Did you know that hurricanes are a common occurrence, especially in cities like Florida? According to Florida Climate Center, since 1850, every Florida’s coastline has suffered a minimum of one hurricane. This is due to its long coastline, as well as location, thus making it vulnerable to intense storms.
Storms require specific preparations to stop them from destroying your home, including your garage door. When a hurricane comes and you lose your garage door, there will be a collection of pressure within your home. Unfortunately, this will cause roof blowouts not only on your roofs but also on the supporting walls.
It would be best to prepare for a hurricane by using materials that will stop structural and property damages. Investing in a hurricane-proof garage door will play a big role. It will lessen the chances of the storm penetrating your garage door, thus damaging it.
So, how do you tell if your garage door is hurricane-proof?
Check out the following.
Scrutinize the garage door
Don’t wait for the storm to strike before you check your garage door if it’s strong enough against hurricane strikes. A good garage door should protect your home from flying objects and extreme wind speeds. For instance, Florida Product Approval has a form, which you can fill in the characteristics of your garage door. The wind load sticker on your door should have this.
Check if your door is hurricane rated
Reinforced garage doors are usually stormproof, meaning their designs have different wind load requirements. But this will depend on your location. Hurricane-resistant garage doors are made to resist impact, so it’s not all about their outer beauty. If your hurricane-garage door meets the local international building codes, then it’s rated.
A storm protection expert can help you verify if your hurricane-garage door is rated. On-site scrutiny will help you know your door’s essentials.
Check if your garage door is reinforced
If your garage door is reinforced, it will withstand strong winds and storms caused by a hurricane. Invest in a good storm-resistant garage door to protect your home and other structures from flying debris and hurricane damages. This way, you will have peace of mind in case of an approaching storm. You won’t destroy the beauty of your garage door if you invest in a reinforced garage door.
Most property damages happen after a storm due to badly-fixed or fragile doors. When your garage door collapses, your home’s air pressure will change. Unfortunately, this will allow the storm to blow off your roof.
Does it dent during a hit?
In case of a hurricane, a good door should resist hits from flying objects. All hurricane garage doors should resist flying objects tossed by the wind, such as a stray basketball, flying baseball, and even a car. Even though the door may not withstand the hitting impact caused by all objects, it won’t dent. It will retain its shape better than other garage door types.
Less Maintenance
A hurricane door is built last. For this reason, it won’t require much maintenance, like other garage doors. Although a hurricane-proof door needs consistent checkups and tune-ups, it can go longer without intervention. With less maintenance, the door should be operable and in shape in case of a storm.
Check if it prevents water damage
Water damage may look small, but end up costing you lots of money. This is why hurricane-rated doors are vital when it comes to preventing water damage to nearby structures and your home. It also prevents water from getting into your garage, hence, saving you thousands resulting from water damage costs during a flood.
Increased Security
Hurricane garage doors are designed in a way that most things won’t break in through them. Other door types won’t offer much security, unlike hurricane garage doors, which have extra brackets and hinges to bar intruders from accessing your house. You won’t even worry while you’re away. You’ll also have peace of mind knowing your door is secure from forced entry.
A hurricane-proof door is a definite option when it comes to protecting your door against the storm, and flying objects. The installation of the door should be complete to safeguard against an approaching storm, strong wind, and other destructive elements. Also, your hurricane garage doors should provide security away from intruders.
