Storm-proofing Garage Doors – Storms or hurricanes are frequent and some do not pose a threat to our property, there are still plenty of hurricanes that destroy cities within a blink of an eye.
Example of this is the vicious Hurricane Andrew in 1992, which resulted in the revision of building requirements in storm-frequent and coastal areas.
Having a poor garage door during a storm is a hazard not just to the property, but to the inhabitants as well.
Being the largest hole in the house, it is a necessity to fortify your garage door.
But does it need to say that your garage door is storm-proof?
Here are some checklists to storm-proof your garage.
Meeting Building Codes
Your garage door system must comply with the building code of the county in which it is installed.
For Pittsburgh, the wind-load requirement must be met is that the garage door must resist a wind up to 90 Miles per Hour.
Not sure about the wind-load requirement of your garage door?
We can help when you renovate your garage door for storm-proofing, saving yourself from the trouble of struggling renovating your garage door hours before a storm hit.
Wind Code Rating
Garage doors are also storm-proof depending on its Wind Code rating. Wind Codes are used to measure the ability to withstand strong winds.
There are different wind code ratings for garage doors, depending where the county or state does the garage doors are installed.
If you are unsure about the wind code rating of your garage door while storm-proofing it;
better consult a garage door repair company to assess your garage door before any emergency happens.
Purchasing a New Garage Door
If unsure about your current garage door being storm-proof, you can buy a new garage door that is checked already to be storm-proof.
This option might be expensive, but will eventually save you on the long run for storm-proof garage doors are much resilient than normal ones, lessening the chance to change your garage each time a heavy storm ravages in the area.
It is true that a robust garage door helps storm-proofing the garage, but if the track and mounting area of the garage door is not strong enough, then it will not do.
Keeping a strong garage door mounts and tracks will do the trick when storm-proofing your garage doors.
Retrofitting
If you cannot replace your garage door or have an old one, retrofitting your existing garage door should boost its resistance to storms and hurricanes.
The effectiveness of the retrofit kits really depend on the strength of the garage door itself.
Retrofitting consists of installing braces that secure the door both inside and outside of the garage door.
Aside from being cheap, costing $15, and a viable option for most households with garage doors, only a few tools are needed to do the installation.
A screwdriver, electric drill, adjustable wrench, and a masonry kit should do the trick.
Braces
Also a short-term solution and an alternative to wind-resistant garage doors, braces are installed to add extra strength.
Braces can be installed quickly on your garage door, either horizontal or vertical behind the garage door.
Locking the garage door in place, braces are usually made out of aluminum or steel, and placed into brackets on the sides, above, or on the floor and on the garage door itself.
Hurricane Panels
Panels Hurricane are another alternative, where you put storm-proof panels over your doors, from residential but also available on garage doors.
Hurricane panels are made mostly of steel, polycarbonate or aluminum materials.
Hurricane panels are easy to assemble, the reason being hurricane panels are only installed when a storm is coming and remove the panels when the storm is out of vicinity.
Storm-proofing Garage Doors – Extra steps
Storm-proof garage doors do not guarantee that your garage door will hold when a storm comes.
A proper maintenance of your garage is always the best choice.
A bad garage door, storm-proof or not, will not stand if the wind breaks the springs.
Always preventing breakage and constant maintenance will surely help in making your garage doors last through a storm.
If your garage door needs to be repaired before a storm comes, call us for quick fixation of your garage doors.
