A garage door that can withstand Mother Nature’s wrath is essential for keeping your home safe from severe weather. While many types of garage doors are sold today, only one is up to the challenge: hurricane-rated garage doors. These garage doors have quickly become popular for homeowners in areas prone to hurricanes or other high-wind storms. However, many consumers have questions regarding hurricane-ready garage doors. These include their function and whether they are worth the expense. This blog will answer frequently asked questions about hurricane-rated garage doors and the advantages they can bring to your home.
What Are Hurricane-Rated Garage Doors?
Hurricane-rated garage doors are also called impact-rated and wind-rated garage doors. Are these different? Well, hurricane-rated and wind-rated are one and the same. Both refer to a door’s ability to resist a specific wind mph rating while complying with local building codes. Impact-rated (also known as Miami-Dade) was previously only used in Dade County, but the usage is steadily spreading across other states. Whichever the name is, these doors are specifically designed to have the same purpose—to survive hurricanes and gusts of up to 200 miles per hour. That is faster than what is typically seen in a Category 5 hurricane.
Hurricane-Rated Garage Doors vs. Standard Garage Doors
The main distinction between standard and hurricane-rated doors is their intended use. Standard garage doors are intended to work in normal conditions, whereas hurricane-rated doors are installed to withstand hurricane-force winds and pressure.
Another difference between these two types of doors is that at least one layer of steel is used to construct wind-resistant garage doors. The type and thickness of this layer impact the door’s wind rating. Many hurricane-rated garage doors include multiple layers of insulation and aluminum or wood panels to make them more durable and wind-resistant.
Advantages of Replacing Garage Door With a Hurricane-Rated Door
Security and Safety
Hurricane-rated garage doors are built to the highest industry standards, and manufacturers use high-quality materials and craftsmanship in making them. Furthermore, hurricane-rated garage doors use steel-reinforced frames, steel torsion springs, and hinges to improve strength.
Protection Against the Elements
Your home is vulnerable to the elements no matter where you live. Even if you do not live in a hurricane or tornado-prone area, extreme weather can cause high winds and flooding. Having a hurricane-rated garage door will give the necessary strength and stability that your home needs during inclement weather.
Lower Insurance Premium
Even if your area is not prone to hurricanes, installing a hurricane-rated garage door is an excellent investment. A hurricane-rated door protects your home from wind and flood damage, lowering your insurance premiums. Such an improvement can reduce the cost of insuring your house by about 30% less.
Low Maintenance
Hurricane doors are built to withstand impacts and scratches from everyday wear and tear and extreme weather events like hurricanes. They are already made to last and can take hits without denting. Furthermore, these doors save money on upkeep because they do not require as many repairs.
15 YEARS OF SERVICE
