VLX 80 Awning Window

VLX 80 Awning Window in Fort Lauderdale, FL | Westlight Windows Fort Lauderdale

The VLX 80 Awning Window brings something most Fort Lauderdale homes desperately need: real ventilation during a rainstorm. This top-hinged aluminum window opens outward from the bottom, letting air flow while keeping water out, which matters when afternoon thunderstorms roll through Broward County nearly every summer day. Westlight Windows Fort Lauderdale is an authorized ViewLux installation partner, which means you get factory-backed product knowledge paired with local installers who understand salt air, hurricane wind codes, and how moisture behaves in a South Florida home. If you’re pricing awning windows for a remodel or new build, call us at (754) 354-5397 for a free on-site measurement and quote.

Product Overview – VLX 80 Awning Window

The VLX 80 is ViewLux’s workhorse awning window, built around a simple idea that fits Florida architecture perfectly. Because the hinge sits at the top and the sash cranks outward from the bottom, rain hits the closed upper portion and runs off while the open lower section keeps pulling in air. In Fort Lauderdale, where humidity and daily summer downpours make traditional windows useless for ventilation, that design alone sells the window.

But the engineering goes deeper than the hinge placement. The frame is extruded aluminum, which resists the warping, swelling, and termite damage that wood windows suffer in South Florida’s climate. The profile measures 1.97 inches across, giving the window a slim, modern sightline without sacrificing structural stiffness. The wall thickness runs 0.079 inches, which is substantial enough to hold laminated impact glass without flexing, yet still delivers a clean architectural profile that suits both mid-century ranch homes in Victoria Park and the newer contemporary builds going up in Flagler Village.

A thermal break runs through the frame, separating the interior and exterior aluminum surfaces. Aluminum conducts heat aggressively; without a break, your air conditioning leaks through the frame itself. With the break in place, the VLX 80 earns NFRC-rated energy performance numbers that matter when your FPL bill climbs through August.

Buyers choose this series for kitchens over sinks, bathrooms needing privacy plus airflow, and any elevation where egress windows don’t dictate code. It’s a functional window first, but one that doesn’t ask you to sacrifice the way the house looks from the curb.

Technical Specifications

Here’s what the VLX 80 Awning Window comes with, in plain terms:

• Frame wall thickness: 0.079 inches of extruded aluminum, engineered to resist deflection under wind load
• Profile width: 1.97 inches, giving a narrow sightline that maximizes visible glass area
• Glass options: Clear, Frosted, Low-E, Tempered, Laminated
• Finish options: Premium Black, Pure White, Anodized Silver, Bronze, Champagne, Teak Wood
• Screen options: Fixed Screen, Retractable Screen
• Operation: Top-hinged awning with smooth crank or manual operation depending on configuration
• Installation standard: AAMA 2400/2410 compliant, with AAMA 812 low-expansion foam sealant at all perimeter joints
• Impact option: Laminated impact-resistant glass for wind-borne debris zones

The retractable screen deserves a mention. In Fort Lauderdale, fixed screens collect pollen, salt residue, and mildew. A retractable screen keeps the view clean when you don’t need insect protection and rolls into a housing when you want the full glass.

Performance Features

Thermal Efficiency
The thermal break inside the aluminum frame interrupts heat transfer between the outside air and your conditioned interior. Combined with Low-E glass, this window helps keep your Fort Lauderdale home cooler without making your AC work harder. NFRC ratings confirm what the engineering suggests: less heat gain, lower energy cost.

Acoustic Performance
If you live near Federal Highway, I-95, or the FEC rail line, you already know noise is a daily fact in Fort Lauderdale. Laminated glass configurations in the VLX 80 dampen outside sound meaningfully, and the snug compression seal around the sash reduces air gaps where noise sneaks in. It won’t make your home silent, but it changes the character of the room.

Airtightness & Weather Seal
Air leakage is where cheap windows fail first. The VLX 80 uses a continuous gasket system that compresses when the sash closes, and every perimeter joint during installation gets AAMA 812 low-expansion foam sealant. The result is a window that doesn’t whistle when a northeast wind kicks up in January.

