Garage Doors

Why:

Keeping wind out of the home during and after a Hurricane is a significant step to reducing damage. Wind pressure and wind-borne debris can destroy garage doors during a hurricane which allows water and wind to enter the home. This can cause significant damage to the structure and contents. Additionally, pressures that develop within the home can cause roof failures to occur and result in total loss of the contents and/or structure. Because the Garage Door is often the largest opening in most homes it is usually the most vulnerable to failure under high wind pressure. Often the Garage Door is overlooked when strengthening the structure against high winds.

What to do:

You can protect your home by strengthening your garage door in one of the following three ways:

    1. Install Pressure/Impact Resistant* protection devices (shutters, panels, accordion fold shutters, etc.) on garage doors. OR

    2. Install Pressure/Impact Resistant garage doors that do not require shutters etc. OR

    3. If the existing door is impact resistant but not wind pressure rated, install an approved garage door bracing system to increase the wind pressure resistance.

*Pressure/Impact Resistant means that the protection devices noted above must meet the wind pressure and debris impact requirements of the Southern Building Code Congress International (SBCCI) SSTD-12 standards or the July 1988 (7-88) wind pressure and debris impact requirements of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) adopted by Dade County in September 1994.

How:

Consult the yellow pages for suppliers of shutters, garage doors and/or a home building or remodeling contractor to determine the best method to protect your home. Shutter and garage door manufacturers, including home remodeling contractors, should be able to produce documentation that their product meets these standards. Information regarding these standards can be obtained on the SBCCI web site at www.sbcci.org/store2, or by calling the Miami/Dade Building Code Compliance Office at (305-375-2901). For additional information on garage door mitigation contact The Department of Insurance (800-342-2762) for their publication "Against The Wind" or The Institute for Business & Home Safety at (617-292-2003) to request a "Homeowners Guide to Hurricane Retrofit".

    1. When adding Garage Door Bracing, first ensure there is documentation that the product has been tested at a certified testing laboratory. The bracing product should be designed to withstand both positive (inward) and negative (outward) wind pressure criteria as indicated above for protection devices.

    2. The track jamb and mounting brackets should also be upgraded to include a minimum of 5 track-mounting brackets per side. The material to which the tracks are mounted should be mounted with 3/8 X 3 1/2" sleeve anchors or with 3/8 X 3 1/2" lag bolts no further than 19" on centers. A local garage door supplier or suppliers of approved garage door bracing systems can assist you in the selection of the necessary parts or systems.

Remember you must use Pressure/Impact Resistant products to be eligible for FWUA discounts.

CONTACT YOUR AGENT TO DETERMINE THE VERIFICATION PROCESS REQUIRED TO QUALIFY FOR FWUA CREDITS FOR MITIGATION ACTIVITY.

View Mitigation Verification Affidavit Form (MIT-1)