Window manufacturers offer a plethora of products that can withstand higher wind speeds than ever before. Recent fierce weather all over the world has focused both building code officials and owners of coastal homes on protecting property from catastrophe during hurricanes and severe storms. Window and door manufacturers have responded with a plethora of products that can withstand higher wind speeds than ever before.

Here are 10 window-related ideas to consider if you are building, remodeling, or repairing a house near the water:

1. Code officials have embraced impact-resistant windows —sans hurricane shutters or panels—as sufficient to ward off high winds and storm-ejected debris, and many homeowners are finding that windows alone are more convenient and better-looking than the bulky shutters that they have to roll up and down or put up and take down when the forecast is frightening.

Shutter prices range from less than to more than windows, but the hassle involved has become a selling point for windows.

2. Most impact-resistant windows also provide energy efficiency. High-performance windows rated for use in coastal areas typically consist of two panes of impact-resistant glass, including laminated glass on the room side of the unit, plus a spacer to create an air pocket between the panes.

3. Monolithic impact-resistant glass is still available from a few manufacturers, but it doesn’t meet the energy-efficiency requirements in areas that have adopted the International Residential Code (IRC). Refer to the building code in your area before recommending a monolithic window, which, like a car windshield—only thicker—is made from one piece of laminated glass. Like any impact-resistant glass, it is more likely to shatter or crack than to allow anything to penetrate it and create a hole, but it’s not energy efficient.

4. The glass isn’t the only part of the window that needs beefing up for use in a coastal area. Manufacturers have upgraded everything from the adhesives and hardware on the windows to the way the sash and panel interface with the window frame to keep out wind, water, and even sunlight.

5. For higher-end windows, some manufacturers are making the glass thicker, the energy performance greater, and the wind-resistance up to 20 miles per hour greater than building codes require. These windows aren’t marketed specifically to coastal builders and homeowners; because they feature souped-up designs, tons of options and semi-custom flexibility, they appeal to the high-end homeowner in all climates.

6. If you don’t see what you want, ask for it. Most manufacturers are more than willing to upgrade the window of your choice with impact-resistant glass and weather-stopping features. Some companies have specific lines for coastal living, while others treat the hurricane-safe features as upgrades.

7. Storm-safe windows have lots of salable benefits beyond weather protection. The thick, laminated glass used for hurricane protection is a proven noise barrier. Also, impact-resistant glass can make it harder for an intruder to break into a home through the windows, manufacturers assert.

8. Impact isn’t the only window issue for a coastal home. When too much water-reflected sunlight pours in, furniture, carpets, and artwork can fade. And in communities along Atlantic and Gulf Coast beaches where sea turtles nest, some local governments have adopted a “turtle code,” which limits visible light transmittance to 45% on windows used in new construction within sight of the beach. The reason: Six-week-old hatchlings follow the light of the moon toward the sea—unless they get confused by the glare of artificial light shining through the windows of dwellings along the coastline. Tinting windows helps solve both problems.

9. Know the product’s warranty restrictions, and share them with the homeowner to prevent unnecessary callbacks. Many manufacturers of products sold for coastal use exclude damage from salt spray, including exposure to coastal weather conditions, from their warranties. Other exclusions to warn your customers about: the application of after-market window films to glass surfaces; damage caused by cleaning chemicals; glass breakage that results in seal failure; problems that result from high indoor humidity; and troubles that result when the homeowner fails to re-sand and refinish doors, sidelights, and window frames that call for it at least once a year with a clear, exterior-grade top coat that contains UV protection.

10. Finally, homeowners can take a 2011 tax credit on windows, skylights, and doors. The 2011 credit is for 10% of the cost of the window—not including installation—and is capped at $200. The cap on the 10% credit for exterior doors is $500—and the combined cap for all energy-efficiency tax credits under the program is $500.

– Sharon O’Malley is a contributing editor to Building Products magazine and its website ebuild.com.