Wind Rated Garage Doors

Anyone on the gulf coast have wind rated garage doors? I assume you have to have them by code in Florida. I just ordered 140 mph insulated Amarr garage doors for my house through a contractor. Expensive. Hoping to eliminate as many weak areas in my home that are prone to failure during hurricanes as I can. Just curious if anyone has experience here.

Just make sure the door is installed by certified Installer. Also, the framing needs to comply with the demands that the door will require when the wind forces are transferred to the jambs during the storm.

Mine is a 130, as that was code when we replaced it 20 years ago after the original got smoked in a hurricane. Code here now is 160 mph. I recommend insulated and I did nylon rollers myself after the install. It was cheaper that way. Keep in mind, they're a ton heavier, so make sure your opener is up to it.

Get a hurricane strap (that's what I'm calling it, can't remember the industry term) too. Essentially a steel cable that runs vertically from the top of the garage door opening, through the support of garage door, and attaches to a bolt/fastener in the floor at the base of garage door opening. Helps prevent a blowout if any panel becomes damaged/bent and wind starts getting into/through the panels.

03cobra#694 said:

Mine is a 130, as that was code when we replaced it 20 years ago after the original got smoked in a hurricane. Code here now is 160 mph. I recommend insulated and I did nylon rollers myself after the install. It was cheaper that way. Keep in mind, they're a ton heavier, so make sure your opener is up to it.

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Just curious… the original that got ruined…was that a non wind load rated, builder grade door? How high were the winds that destroyed it?

Handlebar Moustache said:

Just curious… the original that got ruined…was that a non wind load rated, builder grade door? How high were the winds that destroyed it?

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He got a direct hit from a Category 4 hurricane.

Where are you located and how far inland? Might not be a big deal depending how far you are.

I'm about 15 miles from Fort Myers Beach with the last hurricane we took and most doors were fine.

Handlebar Moustache said:

Just curious… the original that got ruined…was that a non wind load rated, builder grade door? How high were the winds that destroyed it?

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No it wasn't, 150 plus. It was a cat 5.

7upstang said:

He got a direct hit from a Category 4 hurricane.

Where are you located and how far inland? Might not be a big deal depending how far you are.

I'm about 15 miles from Fort Myers Beach with the last hurricane we took and most doors were fine.

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I'm going back to Charley. It was a Cat 5 actually. Did fine through Ian.

7upstang said:

He got a direct hit from a Category 4 hurricane.

Where are you located and how far inland? Might not be a big deal depending how far you are.

I'm about 15 miles from Fort Myers Beach with the last hurricane we took and most doors were fine.

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I’m in Lafayette, LA- maybe 40 miles inland. I’ve been here my whole life and through a lot of hurricanes, but we have never had the BIG one here…yet. Dodged lots of bullets. Most destructive I’ve seen here was Lilly in 2002, which was a cat 4 in the Gulf but then weakened to a cat 2 before it hit us.

Handlebar Moustache said:

I’m in Lafayette, LA- maybe 40 miles inland. I’ve been here my whole life and through a lot of hurricanes, but we have never had the BIG one here…yet. Dodged lots of bullets. Most destructive I’ve seen here was Lilly in 2002, which was a cat 4 in the Gulf but then weakened to a cat 2 before it hit us.

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4 and 5's are a riot, not. I don't recommend them, but not afraid of them. My house is way hurricane protected. My wife even told some newbs the other day, good roof, shutters, strapped trusses and a gen set. She's was born here.