CWS impact windows and doors. A homeowner's guide.

Who CWS is, and where it builds.

CWS, short for Custom Window Systems, Inc., has built windows and doors in Ocala, Florida since 1986. Ocala is its headquarters and manufacturing base, and it has locations in Miami, Medley and Jacksonville. Pella Corporation announced its acquisition of CWS on October 3, 2019, and the company now operates as CWS, a Pella brand. Pella also bought Lawson Industries, a Miami-area aluminum window and door maker, in November 2023; the current NOAs for the CWS 7100 single-hung and 7700 French door revise NOAs Lawson held. True Impact supplies and installs CWS impact windows and doors. The brand overview is at our CWS page.

Two impact lines, three product families.

CWS impact products come in two lines. Hurricane Guard is built in vinyl and in aluminum, and many models are rated for the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ), which covers Miami-Dade and Broward. StormStrong is a simpler vinyl line for areas outside that zone. CWS also makes Comfort Shield (vinyl) and Fortify (aluminum); these are non-impact lines and are not for hurricane-protection jobs.

• Hurricane Guard vinyl: single-hung, sliding, picture, casement and awning windows, the SGD-8900 patio door, the SGD 8800 multi-slide and the 8701/8751 hinged doors.
• Hurricane Guard aluminum: the 7100, 7200, 7300 and 7400 windows, the 7700 French door, and the 7900 and 7800 sliding doors.
• StormStrong vinyl: the SH-6100 single-hung and the PW-6150 picture window, for Wind Zone 3 only.

Hurricane Guard vinyl: the widest range of styles.

Hurricane Guard vinyl is the highest-rated CWS vinyl impact line. It uses multi-chambered frames with up to 16 insulating chambers and pre-drilled fastener holes, and the single-hung sash does not tilt. It is the only CWS impact line with an awning window (the AW-8450) and a vinyl multi-slide door (the SGD 8800, up to 4 tracks with pocket options). Spec sheet values (2026): U-factor 0.23 to 0.73 and SHGC 0.10 to 0.68, depending on style and glass. The single-hung, slider, picture, casement, awning, SGD-8900 and SGD 8800 are approved for HVHZ use. The 8701/8751 hinged doors are Wind Zone 3 only and are not rated for the HVHZ.

Hurricane Guard aluminum: slim frames and Miami-Dade NOAs.

The aluminum side is the 7000 series, with fin or flange frames and a powder-coat finish. NOAs cover the 7100 single-hung, 7200 sliding window, 7300 fixed window, 7400 outswing casement, 7700 French door and 7900 sliding door, all for large and small missile in the HVHZ. The 7100, 7200 and 7300 also come in small-missile-only versions that reach +90/-120 psf; small-missile ratings generally apply only above 30 ft. The 7800 sliding door has a Florida approval only and runs 2 to 4 tracks up to 240-3/8 in. wide. Spec sheet values (2025): U-factor 0.47 to 1.13 and SHGC 0.14 to 0.73. No thermal break is listed.

StormStrong: for homes outside the HVHZ.

StormStrong has just two products: the SH-6100 single-hung, including an oriel version, and the matching PW-6150 picture window. The single-hung sash tilts in for cleaning, the frames are fusion-welded, and the units are rated +/-50 psf. The frame is 3-1/4 in. deep (2015 brochure), and the glass is 7/8 in. insulating glass with a 5/16 in. laminated lite. StormStrong is rated for large missile in Wind Zone 3 only. These windows may not be used in the HVHZ or in Wind Zone 4 areas, so they are not an option for homes in Miami-Dade or Broward.

How CWS products are approved.

CWS holds 22 approved Miami-Dade NOAs, all for aluminum products and all for the HVHZ. Of these, 11 are rated for large and small missile, 3 for small missile only, and 8 are non-impact. The vinyl impact products carry Florida Product Approvals instead, such as FL5823 for the SH-8100 single-hung. Two aluminum doors, the 7800 slider and the 7600 entrance door, also carry Florida approvals only. A few older models still hold Florida approvals but are not on the CWS website; ask us before specifying them. The approval for the exact size, glass and wall governs, and True Impact confirms the current approval for each opening before permitting. Every CWS approval is listed at the CWS product approvals page.

Glass and finishes.

Every CWS impact unit uses laminated glass, either on its own or as one lite of an insulating unit. Height matters too. In the HVHZ, several vinyl approvals require a safety-glass or tempered outer lite above 30 ft, and FL18689 for the SH-8100 requires a tempered outer lite. Tints, obscure and tempered glass are available in both Hurricane Guard lines. Frame colors and glass coatings depend on the line:

• Hurricane Guard vinyl: White, Bronze, Bronze/White or Black/White frames. Low-E 270, 366, 366 Neat or 340 glass, plus gray tint, rain, frosted, obscure and tempered options.
• Hurricane Guard aluminum: White, Black or Bronze frames. Low-E 270 or 366 insulating glass with argon, or mono Low-E 366, plus gray, bronze or green tint, obscure and tempered.
• StormStrong: White, Bronze or Bronze/White frames. Low-E 270, 366, 366 Neat or 340 glass.

The warranty in plain words.

CWS has one warranty for each frame material. Vinyl windows and doors carry a lifetime limited warranty (2015 edition). Aluminum windows and doors carry a limited warranty for products bought on or after September 30, 2024. Both documents are on the CWS warranties page, linked below. The written warranty sets the exact terms, coverage periods and exclusions, so read the one for your frame type before you choose, and ask us if anything in it is unclear.

Which homes and openings CWS suits.

CWS covers single-hung, sliding, picture, casement and awning windows, sliding and multi-slide doors, French and entrance doors, and mullions for joining units. It has no impact pivot door or window wall. The wind zone matters most: StormStrong and the 8701/8751 doors are for Wind Zone 3 only. Match the line to the house and the wind zone; product pages such as our Impact Single-Hung Window page explain each opening type.

• Miami-Dade and Broward homes that want vinyl: Hurricane Guard vinyl, within the approved sizes.
• HVHZ homes and condos that want slim aluminum sightlines and Miami-Dade NOAs: Hurricane Guard aluminum. The small-missile versions suit higher floors.
• Wide pool or lanai openings: the SGD 8800 multi-slide in vinyl, or the 7800 in aluminum for very wide or tall openings.
• Wind Zone 3 homes outside the HVHZ: StormStrong single-hung and picture windows where +/-50 psf is enough, and the 8701/8751 vinyl patio doors.

How True Impact quotes CWS.

We start with your address and your openings. The wind zone decides which CWS lines are allowed: in Miami-Dade and Broward, we work from Hurricane Guard vinyl or aluminum; outside the HVHZ, StormStrong and the 8701/8751 doors are also options. We measure each opening, note the wall and the design pressures your plans require, and match each one to a series whose approval covers that size, glass and wall. Where vinyl and aluminum both fit, we lay them out side by side. True Impact confirms the current approval for each opening before permitting. Ask us for a side-by-side quote.