60 Things You Didn’t Know About LAS Enterprises

We're celebrating 60 years of being the most trusted window and shutter provider in the Gulf South. No other company can say the same. Even though we've been around now for 60 years, we bet there's still some things you didn't know about LAS Enterprises Shutters + Windows. Here's 60 facts that have made us the best in home improvement in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Gulfport.

At LAS Enterprises, we know windows. We excel at constructing windows that are built to hold up in the Gulf South climate. Here's ten reasons why our windows are the best.

1. All of our LAS windows are properly rated for our region’s wind maps, some styles even exceed the requirement of DP35 for the GNO area up to DP90 (182mph). Since the DP rating refers to a window's ability to withstand varying outside pressures, you can feel safe knowing that our windows are built to survive the majority of the Gulf Coast's frequent storms and hurricanes.
2. To keep with this commitment of protecting your home, all LAS windows and related products are approved by the Wind and Impact Window Ratings from the Florida Building Code, one of the most rigorous building code standards in the U.S.
3. At LAS, all of our window frames are constructed from PVC-Vinyl, rather than wood or aluminum. It's because we know that PVC-Vinyl window frames far outperform every other option in the hot and humid New Orleans climate.
4. We also use the OSI QUAD® MAX caulking system to seal all of our windows. Like everything we do, this system provides the toughest defense against the elements.
5. In the South, reducing the heat entering your home is always your highest priority—and it's ours too. All LAS windows exceed Energy-Star ratings for our climate.

6. In addition, we also design windows with the lowest Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) score in the region without significant tinting. This score is the single most important predictor of how fast the sun's heat will transfer through your windows, effecting your home's cooling bills.
7. We also offer windows with cutting-edge E-glass technology. This product helps block or reflect as much infrared light as possible.
8. It's not just about performance and safety, LAS windows will also help your house look like the best on the block. You have over six styles of windows to choose from, including single-hung, double-hung, sliders, casement-style, fixed windows, and windows to fit unique architectural shapes. 
9. Your stylish, energy-saving windows from LAS also have one more bonus: exterior noise reduction, so you can enjoy your new windows in peace and quiet.
10. Finally, on our 60^th anniversary, we're still proud to say that all of our LAS windows are manufactured and serviced locally. Check out our process in the video below.

Shutters provide the final, beautiful touch to your home. But, the best ones are also constructed to protect it as well. Here's ten reasons why LAS shutters stand out from the rest.

11. We construct our shutters from high-quality aluminum and not wood or vinyl. This means they're guaranteed to never rot, crack, or warp in our hot and humid climate.
12. LAS shutters provide the ultimate protection against Gulf Coast storms and hurricanes. Our Storm-Rated line of shutters is approved by the Wind and Impact Window Ratings from the Florida Building Code, the most rigorous building code standards in the U.S.
13. We also provide a wide range of hurricane shutters for New Orleans and its surrounding areas. We can even install RollGard Shutters, the standard for storm protection.
14. You don't just need to protect your home from storms. You also want to protect it from theft. Our shutters come with built-in theft protection. Customized hinges and hidden bolts make it incredibly difficult for anyone to remove the shutter from your window.
15. All LAS shutters are made using full-shaped hollow louvers. While flat louver shapes may be cheaper to produce, they don't provide the same authentic, classic look to your shutters.
16. Your shutters should protect your home, but they should also be easy-to-operate when you want to open your windows on a beautiful day. We offer multiple manual and automatic options for opening or securing your shutters.
17. Our shutters are powder-coated, which means our manufacturing process is more energy-efficient, your custom shutters are made more quickly, and the finished product is more durable and aesthetically-pleasing than traditional shutters.
18. From Colonial to Bahama, LAS offers eight different styles of shutters so you can pick the one the looks and works best for your home.
19. Our shutter professionals are experts at helping you pick your shutter color, style, and build. We adore the vibrant possibilities for home styles in New Orleans, and can help you find the shutters that complete your home's distinctive look.

We're trusted home improvement experts because we know a thing or two about how the Gulf South climate affects your home.

21. Because of their inability to stand up to our hot and humid climate, wooden window frames are not good performers for our region. We’ve replaced rotted wood windows that are less than 5 years old. It's why we always recommend vinyl windows for our area.
22. In fact, Louisiana is in the top ten states for the highest monthly average We'll hit 93° degrees on average in the summer months, with temperatures recorded as high as 114°!
23. Sunshine also impacts your windows—and New Orleans experiences an average of 216 sunny days a year.
24. But, it's not just the heat that ruins your wooden windows and shutters. Lake Charles, LA has the fifth-highest average humidity of all U.S. cities, at an average of 79%. Baton Rouge and New Orleans have an average of 76% humidity.
25. Of course, it's not just heat and humidity. New Orleans gets hit or brushed by a hurricane every 2.3 years. It's why we always recommend hurricane shutters to protect your home.
26. Average hurricane winds are close to 109 mph, but gusts of up to 125 mph were experienced during Hurricane Katrina.
27. And hurricanes bring with them heavy rains. During Hurricane Katrina, eight to ten inches of rain fell over most of the eastern part of the state, with some areas experiencing upwards of 15 inches.
28. Even without hurricanes, Louisiana can experience intense periods of rainfall. In 2016, more than 20 inches of rain fell in a three-day period in Baton Rouge, Zachary, and Livingston.
29. During our years in business, we've found that a well-designed wooden window may work well in another climate, but it simply doesn't work for the Deep South.
30. With over 60 years of experience, we've become the company that your grandparents called when they needed help with their home. We continue to do the same today, ensuring that our customers have the protection they need while living in the Gulf South.

