Roofing & Impact Window Brands

How to actually compare brands

Brand marketing makes every product sound interchangeable. They're not. When you're comparing two shingles or two impact windows, look at five things in this order:

1. Florida Product Approval (FPA) or Miami-Dade NOA — the design pressure rating for your wind zone
2. Warranty tier and certified-installer requirement — Lifetime, Golden Pledge, System Plus, etc.
3. Material spec — SBS modification for shingles; glass thickness + interlayer for windows
4. Local stocking depth — how widely available, how fast a replacement can ship
5. Price tier vs your project budget — premium isn't always better

A roofer's “preferred brand” is usually the brand they're certified to install, not necessarily the best technical fit for your home. That's fine when the brand is appropriate — but ask why and verify the certification.

Roofing brands installed across South Florida

The shingle market in South Florida is concentrated. Three manufacturers — GAF, Owens Corning, CertainTeed — account for the majority of architectural shingle installs across our permit dataset. On the tile side, Eagle Roofing and Boral/Westlake dominate.

GAF

GAF is the largest residential roofing manufacturer in the United States and the most-installed shingle brand we see in tri-county roofing permits. Their flagship Timberline HDZ uses a wider nailing zone and LayerLock technology, which gives installers more margin for proper fastening — a real advantage in field conditions where labor quality varies. GAF's Golden Pledge and System Plus warranties require installation by a certified Master Elite contractor, which is the warranty tier worth pursuing if you want the strongest protection.

Owens Corning

Owens Corning's Duration Series shingles use SureNail technology, which adds a fabric strip across the nailing zone for better fastener pull-through resistance in high-wind events. The Duration line carries Florida Product Approvals to 130-150 mph and is the second-most-common shingle brand in our permit data. Owens Corning's warranty stack (Standard / System / Platinum) mirrors GAF's — you need a Platinum Preferred Contractor to access the strongest tier.

CertainTeed

CertainTeed's Landmark line is mainstream-tier and competes head-on with GAF and Owens Corning. Where CertainTeed differentiates is their ClimateFlex polymer-modified (SBS) asphalt shingle — a true impact-resistant Class 4 product that can earn additional insurance discounts and handles hail and thermal cycling better than standard asphalt. Their SureStart Plus warranty is solid when installed by a CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster contractor.

Eagle Roofing

Eagle is the dominant concrete tile manufacturer for South Florida. Manufactured in Florida, widely stocked, and the default choice in most tile-roof neighborhoods. Profiles include flat, low S, high S, and Spanish-S. Concrete tile is rated to 180 mph wind when properly installed per the current Florida Building Code.

Boral / Westlake Royal Building Products

Boral (now Westlake Royal) owns the US Tile clay roofing line plus several concrete tile sub-brands (Bel Air, Saxony). Clay tile is the premium hurricane-rated roof — 50+ year material life with proper underlayment — and the most common choice on high-end South Florida estates.

Impact window brands in South Florida

The impact window market is even more concentrated. PGT is by a wide margin the most-installed impact window brand in tri-county permits, followed by CGI, ES Windows, and a handful of smaller national and regional manufacturers.

PGT

PGT Industries — Florida-headquartered, Florida-manufactured, and dominant in South Florida. The WinGuard product line covers aluminum (most common) and vinyl frames, single-hung, horizontal slider, fixed, and architectural shapes. Most local installers stock PGT in volume, which means faster service turns and easier warranty parts. PGT carries current Miami-Dade NOAs across the line.

CGI Windows & Doors

CGI is the premium positioning in the South Florida market. Their Sentinel (entry) and Targa (premium) lines feature thinner aluminum frame profiles and architectural-grade finishes, which appeal to remodels where the window is a visible design element. Expect 15-25% higher installed cost than equivalent PGT, with comparable wind ratings.

ES Windows

ES Windows is Colombia-manufactured and competes on price for vinyl-frame impact windows. Quality is generally good and they hold current Florida approvals, but stocking depth and warranty service are weaker than PGT. A reasonable choice for budget-conscious projects where aluminum frames aren't required.

Andersen 100 Series Impact

Andersen's 100 Series with impact glass is the national brand option for South Florida. Fibrex-frame construction, strong warranty, but the impact line is a smaller part of Andersen's business than vinyl/wood — stocking and parts availability are not as deep as PGT in the tri-county market.

Eastern Architectural Systems

EAS — a Florida-based manufacturer focused on aluminum-clad and storefront-style impact windows. Strong choice when you want a heavier aluminum profile or are matching commercial-style aesthetics on a residential project.

Most-searched brand comparisons

PGT vs CGI

Both carry the wind ratings most South Florida zones require. PGT wins on price, stocking, and service turn time. CGI wins on frame aesthetics and architectural detail. For a typical full-house impact window replacement, expect to spend 15-25% more with CGI than PGT. The wind protection is equivalent; the visual presence is not.

Impact Windows vs Hurricane Shutters

Accordion or roll-down shutters are the cheaper opening-protection option upfront — typically $25-$55 per square foot of opening installed versus $65-$110/sqft for full impact windows. Shutters require manual deployment before every storm and only protect when closed. Impact windows protect 24/7, qualify for the maximum opening-protection wind mitigation credit (the biggest single insurance discount available in South Florida), and add to the home's appraised value. For homeowners staying 7+ years, impact windows almost always win on total cost.

GAF vs Owens Corning

Functionally very close. Both carry the wind ratings required across Florida, both offer lifetime warranties when installed by a certified contractor, and both are in heavy rotation across our permit data. GAF Timberline HDZ has a wider nailing zone (installer-friendly); Owens Corning Duration has the SureNail strip (fastener pull-through advantage). Pick whichever your roofer is certified to install at the top warranty tier.

How we compile this list

Our brand notes come from three sources: (1) Florida Product Approval and Miami-Dade NOA records published by the State of Florida and Miami-Dade RER; (2) the 1.37M+ building permits we've ingested from city and county portals across the tri-county region — which gives us real volume and contractor-brand pairings; and (3) public warranty terms published by each manufacturer. We don't take vendor commissions; we don't sell brands; we don't accept manufacturer sponsorship. See our methodology page for the full data provenance.

Data last updated: March 2026