How Much Do Hurricane Windows Cost: Are They Worth It?

You’re interested in upgrading the windows in your home to hurricane windows, aka impact windows. These highly-resistant, multilayered glass windows can withstand hurricane-force winds of over 150 miles per hour.

But, how much should you expect to spend if you remodel your home with hurricane windows?

This article will walk you through what you’ll spend on hurricane windows and discuss whether these windows are tax-deductible, so make sure you keep reading! There’s lots of great information ahead.

How Much Do Hurricane Windows Cost?

A hurricane window costs at least $660 per window, which translates to roughly $55 per square foot. The more customized the window (such as to replace non-traditional windows), the higher the cost. Remember that you must add installation and labor fees as well.

Breaking Down Hurricane Window Costs: Per Window, Installation, and More

Let’s begin by taking an in-depth look at the costs of purchasing and installing impact windows in your home.

Hurricane Window Costs

The standard cost of an impact window is $55 a square foot. Since you don’t traditionally measure windows in square feet, this can seem like an odd way to price a hurricane window.

The pricing model can also cause you to underestimate what you might spend.

A typical window is 12 square feet. Hurricane windows aren’t usually any larger than an average window; they’re just constructed much differently. Thus, we can also use the example of 12 square feet here.

If you multiply 12 by 55, that’s $660 per window. Of course, it’s not always quite as cut and dry as that. Factors such as the material used can influence the price.

For example, a wooden hurricane window will cost more than vinyl and aluminum, as wood impact windows start at $290 a pop. Vinyl or plastic windows cost $200 on average, and an aluminum hurricane window $160.  

If your impact window features unique latches, hardware, grille patterns, or colors, its cost will also be higher than average.

Depending on which manufacturer you choose, the price per window could be higher or lower than that $660 standard.

According to HomeAdvisor, the following prices are for a single impact window from these manufacturers:

• Pella – $1,630
• Marvin – $1,400
• Jeld-Wen – $1,185
• Kolbe – $800
• Affordable Storm Windows – $500
• Larson – $340

As is the case when shopping for regular windows, the manufacturer you select dramatically influences your overall project costs. 

Higher-end brands like Marvin and Pella will cost you well over $1,200 a window. We can’t stress enough that the above costs are for one window and only reflect the price, nothing else.

If you wanted even three Pella hurricane windows in your home, your window cost is already $4,890!

The size of your impact window is another factor you must consider. Smaller windows will cost less than larger ones.

Here’s a pricing chart courtesy of HomeAdvisor:

• 24-inch x 30-inch window – $110
• 32-inch x 36-inch window – $135
• 48-inch x 44-inch window – $170
• 52-inch x 44-inch window – $190
• 52-inch x 60-inch window – $225
• 60-inch x 60-inch window – $255
• 60-inch x 96-inch window – $325

Keeping all these factors in mind, HomeAdvisor predicts that the national average for hurricane windows is $8,776.

For a low-cost project with smaller windows or windows from cheaper manufacturers, you might spend only $2,670. For a more significant home, especially with more oversized windows or by more expensive manufacturers, you could easily pay $14,000 to $28,000.

We can’t stress enough that all the above cost estimates for hurricane windows only account for the windows themselves. Additional fees such as labor and installation were not factored in.

Installation and Labor Fees

According to Forbes Home, impact window installation might cost $8,000.

Can You Install Hurricane Windows Yourself and Save Cash?

If all the zeroes in the above section made your head spin, that’s understandable. You might want to cut down on your spending where you can, which is where you got the idea to install your own impact windows.

Perhaps you’ve worked with regular windows around the house before, so you figure that installing hurricane windows won’t be all that different.

While sometimes, impact windows can pop right in, more often than not, you’re talking about dual-track or triple-track windows that are tricky to work with.

You’d have to be prepared to remove your current windows, patch the window frame to fit the new impact windows (including caulking), and secure the hurricane window.

If the window isn’t properly sealed, it might not offer the kind of promised protection against hurricanes and other intense storms for which impact windows are known. Instead, the window could fall right out and break.

At that point, you’re out hundreds or maybe thousands of dollars, depending on what you spent on each window.

Hiring professional contractors to install your hurricane windows is more costly, but a workmanship warranty protects the windows. The warranty might last up to 10 years in some cases.

Are Impact Windows Tax Deductible?

If you spend money on hurricane windows, is the purchase at least something you can deduct from your taxes when tax time comes around?

Indeed, you can, thanks to the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018.

The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 is a US federal statute. It covers a lot, but the section that will be of the most interest to you is about how replacing skylights, doors, or windows with a more energy-efficient model makes you eligible for tax credits.

You’d have to fill out Form 5695 through the IRS, which is called Residential Energy Credits. The most recent form we could find was from 2021 and applies to the 2020 tax year but ask your tax preparer about a more current form.

You’d want to skip to Part II, Nonbusiness Energy Property Credit, and look for 19d. There, you can input the value for your hurricane windows.

Of course, if you’ve recently made other eco-friendly home renovations, feel free to add those in.

The impact windows must have passed Energy Star requirements to qualify. The tax deduction is worth 10 percent of your overall installation costs up to $500, or $200 for each window.

How Hurricane Shutters Can Help You Save Money on Your Project

As we proved earlier, installing impact windows can get costly fast.

According to real estate resource ActiveRain, the average number of windows in a home is eight. If you decided to replace all eight windows with hurricane windows at $660 each (the average price, but it can vary, as you’ll recall), you’d spend $5,280 on windows alone.

 When you add the extra $8,000 for installation, your total project cost is $13,280.

If you live in a hurricane-prone state like Florida, you might be mandated to have some form of hurricane protection. Fortunately, hurricane windows are not your only option.

You can also try hurricane shutters. Hurricane shutters install over regular windows without the need to upgrade those windows to impact windows.

HomeAdvisor says the national average for hurricane shutters is $3,980, with the low-end range between $330-$1,962 and the high-end range between $6,012-$11,000.

As was the case for hurricane windows, the materials used for the hurricane shutters can drive the cost up or down.

Here’s an overview:

• Aluminum hurricane shutters – $20 to $40/sq ft
• Clear polycarbonate hurricane shutters – $10 to $15/sq ft
• Fabric hurricane shutters – $5 to $15/sq ft
• Plywood hurricane shutters – $2 to $6/sq ft

The style of hurricane shutter also dictates the cost, notes HomeAdvisor. Here is the pricing per type of hurricane shutter:

• Manual or motorized hurricane shutters – $600
• Roll-up hurricane shutters – $220 to $520
• Clamshell hurricane shutters – $300
• Colonial hurricane shutters – $1,760 to $2,720
• Bahama hurricane shutters – $1,480 to $2,720
• Accordion hurricane shutters – $105 to $210

As you can see, hurricane shutters are a much more cost-effective choice. The shutters are designed for winds stronger than 145 MPH, so they’re nearly as effective as impact windows.

Rather than choose all hurricane windows or hurricane shutters for your home, you can selectively choose which windows you’ll upgrade and which you’ll cover with shutters.

That should make protecting your home from storm damage more affordable.

Conclusion

Impact windows can be costly, but when you consider that these multilayered windows can safeguard your home from a damaging hurricane, it’s hard to put a price on that.

Fortunately, you can always take advantage of tax rebates or consider adding some hurricane shutters to offset the costs. Good luck!