Impact Entrways, Doors & Windows
Exterior Doors and Windows
The exterior walls, doors, and windows are the protective shell of your home. If your home’s protective shell is broken, high winds can enter and put pressure on your roof and walls, causing damage. You can protect your home by strengthening the doors and windows.
Double entry doors
Most double doors have an active and an inactive or fixed door (see Figure 5). Check to see how the fixed door is secured at the top and bottom. The bolts or pins that secure most doors are not strong enough.
Some door manufacturers provide reinforcing bolt kits made specifically for their doors. Check with your local building supplies retailer to find out what type of bolt system will work for your door. The door bolt materials should cost from $10 to $40, depending on the type and finish.
Doors with windows will need additional protection from flying debris. See the section on storm shutters for how to protect windows.
Double-wide garage doors
Double-wide (two-car) garage doors can pose a problem during hurricanes because they are so large that they wobble as the high winds blow and can pull out of their tracks or collapse from wind pressure. If garage doors fail, high winds can enter your home through the garage and blow out doors, windows, walls, and even the roof.
Certain parts of the country have building codes requiring garage doors to withstand high winds.
You should check with your local government building officials to see if there are code requirements for garage doors in your area. Some garage doors can be strengthened with retrofit kits. Check with your local building supplies retailer to see if a retrofit kit is available for your garage door. You can expect to pay from $70 to $150 to retrofit
your garage door.
Many garage doors can be reinforced at their weakest points. Retrofitting your garage doors involves installing horizontal bracing onto each panel. This horizontal bracing can be part of a kit from the garage door manufacturer. You may also need heavier hinges and stronger center supports and end supports for your door.
Check the track on your garage door. With both hands, grab a section of each track and see if it is loose or if it can be twisted. If so, a stronger track should be installed. Make sure that it is anchored to the 2´ 4s inside the wall with heavy wood bolts or properly attached to masonry with expansion bolts.
After you have retrofitted your door, it may not be balanced. To check, lower the door about halfway and let go. If it goes up or down, the springs will need adjusting. The springs are dangerous and should be adjusted by a professional.
If you are unable to retrofit your door, you can purchase specially reinforced garage doors designed to withstand winds of up to 120 miles per hour. These doors can cost from $400 to $450 (excluding labor) and should be installed by a professional.
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