offers the choice of five or six colors for the inside in addition to matching the color outside as required by the condominium.
• One of the condominiums where we replaced the windows and doors with impact units advised us that their building insurance was reduced as a result of the replacements. 

Louis J. Daniello

Vice President, Daniello Salazar and Sons Inc.

     Louis J. Daniello is vice president of Daniello Salazar and Sons Inc. in West Palm Beach, FL.
     For more information, call (888) 370-4333 or visit www.concreterepairing.net.