Many homeowners do not realize that the largest point of access to your home — your garage door — may buckle in strong winds. And there’s more to be concerned about than just a deformed garage door.I
n high winds, if a garage door fails or is unsecured, the result may be more destruction that you ever envisioned was possible.
That entry point to your domicile is truly the proverbial weak link.
Once the door fails and the wind blows inside your home, you may lose your roof and potentially your entire home. Millions of Americans risk garage door failures each year, particularly those who reside in areas where extreme weather and high winds may occur. So how can you protect your home?
First, have a garage door company assess the structural strength of your garage door. In older homes, garage doors may be more susceptible to twisting off the tracks and buckling when high winds occur.
The next step is to brace your garage door. Don’t worry. You don’t have to degrade the curb appeal of your garage to reinforce your garage door from adverse weather. One option is installing paneled shutters on the street side of your garage door to reinforce it and still present an attractive exterior to passersby.
Is this something you can do when a storm is imminent? A bracing kit runs around $500 and can be a do-it-yourself project. If you have some warning, as is the case with a hurricane, you should brace the door. Here’s an example of one homeowner’s bracing solution. There are many ways to reinforce a garage door, and a garage door installer will help you ensure your home stays stay during high winds.