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Hurricane-Resistant Residential Garage Doors | NJ

By Blog Master on 01 Aug 2018 In

Since the largest opening in your home is the garage opening, it’s understandable why a garage door plays such an important role in protecting your home from wind-related damage. If you live in a wind-prone region, then you’ve probably seen firsthand how destructive stormy weather can be.  States such as New Jersey and New York, which were devastated by Hurricane Irene in 2011, learned that a far greater menace named Hurricane Sandy would wreak even more extensive devastation, just one year later.  Suddenly, Florida-type weather had arrived in the mid-Atlantic region.

Home Damaged by a HurricaneMassive Storms In New Jersey Seem To Occur
More Frequently In Recent Years

What’s especially frightening is that an unprotected garage door poses a risk, not just to the garage, but indeed to the entire house.  It’s simple physics that the force of the wind varies with the square of velocity.  That means that Sandy’s 80 miles per hour winds packed a force four times greater than typical 40 miles an hour storm winds.  Sandy-level winds equate to a massive 1,200 pounds of force bearing down on a typical 9’ x 8’ door.   Without a wind-rated garage door, strong winds could cause the door’s catastrophic failure, triggering a domino effect. Once the blast of pressure enters the garage and forces its way into the home, the pressure differential between the home and the outside may cause the home to collapse, destroying structural supports and ensuring final destruction in a matter of minutes or even seconds.  During Sandy, a staggering 346,000 homes were damaged or destroyed and 185,000 businesses were affected in New Jersey.

Wind Load Resistant Garage Doors in NJ
Courtyard Collection - WINDSTORM™ Wind Load Resistant Garage Doors

Jim Norman of Overhead Door Company of Central Jersey adds: “Currently, the building codes are being re-worked and many areas will have wind code and even impact resistant doors as a requirement in the future.”  (It’s important to remember that the debris kicked up by hurricanes and tornadoes is also a major danger.)

That’s because the adoption of the International Building Code (IBC) in many states has paved the way for wind loads and impact resistance in many garage door structures. States that had no previous garage door building codes like Missouri, Kansas and Utah now all have building codes that require garage doors to withstand a specific amount of wind load.

Is a Wind-Rated Garage Door Right for You?

Use the following list of wind-related factors to help you decide if a wind-rated garage door is right for you and your home.

- Research your Region: Has your area ever experienced tornados, dangerous wind gusts, or strong blizzards? If you answered yes, then your area probably already has wind-rated garage door codes on the books.  Call your local building department to help you find out if a wind-rated garage door is right for your area.

- Inspect your Existing Door: If you didn’t have your home’s garage door installed, then you probably don’t know about its specifications. It’s a good idea to have a professional garage door mechanic take a look at your garage door. They can determine if your garage door is up to current wind load standards or not—and what you need to do in order to keep your home safe.
- Storm Ready vs. Add On- A storm-ready door is one that’s ready to go against any storm. This is what’s typically required in areas prone to wind problems. Add-on storm doors are just as their name implies—they are only ready for the storm once you “add on” the protective support posts, in time for the storm’s arrival. Keep in mind, you won’t be able to use your garage door when the storm supports are in place.

- Retrofitting: Some garage door companies may claim to be able to retrofit your garage door with storm-resistant materials. The only way an old garage door can be wind-rated is to have it replaced with a new wind-rated garage door. Therefore, never retrofit your existing garage door for a higher wind rating—always buy a new door for the best wind rating possible.

So don’t become a statistic.  Secure your home and family by securing your garage door appropriately. 

→ Suggested Page: Wind-Load Resistant Garage Doors

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Wind Load Resistant Garage Doors in Central Jersey
Thermacore® Collection - Wind Load Resistant Garage Doors

At Overhead Door Co. of Central Jersey, our primary goal is to assist you in selecting the most appropriate garage door product for your project. We are always here to review available product choices and to discuss the pros and cons of each as they pertain to your project.

We have been selling, installing, and servicing quality garage door and automatic garage door opener products in the Central Jersey market for 47 years – since 1972.

Contact us today to learn more about these exciting products! We can be reached on the phone at 908-722-5785 or email us at sales@overheaddoorco.com

Our showroom is conveniently located at 952 Route 202 South and River Road in Branchburg, NJ. 

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