Florida is a beautiful state, and while no one can deny that, residents here do have to contend with tropical storms and hurricanes, which can lead to structural damage. When you live in the state of Florida, you must be ready for this eventuality, and one thing that you can do to prepare is reinforce your garage door properly. Additionally, you should also make sure that your garage door is up to code, which can be facilitated through a proper garage door service in Tamarac.
Adhering to Tamarac’s Building Code
When you live in Florida, you must meet hurricane codes throughout the entirety of the state for obvious reasons; however, the further in-land you reside, the less strict the hurricane codes are. If you happen to be in the Miami-Dade region, for example, you need a garage door that can resist winds of up to 150 mph which limits your choices but keeps you protected. The best and highest rated garage doors are tested in a wind-tunnel and exposed to 2×4’s and other high-speed debris to ensure that they will hold.
These laws are not arbitrary, nor are they are designed only to protect the garage door. Failure of a door in a hurricane situation can lead to more than just monetary loss. If your garage door gets blown or knocked in the result is a massive gap in the structure, and this could easily lead to the roof blowing off of your house, and possibly loss of life.
Your Guide to a New Garage Door
The quickest way to make sure that your door is up to code is to replace it. By checking the label and asking the right questions, you can determine whether or not the door will be able to withstand the strong winds that the State of Florida has to offer, but please remember that the door isn’t the only element that matters in this equation. None of it will matter much if you do not correctly reinforce the door and that includes the track system, as well as the way it is mounted to the wall. Let your garage door repair company in Tamarac educate you on the different techniques you can use to reinforce your door and guarantee safety for yourself and your family for many years to come.
Should You Retrofit Your Garage Door?
There are some situations where you won’t want to purchase a brand-new garage door, for example, you might not have the money, or maybe a storm is imminent and replacing would be extremely difficult due to time constraints. If these, or any other situation applies to you, you should seek out a reinforcement or retrofit kit. These kits usually include a system of braces that are installed on the inside, often comprised of high-strength aluminum. These kits are not difficult to install, often taking as little as forty minutes. The price of a retrofit is also far lower than that of a new garage door. A new door will run about $1000-$2000 plus the cost of the installation while a retrofit kit will cost about $150 to purchase and $500 to professionally install.
Get Your Door Ready for Action
While you might not know right now when the next hurricane is coming, you can bet it will happen sooner or later in the state of Florida. All garage doors sold in the state are required to meet stringent hurricane code specifications, and if you want to get it right the first time, you would be wise to speak with certified garage door repair professionals in Tamarac. Florida can be a very unforgiving state when it comes to weather, but we have learned how to prepare and keep your home safe. Call us today for an inspection and make sure that your garage door is up to the challenge of Florida weather.
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