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What is a hurricane proof garage door?
How does it look like?
Mine has 2 horizontal metal pipes across, but not sure its approved by some whatever authority.
What about vertical metal braces? Someone said they are no longer code approved.
I live in Louisiana so we deal with hurricanes often and I always assumed to protect the garage door from those strong gusts, you'd need vertical bracing also.
What is a hurricane proof garage door?
How does it look like?
Mine has 2 horizontal metal pipes across, but not sure its approved by some whatever authority.
What about vertical metal braces? Someone said they are no longer code approved.
i have this, not sure if it h proof:
That is a standard overhead door and it is certainly not hurricane proof.
I live in Louisiana so we deal with hurricanes often and I always assumed to protect the garage door from those strong gusts, you'd need vertical bracing also.
With just a glance- I'd say no. It's not a wind rated door.
Wind rated doors- and there are several different ratings depending on geographic location- have to be marked (usually a label affixed to a panel- sometimes the label maybe on the end edge of a panel).
Is it possible that you maybe in an area of FL (edit-it appears you're in Brevard) that doesn't require wind rated doors? And if so, If your house has been built in the last 20+ yrs it should be a rated door. I'm quite sure that retailers and specialty install companies can not sell non-rated doors if they are within a certain area that requires them.
Brevard Co is 140mph/rating. Oh, and there's the impact rating also- how you feeling now about that door???
Last edited by K'ledgeBldr; 06-02-2021 at 04:12 PM..
With just a glance- I'd say no. It's not a wind rated door.
Wind rated doors- and there are several different ratings depending on geographic location- have to be marked (usually a label affixed to a panel- sometimes the label maybe on the end edge of a panel).
Is it possible that you maybe in an area of FL (edit-it appears you're in Brevard) that doesn't require wind rated doors? And if so, If your house has been built in the last 20+ yrs it should be a rated door. I'm quite sure that retailers and specialty install companies can not sell non-rated doors if they are within a certain area that requires them.
Brevard Co is 140mph/rating. Oh, and there's the impact rating also- how you feeling now about that door???
It was built 29 years ago. The windmit report i got last year when i bought it labeled the GD as compliant.
The garage door companies i contacted told me they know nothing about vertical braces, or that they are no longer code compliant. They all want me to replace the door, they dont offer bracing. Even though on their websites they list GD bracing, on the phone they say its a whole door replacement. Im very skeptical about their honesty.
Yours is not compliant. How do I know? There is no sticker on it saying that it is. ALL "compliant" doors have to be approved and have a sticker.
If you just want a cheap way to keep the door from blowing in (most likely by bending at the center and rip the tracks from the mounts or ripping apart the panel hinges) put two anchor plates in the floor, two attached to the header above, and when a hurricane approaches put the bracing in place and attach to the anchors and door panels - ESPECIALLY the top panels. Those two top sections in particular will vibrate like the sound box on a violin in a strong wind. It won't be complaint, it won't get a reduction in your insurance, but it will work.
It was built 29 years ago. The windmit report i got last year when i bought it labeled the GD as compliant.
The garage door companies i contacted told me they know nothing about vertical braces, or that they are no longer code compliant. They all want me to replace the door, they dont offer bracing. Even though on their websites they list GD bracing, on the phone they say its a whole door replacement. Im very skeptical about their honesty.
The building codes for hurricane prone areas has been updated (strengthened) since then... at least once and perhaps twice. No offense intended, but your door looks dinky (weak) compared to a hurricane proof door.
My door (which is think is hurricane proof) has 4 big channel (box type) metal beams (about 2 1/2" x 4" size) running horizontally all the way across the door. There are also smaller box beams that run vertically spaced every 24" for the full width of the door. This is for a double garage door.
Without a sticker or any sort of documentation, cannot tell. Mine are Miami-Dade complaint early 2000's, they have no bars or nothing, but most likely all internal strength structures. Been through a many hurricanes, not so much a scratch on them.
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