Hurricane season comes every June or earlier and ends around November. However, in the age of climate change and increasingly powerful hurricanes, it never hurts to prepare sooner rather than later. One part of your home that is most vulnerable to the impact of a hurricane is your garage door. Luckily, there are garage doors specifically manufactured to be hurricane-proof. You’re probably wondering, “What makes a garage door hurricane-proof?” Here are the most notable qualities of hurricane-proof garage doors. 

Hurricane-Proof Garage Doors Are Wind Rated 

Any garage door that is deemed hurricane-proof comes with a label that details its wind resistance rating or WindCode. The WindCode ranges from W1 (able to withstand 90 mph) to W9 (150 mph). In addition to WindCode, you should also think about the wind’s direction against your garage door. For example, positive wind pressure describes wind pushing the garage door toward your home, while negative pressure refers to wind pressure pushing the garage door away from your home. Keep in mind that the WindCode of your garage door should correspond with the size of your house as appropriate. You should also consider whether you need to worry more about positive or negative wind pressure. 

Hurricane-Proof Garage Doors Contain Built-In Reinforcements 

Garage doors already manufactured to be hurricane-proof come with built-in reinforcements. These reinforcements include bracing wind and stormproof paneling and heavy-duty tracks. Braces are a series of metal bars that run vertically and or horizontally along the garage door interior. Most garage door hurricane braces can withstand up to 180 mph winds, making them ideal for hurricane-proofing. Where panels are concerned, hurricane garage door panels can be made of steel or fiberglass that can withstand objects being hurled against them as well as high wind levels. The heavy-duty tracks are also made of steel, adding to the hurricane-resistant qualities. 

If You’d Rather Not Completely Replace Your Garage Door… 

Replacing a garage door can be expensive and time-consuming, so it’s understandable if you would rather not undertake such an endeavor. However, you can still retrofit your garage door to make it storm-safe. Separate retrofitting kits can be purchased to successfully hurricane-proof your garage door without completely replacing it. There are countless brace kits available to protect your garage door from sustaining storm damage. To protect your garage from flooding, you can use sandbags as a barrier. However, you should also look into weather-stripping as a long-term alternative to sandbags to prevent garage flooding during severe storms. 

Replace or Retrofit? 

You might be wondering whether it makes more sense to replace or retrofit your garage door for hurricane-proofing. If you are unsure which way to go, consider the following two factors: 

1. What is your budget?

First, take a look at your budget and how much you can allocate for either a replacement or a retrofit. Add up how much it will cost to do either one and consider which one makes more sense with your budget. If you are leaning towards replacing your garage door, you can make a plan to save for a complete rehaul. 

2. To what extent can your current garage door be retrofitted? 

Whether or not your garage door can be fully retrofitted depends on the current state of your garage door. For example, if your garage door is old and made of wood, a replacement might be more appropriate and sustainable. If you currently have a metal garage door, retrofitting is more likely to be successful. You can consult a garage door technician to determine which route makes the most sense for your garage door. 

 

We Will Prepare Your Garage Door For Hurricane Season!

With Baytown located right on the water, hurricane and standard storm safety are of utmost importance for your home. Even outside of hurricane season, keeping your garage door safe from severe storms year-round will save you from spending a worrying amount of money on garage door restoration and repairs. If you want to install a hurricane-proof garage door or want to know how to reinforce your current garage door, contact us today.