Many homeowners dream of buying beachfront property. Making that dream a reality means considering some things you may not have thought of before. For example, you need to be aware of how the home's windows and lights can affect the local wildlife and ecosystem. Each jurisdiction has regulations in place for home construction to ensure environmental protection, including the protection of endangered sea turtles.

Here's what you need to know about the benefits of investing in sea-turtle glass for your home's windows.

With so many homes along the water now, artificial light from those homes can confuse turtle hatchlings and draw them away from the ocean and toward the other light source.

In an effort to preserve hatchling migration, coastal counties throughout Florida have instituted ordinances to prevent residential lighting from reaching the beaches through household windows or exterior lighting fixtures. These ordinances apply during nesting season, which runs from the beginning of March through the middle of November in St. Lucie County and nearby areas.

One key component of the sea-turtle protection ordinances is the requirement that all beach-facing household windows allow no more than 45 percent of light to pass through. However, the requirement typically applies only to new home constructions and renovations, meaning that existing homes only have to comply when homeowners install new windows or remodel the structure.

The home you are buying may not be in compliance with the sea-turtle ordinance since the ordinance isn't retroactive. As a result, you should consider the importance of replacing the beach-facing windows with sea-turtle glass.

This glass is usually tinted either green or a shade of grey to prevent excessive light from passing from your home to the outdoors. This allows you to enjoy that beachfront view even after the sun goes down without worries of the sea-turtle hatchlings.

What if your home has efficient windows that are in good condition? If you don't want to spend the money to replace all of the window glass right now, you have other options. In fact, you can find window tint products that, once applied, will offer the same light-transfer prevention as the sea-turtle glass itself.

While the primary benefit of replacing your home's windows with sea-turtle glass is keeping light from shining out to the beach, you'll also enjoy other benefits. Tinted windows prevent ultraviolet ray transfer into your home. Living in Florida, this is a serious concern. Your windows can help combat interior fading as well as ultraviolet ray exposure for your loved ones.

In addition, the darkening benefit of sea-turtle window glass also minimizes thermal transfer, which helps to decrease your home's climate control costs. In the summer heat of Florida, any features that keep your home cooler are worthwhile investments that can pay for themselves over time.

Finally, you can also incorporate storm protection in your sea-turtle glass by opting for impact glass as well as the sea-turtle tinted panes for your windows. Impact glass is important in Florida, as it protects your home in the face of hurricanes and other severe storms that are common along the coastline.

The more thorough your preparations as you approach your beachfront home purchase, the easier the planning stage becomes, including the choice between new window installation or tint film application. Local glass installation companies are a great resource for determining which option is best and how to implement the plan. Contact Monterey Glass Specialists Inc. to find out about your tint and window glass installation options.