What Is a Wind Loaded Garage Door & Do I Need One?

February 10, 2016

A wind loaded garage door is a door that is built to be able to maintain its integrity during hurricanes, extreme winds, and pressure. Reinforced wind loaded doors will not buckle during hurricanes or high velocity wind bursts and are designed with specific components to secure your home's safety. Elements such as hinges, rollers, jamb brackets, and reinforcing struts are incorporated to ensure structural soundness.

The importance of a wind loaded door cannot be overlooked in high risk areas, as it is commonly known that 80% of residential wind damage is caused by compromised garage doors. High pressure situations can be extremely dangerous and weaker garage doors can become dangerous projectiles if not installed properly.

So how do you know if you need a wind loaded garage door? The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has made it much easier to determine your needs. They have developed standards that will help you to find exactly what type of door you need. But it's always best to check with your local building official.

Here in Salt Lake City, we are fortunately not very hurricane prone, but we do have certain areas that can experience some fairly severe winds. It is very important that you know what kind of garage door you have. If you have recently bought your home, be sure to have it properly inspected to ensure the door is sufficiently equipped for your area. If you are unsure, it never hurts to give one of our experts here at Precision Door Salt Lake City a call. We'd love to help!