While your garage door may look strong, it is actually a very vulnerable part of your home. Because of how lightweight they are, proven by how they can be easily raised and lowered, it is clear that there is a sort of vulnerability to garage doors. Once exposed to harsh weather conditions, it won’t be surprising that a garage door can be damaged.
Luckily, this has been taken into consideration by manufacturers of garage doors. They offer a wind rating level to ensure that the buyer is aware of the strength of the garage door, and they can make sure to buy the right one considering their location.
How Much Wind Can Most Garage Doors Take?
The average garage door can handle up to 20 miles per hour of wind. While this may seem like such a low number, it is actually quite high and shows that most garage doors can handle the usual storms. However, anything higher than that will weaken your garage door, and extended exposure will definitely send it flying off the rails.
There are also stronger garage doors that are made to be wind-resistant. Some garage doors can handle winds up to or even over 100 mph, and some handle up to 200 mph. However, you should know that these are the heavier kind of garage doors and are usually used for protection bunkers or areas where heavy winds like tornadoes may occur regularly.
How to Know My Garage Door’s Wind Rating?
Chances are, your garage door was already installed or purchased a long time ago so there is no way to ask whoever you bought it from the wind rating. Luckily, there are a few options you can do to find the wind rating of your door.
First, you can look up the garage door’s model online. A simple search should give you the answers. Another way is to check for a label on the garage door itself and look for something that is tagged as “design wind speed” or something similar. Lastly, you can try checking for the manual of your garage door and it should contain the details you need.
What Will Happen If My Garage Door Can’t Handle the Wind?
If you ever get into a scenario where the garage door you have cannot handle the wind, then you should expect some damage. If the exposure isn’t too long, then your garage door may not fly off but will have weakened. In this case, it is best to just get it replaced with a stronger garage door.
In case it does fly off, you may be lucky enough to have it stay in place and the door would just buckle inward or outward. Worst case scenario is your garage door flies off the railing and damages anything within its vicinity. If you suspect that your garage door is about to give in to the wind, stay clear of the way to ensure your and your family’s safety.
Conclusion
Being aware of your garage door’s wind rating is useful because it can help ensure your safety. Make sure that you check it immediately and get it replaced if you feel like the garage door you have is too weak for the winds in your area.
If you are seeking garage door installation in Naperville, you can contact us at Garage Door Repair Naperville IL. Ensure that you get the best garage door option and that it is installed properly. Get in touch with us today to learn more.
