How can your garage door protect you? In several ways. On a day-to-day basis it safeguards your property and increases security. The garage door opener also integrates features that will enhance protection against accidents. In areas where hurricanes and strong storms are an issue, they prevent house damage. It sounds a paradox to say that it is the garage door itself that will endanger the home’s integrity during a fierce storm. That’s due to its large size. In fact, the majority of problems starts with wind entry through the garage door. So what you should do to feel protected?
What do storms and bad weather can do to your garage door
Let us just say that the parts of all garage doors are made of steel. This makes them prone to corrosion. And what’s the best source of rust other than humidity? So when the garage is exposed to high levels of humidity and thus rainfall or storms, chances are that the door will be noisier than it should be. Parts will die younger. In the case of strong storms or hurricanes, the overhead garage door might be broken. And the loss of this big door will automatically mean roof and window damage. That’s because the high speed winds find their way through this large opening and if strong enough, they will blow off the structural elements.
How to ensure you are protected by your garage door
Garage door maintenance is surely one way of being sure of your safety and
the house’s integrity. When the door and its parts are serviced frequently, every little problem is fixed and so the entire system is ready to offer the right protection. But how much protection do you need?
If your areas suffers a lot from storms, a simple aluminum garage door might not be able to provide the expected protection. In such regions, the doors must be reinforced to withstand wind pressure. Even if the panel gets damaged from the flying elements, the mechanism will remain intact and the door won’t fly away.
In order for your garage door to protect you, you must protect it first. You must take the necessary steps to ensure it will be ready to resist wind impact when and if the time comes. Which steps are these? You have two alternatives.
- If you were considering garage door replacement anyhow, check out reinforced products. There are all sorts of wind load garage doors on the market. They are more expensive than regular doors but they will offer protection. What you need to be aware is that there are building codes in
each region but also instructions of which door you will need for your area. Each wind load door is constructed to withstand up until a certain number of wind speed and force per minute. So check with your local authorities to make sure you get garage doors rated to offer protection against the usual wind speed in your area. - If your garage door is relatively new and well-maintained, you can reinforce it. The best way to do that is to hire a professional garage door company. But there are also kits on the market. What you need to do is add braces, reinforce the tracks, get heavy duty rollers and hinges, and replace the fasteners with stronger ones.
When the door is reinforced and properly serviced, it will withstand winds but also resist force entries. Don’t forget that damaged parts will create problems. So do garage door repairs when needed to be sure of your safety too.
