Unseen Risk: Garage Doors and Hurricanes

Garage doors are commonly overlooked when it comes to hurricane risk, and it makes sense doesn’t it? We don’t think of the garage as a fundamental element of our protection because they seem all sealed, but in reality, those flimsy doors keep your cars, water heaters, electrical units, and more out of harms way. 

The only problem is that they aren’t necessarily the best protectors when it comes to high winds, which is why we’ve started to recommend a few common items to help reduce your risk of a door flying off the hinges.

The first thing would be to reinforce your garage door with hurricane panels and garage door braces. These braces help buckle the door closer to the ground and strengthen the actual wall that is formed when the door comes down, making it harder for winds to penetrate. Hurricane panels also add an extra layer of weighting that stops winds from taking down a giant extremity.

The next thing would be to caulk and seal any cracks in the foundation of your garage door, like any tears in the foundation or cracks where water or air could leak. We’re less focused on the hinges themselves and more on the materials (whether that be metal, wood, reinforced plastic or thermal composition, or something else).

Finally, you can purchase weather seals that help with leakage so hurricane-proofing your garage door is less of a hassle. Once everything is properly sealed, your garage door should move as one unit without sacrificing strength and durability. Remember, our garage doors protect vital structural components of our properties, and deserve to be treated as such.