We just started hurricane season and we already had a tropical storm in the gulf. Houston area has seen the damage a hurricane can do, from Ike in 2008 to Harvey in 2017. Your garage door is a big entrance into your home. An unprotected garage door can damage your vehicles and your property. If wind or rain damages your garage door, it is possible to have water in your garage or worse your home. it is imperative you have garage door hurricane protection.
Types of Garage Door Hurricane Protection.
Getting a Hurricane Rated Garage Door.
During a hurricane, high winds can force the door out of the opening, causing an uncontrolled buildup of internal pressure and ultimately a blowout of your home’s roof and supporting walls. Not to mention the damage to the vehicles and other belongings in the garage. A hurricane rated, also known as a wind-rated garage door, is a garage door that has been reinforced and then rated for how much wind speed the door can withstand. Garage door wind speeds are rated at 140mph, 150mph, and 160mph. 140 mph rated garage doors are the most common in Houston. Some newer neighborhoods here in the Houston area actually require the home to have a wind-rated garage door.
Garage Door Strut Brace
If you are not looking to replace your garage door, one good way to add strength to your garage door is by using a strut brace. Horizontal strut braces, also known as repair struts, add structural integrity to your garage door. If you are going to install strut braces, the best practice is to install them in every section of the garage door. One thing to remember if you decide to install strut braces is to also recalibrate your garage door springs afterward. This is because you are adding weight to the garage door. Adding more than 10 lbs of weight to your door usually requires additional tension to be added to your torsion springs and if you have to add more than a full turn of tension to the torsion springs it is probably best to completely replace them with a properly calibrated set.
Fixing the Gap
One thing that does not get addressed as often as it should be for storm preparedness is the gap at the bottom of your garage door. Now, if your garage door does not close all the way and stops a few inches to a foot off the ground, that is usually noticeable and fixed soon. What we are suggesting is making sure your garage door actually seals to the garage floor or ground. That may not be as noticeable and can be easily skipped. The problem is this can lead to water getting into your garage.
Check Your Weather Stripping
If you find the garage door does not seal to the floor, check your weather stripping. The weather seal can become brittle and not contour to the driveway. It is also possible that rodents have damaged the weather stripping. If you find this the case we have a great how-to on changing the weatherstrip yourself.
Other methods of fixing the gap.
Sometimes because of the foundation settling or your driveway slope, your garage door is just going to have a gap, even with a new weather seal. Fortunately, there is a fix for that. You can install what is called a garage door threshold seal. This essentially creates a raise to meet the garage door.
Remember, you want to protect all entrances into your home from the hurricane. Your garage door should be no exception. Being a part of the Houston area community, we cannot stress this enough. Don’t wait until a storm is looming to prepare. If you need help in protecting your garage from a hurricane, including installing a wind-rated garage door, contact us at Spectrum Overhead Garage Door LLC. We have been here serving the Houston area since 2006. That means we have been through a few storms, like Ike and Harvey, and know how to help you keep your garage safe from the storm.
Contact Us About Your Garage Door Issues and Get a FREE Quote Today : 281-748-9542 or East Houston 713-557-3407