Waterproofing
Awning windows have an inherent advantage in rain: the sash covers the opening like an awning. But ViewLux adds a multi-point drainage path inside the frame so any water that does find its way past the gasket channels out through weep holes at the sill, never into your wall cavity. In Fort Lauderdale’s wet season, this is the difference between a window that lasts and one that rots your framing.

Wind Resistance
South Florida building codes require windows that can take a hit. The VLX 80 is wind-load rated for our local climate requirements, and when configured with laminated impact glass, it meets the standards for wind-borne debris zones without needing shutters. That’s a real benefit for insurance paperwork and for peace of mind in September.

Security & Hardware
Awning windows are naturally harder to force open from outside because the hinge is at the top and the locking points sit at the bottom, out of reach. Multi-point locking hardware adds resistance, and laminated glass makes a smash-and-grab entry genuinely difficult. The hardware itself is corrosion-resistant, which matters when salt air off the Atlantic is part of your daily environment.

Color & Glass Options

The VLX 80 comes in six finish options, and Fort Lauderdale homes run the full spectrum. Pure White and Anodized Silver read clean and bright against stucco exteriors, common in older neighborhoods like Rio Vista and Coral Ridge. Premium Black is the current standard for modern builds in Victoria Park and the new construction going up west of I-95, where black frames against white walls create that sharp contrast architects keep specifying. Bronze and Champagne suit warmer coastal palettes; they pair well with terracotta accents and tropical landscaping. Teak Wood gives you the look of timber without the maintenance, which makes sense if you love the aesthetic of the older Fort Lauderdale bungalows but don’t want to sand and seal frames every other year.

Glass selection depends on where the window lives in your house. Clear glass is the budget-friendly baseline. Frosted suits bathrooms and any window facing a neighbor or a street. Low-E is the energy play, particularly on west-facing elevations where afternoon sun punishes your AC. Tempered glass satisfies code requirements near doors and in bathrooms. Laminated glass is the impact option, and in most of Fort Lauderdale it’s worth serious consideration regardless of whether your specific zone requires it.

Installation by Westlight Windows Fort Lauderdale in Fort Lauderdale

A window is only as good as its installation. We install every VLX 80 Awning Window to AAMA 2400/2410 standards, which govern how a window gets set and sealed in a residential opening. Here’s what that means in practice.

We start with a pre-install inspection of the rough opening. If there’s existing water damage, rotted framing, or a sill that’s out of level, we find it before the new window goes in. In older Fort Lauderdale homes, especially those built before modern flashing standards, we routinely uncover issues that would have shortened the life of a new window.

We set the window level, plumb, and square, then shim it properly so the frame isn’t stressed or twisted. Uneven pressure on an aluminum frame can cause operation problems down the road. Once the window is set, we seal all perimeter joints with AAMA 812 low-expansion foam sealant, which expands to fill voids without warping the frame. Flashing tape and caulk finish the exterior, and we run a water test on every install to confirm nothing leaks before we clean up and leave.

Improper installation voids the manufacturer warranty on any window, including the VLX 80. That’s not a scare tactic; it’s how warranties work. When Westlight Windows Fort Lauderdale handles the full install as an authorized ViewLux partner, the product and the labor come through the same accountable channel. If something goes wrong, there’s one phone number to call.

Frequently Asked Questions – VLX 80 Awning Window

Get a Quote – VLX 80 Awning Window in Fort Lauderdale

If the VLX 80 Awning Window sounds like the right window for your Fort Lauderdale home, the next step is simple. Call Westlight Windows Fort Lauderdale at (754) 354-5397 to schedule a free on-site measurement and quote. We’ll walk your openings, check your existing window conditions, and give you a written line-item price for the VLX 80 with the glass, finish, and screen options that fit your home and budget.

Written by the team at Westlight Windows Fort Lauderdale, authorized ViewLux installation partner serving Fort Lauderdale, FL.