At LAS, we go beyond just windows and shutters. From siding to gutters to custom projects, we're a one-stop shop for all of your home's exterior needs.

31. We love creating custom projects that turn a house into a made-for-you home. We're there every step of the way, from helping you choose colors to designing your project to installation.
32. Need more than just windows? LAS custom projects provide shading and protection from the elements, as well as maintain your privacy at home.
33. Our custom projects can serve multiple purposes in your home, such as taking the place of handrails or being used as faux window openings.
34. Our privacy walls are created in pieces, so we can create them for any size that you need, and then transport them to your home to install them directly on-site.
35. At LAS, we design and manufacture all of our pieces in our local facility. That means we can create privacy walls to fit any space, within engineering constraints. Dream big for how you want your outdoor space to look.

36. LAS custom projects uphold the same high standards we use for the rest of our products. Our custom privacy walls comply with wind specifications to avoid damage during storms.
37. Installing a privacy wall can actually reduce noise, too. The presence of a wall can dampen outside noise, providing the comfort you want in your outdoor living spaces.
38. Our custom projects are hand-crafted with the same powder coating finish we use on our shutters. This means durable, and beautiful, long-term protection for years to come.
39. Just like our shutters, our custom project pieces are guaranteed to never rot or warp in the Gulf South climate.
40. 60 years is a long time, but it feels easy when you're working in Louisiana. All of our custom projects are designed, manufactured, and installed by locals.

At LAS, our process is driven by the high-quality experience of our employees and our customer's trust to create the best pieces for their homes. Here's the LAS process, by the numbers.

41. Our team has 53 combined years of window manufacturing experience. 
42. On top of that, we've got a combined 45 years of shutter manufacturing experience.
43. Across all of our lines, our team has over 178 combined years of installation experience!
44. Because of this, at LAS you're not just buying a product—you're benefitting from our expert knowledge in the process. As one of our customers said, "LAS definitely knows home improvement. They had questions to make sure that they were fulfilling what our needs were that I never even dreamed of asking."
45. With over 50,000 square feet of manufacturing space, we have the ability to create whatever piece you need.
46. And we want to share that expert knowledge with our community. Check out our blog or YouTube channel to find inspiration for every project. You can learn how to measure your windows for a shutter installation or see how we create our locally-made windows.
47. Our average employee has worked with us for over ten years. It's because we value the experience they bring to our business, and provide benefits and a family-focused environment for them.
48. Over the last five years, you've trusted us to install 82,963 total products in your homes.
49. We know windows and shutters: in the last five years alone, we've installed over 37,000 windows and 28,000 shutters.
50. We can't say it enough--we're infinitely proud that all of our products are made in the USA.

From the space shuttle to Sputnick to the Uglies, we bet there's a lot you didn't know about the LAS team.

51. Leon Szyller and his wife Emma opened up LAS Enterprises in 1957, the same year Sputnik was launched into space.
52. Szyller was an advertising genius who originally created the green, nasty-looking Uglies campaign in 1973. The "Fight the Uglies!" ads became an instant hit. We've continued our battle against those stinkin' Uglies up to today.
53. When Rick Maia became the owner of LAS in 1995, he made sure it was a family effort. His daughter Julia, now our CFO, started out by pushing a broom across our manufacturing floors when she was just a teenager.
54. From teaching to iron-working to construction to working on the space shuttle, our team members have had a lot of different work experiences before they began with LAS.
55. It's important to us that we're able to give back to our community. Every year we choose a new charity to benefit. In the past, we've supported charities like St. Jude's Research Hospital, Lighthouse Louisiana, and Coats for Kids.

56. Our president and owner Rick Maia continued this charitable commitment into his personal life, creating a foundation that eventually built an orphanage in Africa.
57. We're a family business through-and-through. We currently have four sets of siblings who work at LAS. One family alone has five family members working with us, with a combined 20 years of experience with our company.
58. We promise you're not seeing double! Our customers are constantly confusing Brad and Brian Batt, two twins who have worked with LAS since 1999.
59. Three logos have graced our doors since opening. We like the most recent LAS Shutters + Windows one the most.
60. Not to brag, but even LSU baseball coach Paul Mainieri loves our company. It's customers like Mainieri and you that make our work so fun and fulfilling at LAS.

At LAS, we're thrilled to be celebrating 60 years in the Gulf South community. We've built our business on the foundation of local craftsmanship, integrity, and a little bit of fun. We love what we do, and we love helping you create your perfect home.

To mark our 60^th anniversary, we're celebrating with free estimates and sales for all our products! It's a small way to give thanks to the community who has given us so much over the years. Get started on your next home improvement project by giving us a call today!