Protect Your Garage Door from Storms with Braces

Garage doors are often neglected during storm preparation, even though it is one of a home’s biggest vulnerabilities. Their large size and typical lack of reinforcement exposes them to the harsh elements of storm activity. They are often built very light so that they can be raised and lowered easily, and they are also often only supported on either side of the entrance – but not at the top or bottom. Reinforcing your garage door with braces is an affordable way to increase its strength and life span!

What Makes Garage Doors Problematic in Storm Season?

If a garage door is blown down by severe weather, then it exposes your home to a myriad of significant risks. Anything in the garage will be exposed to wind and rain, of course. Furthermore, as wind gets into your home, it can increase the wind pressure in your home to catastrophic levels, which would harm the roof as well as everything else inside your home. The Federal Alliance for Safe Homes reports that 80% of hurricane damage in residential areas starts with wind entering through garage areas. Without the proper protection, your garage door could be a major liability during the next hurricane.

Water and Flood Damage

Wind damages during a storm are simply one side of the coin. On the other side of that coin is damage from water and flooding. Hurricanes often bring flooding, which means that your home can be exposed to standing water with little warning. If water is allowed to breach the garage, it can get into your home’s foundation and compromise its structural integrity. The Federal Emergency Management Agency estimates that one inch of floodwater can cause $25,000 worth of property damage. If a hurricane blows down your garage door and wind and rain get inside, then you could be looking at severe damage now and in the future.

Garage Door Braces

Storm braces are products for your garage door that stabilize it and prevent damage. What these braces do is keep your garage door in place during high winds and severe storms by redistributing forces of impact throughout the entire surface, rather than just one point. Plus, storm braces will add structural support to your existing garage door hardware, which can extend the life span of both your door and the hardware.

Before a major storm hits, reinforcing your garage door should be a top priority. For Florida homeowners, this is especially true. Even after hurricane season is over, our region of the country is still susceptible to high amounts of storm activity and humidity throughout the year. Keep your home safe from wind and water damage by investing in White Aluminum’s garage door braces today!