The garage door is potentially the weakest point of your home during a hurricane. The door has a large surface area and the attachments on most garage doors are minimal – namely the track and wheels. Hurricane force winds can blow your garage door in or suck it out. Once hurricane force winds have entered the house, you are much more likely to lead to a buildup of internal pressure resulting in a loss of the roof or walls. According to the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes about 80 percent of residential hurricane wind damage starts with wind entry through garage doors, so protecting the garage doors is important.
You can check your current garage door for a sticker that gives the Miami-Dade seal, wind speed raing or pressure rating. Some older doors are rated to 100 mph winds, newer doors that are Miami-Dade County approved are rated to 150-165 mph.
For an existing home there are several options available to improve the durability of your garage: strengthening your current garage door or replacing it with a new model.
Prior to 1993 many garage doors were rated only to 50 mph. After 1993, many may be rated only to 100 mph. For Miami-Dade standards, see their web site.
Securing an existing garage door to withstand hurricane force winds
Most solutions for securing an existing garage door to prevent hurricane damage involve supports and braces. Some vendors are listed below:
Replacing Existing Garage Doors
Another option is to replace your garage doors with newer models. Some options available are: Overhead Doors
For more information see the IBHS.
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