Tips for Securing Your Garage Door Ahead of an Impending Storm
Tornadoes and hurricanes can damage your property within minutes. One way to prevent major damage is to ensure that your outdoor furniture comes inside and you close the shutters if you live in an area that can see destructive winds. Your garage door is another item that you can secure to prevent costly replacement bills. You may also prevent theft and protect your belongings from water damage. We give you some of the industry’s best tips for storm proofing your garage door when you know the weather will get bad.
Bracing the door against heavy winds
The Federal Alliance for Safe Homes recommends homeowners proactively approach storm season by shoring up garage doors before bad weather hits. For instance, waiting until an evacuation notice comes out to brace the door might put you in harm’s way or make it impossible to get the task complete before the wind and rains hit. At Commonwealth Garage Doors, we only use high-quality products from Amarr. These garage doors look like any lightweight design you want, but the inside of the door has the insulation and secure features to hold it together in a storm. Most of our garage doors have wind load bracing that will ensure you have the protection you need.
Locks with steel pins and aftermarket bracing
Since a majority of home damage comes from wind entering the garage door, we suggest additional reinforcements ahead of major hurricanes and damaging wind events. Any locking mechanism that runs the length of the door or has steel bars that extend into the upper and lower portions of the frame will shore up your frame. There are pillars you can purchase to add strength to the middle of a two-car garage door. Bracing kits with heavy-duty hinges and bars that run the length of the door can keep lightweight models from blowing in under windy conditions. A word of caution with aftermarket products is that these items are often heavy and add weight to your garage door. Often, it is necessary to adjust the tension on the door to accommodate these additions. If you want to add one of these products to your garage door, our specialists at Commonwealth Garage Doors are happy to assist you.
Two-by-fours work in a pinch
New World Climate tells readers that a few things can strengthen your garage door with short notice. When you are in a jam, a few common household items can be a great help. Cable ties can allow you to secure each section of the door to the next. While this tip will not prevent massive winds from damaging your property, it may hold off the worst. You can also put slide locks on the top and bottom of the door holding it against the frame. Placing two-by-fours horizontally along each section of the door can help you prevent massive dents and complete cave-ins. These tips may help you limit your garage door damage to a repair instead of a full replacement.
Secure the windows to protect against breakage
Your windows are one of the weakest parts of the garage door. Open windows can cause pressurization in your structure says Popular Mechanics. To protect this part of the door, you can screw plywood to the windows to prevent breakage. Window clips are extra security. These fasteners hold the plywood in place giving you an extra layer of protection.
Replacement doors come with high wind ratings
When you live in a storm prone area, you are likely required by the city or state to use garage products that can withstand high winds. At Commonwealth Garage Door, we understand the devastation that hurricanes can cause, so it commits us to providing exceptional customer service that includes discussing hurricane and tornado protection with commercial and residential property owners. When your current door is not rated for the winds we see these days, we can recommend a variety of doors and bracing products to help you protect your vehicle and other belongings. Since the winds from a hurricane can reach many miles inland, we help Hopewell, Richmond, Bellwood, Chester, and Whitlock Estates property owners protect the important things.
Why choose Commonwealth Garage Doors
We guarantee our services and offer free estimates. Another helpful tip is attaching shutters to your wooden carriage doors can keep windows intact. You can remove these panels after the wind event is over. Hurricane straps can help keep your roof on which will in turn protect your garage door by minimizing the pressure inside the garage. Should you find yourself in an emergency situation, our repair techs at Commonwealth Garage Doors can get to you quickly to survey the damage and offer an appropriate course of action. Our licensed and certified repair techs have years of experience working with a variety of door sizes, styles, and ratings.
Do you have other tips for local business and homeowners? We would love to hear them with a quick call to 804-920-9677. Let us know what you think.
References:
https://www.amarr.com/residential/before_you_buy/wind_load_garage_doors/
https://www.bobvila.com/articles/383-storm-proof-your-garage-doors/
http://flash.org/peril_inside.php?id=113
http://www.nwclimate.org/severe-weather/hurricane-preparation-guide/door-reinforcing/
