The Atlantic hurricane season lasts from June through November, with August through October being the peak season for activity. Hurricanes are responsible for a substantial amount of property damage and loss. The United States government estimates the total cost of weather-related property damage in the U.S. since 1980 is around 1.75 trillion dollars, with Florida accounting for more than half of the country’s annual hurricane spending. Coastal Florida is not the only risk area — the impacts of a hurricane stretch across every part of the state, including inland.
With the looming threat of property damage on every Florida homeowner’s mind, is the garage safe in a hurricane? Read on to review what you need to know about hurricane season garage preparation.
Prepare Your Garage Door for Hurricanes
The Consequences of a Failed Garage Door During Hurricane Season
The door is the first and most important line of defense you have against hurricane-related garage damage. Here is what can happen if you experience garage door failure during hurricane season:
- Costly door damage: High winds and flying debris threaten the structural integrity of your garage door. If your door is old, worn or already vulnerable, the severe weather can dent, crack or cause the door to cave in, potentially damaging any vehicles or belongings inside. This level of garage door damage can be costly to repair and may require a total door replacement.
- Leaks, flooding and water damage: If your garage door is damaged or otherwise ineffective during a hurricane, your garage can leak or flood. If you own an attached garage, this is bad news for the belongings you store inside and for the leaks and flooding that can infiltrate your home. Excessive moisture indoors can cause structural rot, rust and mold growth.
- Easy entry to your garage and home: A damaged garage door provides more accessible entry to potential looters after a hurricane. If your garage is attached to your house, this also means easier access to your home and its contents.
How to Prevent Hurricane Damage to Your Garage This Hurricane Season
The garage is where many people store their vehicles, sentimental items, unused furniture, tools, food, bicycles, kayaks and other belongings. Some owners also have upstairs apartments or office space above their garage. For these reasons, keeping your garage safe during severe weather is crucial. Keep reading to learn how to hurricane-proof your garage and create an effective defense against strong winds, heavy rains, flooding and flying debris.
1. Clean and Declutter the Inside
While garages provide convenient storage space for all types of personal belongings, they can quickly become cluttered and disorganized. During a hurricane, excessive debris, dirt and clutter mean a higher chance that those items can be damaged, and it creates an unsafe environment full of tripping hazards and potentially dangerous items. The first step to keep your garage safe during a hurricane is to thoroughly inspect, declutter and clean it before the storm hits.
Here is how to prepare your garage for a hurricane:
- Discard and organize clutter: The cleaner your garage is, the easier it will be to identify and repair any vulnerable spots before hurricane season. It also minimizes damage to belongings, should your garage door fail. If your garage does not have any sort of organizational system, this is a perfect time to implement one. Use shelves, overhead storage racks and labeled totes to keep items separated and off the ground. Remove any garbage and unwanted items, and sweep the floor once the area is clear.
- Relocate sentimental and important items: Typically, temperature-controlled garages are the ideal place to store sentimental or important items, like paperwork, childhood belongings, family heirlooms and antiques. Before a storm, it’s a good idea to relocate these things somewhere safer, like a safe deposit box or inside a weather-proof storage vault.
- Fix electrical wiring: Exposed and frayed electrical wires can cause electrocution or fire, especially if your garage floods or suffers severe structural damage during a storm. Inspect all wiring and call an electrician if repairs are needed. Do not try to repair complex wiring on your own.
- Remove flammables and explosives: Remove all flammable and explosive materials from your garage before a storm, including gasoline, aerosol cans, fireworks, firearms and pool chemicals.
- Use waterproof storage containers: When storing belongings inside your garage, use sealed waterproof totes with lids and keep them above ground level so leaks or floods will not damage them. For large items and furniture you cannot move above ground level, wrap them in plastic and use floor raisers if possible.
2. Protect Against Water Damage and Flooding
Water damage ranges from a few puddles on your garage floor to full-scale wall and floor damage. To protect your items from water damage and prevent garage flooding during hurricane season, take the following steps:
- Put sandbags out front: Sandbags are an extra precaution many homeowners take during a hurricane. If you live in a coastal area or near a body of water, it’s a good idea to keep some on hand throughout the season. Use tarps and pile the sandbags in rows, stacked like a pyramid, to absorb runoff.
- Seal around the windows and door: Seal around your garage windows and garage door for extra protection against leaks. Apply sealant tape or weatherstripping along the bottom and threshold of your garage door and around each window.
- Install a drainage system: If you live in a low depression or collect a lot of runoff during regular rainstorms, consider installing a drainage system in your driveway outside your garage to re-route water during a hurricane.
- Fix cracks and holes: Weak structural areas are prone to leak during rain and are especially susceptible to damage by high winds. Inspect the walls, door, windows and foundation of your garage before hurricane season and contact a professional to assess and repair any cracks and holes.
3. Prepare Your Garage Door for Hurricanes
A secure garage door can make all the difference between a safe, dry garage or a flood and structural damage. When protecting your garage during hurricane season, make sure your windows and door are ready to handle the impact of rain, wind and flying debris. Prepare your garage door for hurricanes by taking the following precautions:
- Inspect door performance: If you have an automatic garage door, inspect how effectively it opens, closes and locks. Note any abnormal sounds, like rattling or squeaking. Note any gaps between the garage door and the floor or walls, as well as rust spots, dents or corroded brackets and fixtures. Even if everything is operating correctly and appears intact, schedule an inspection and tune-up appointment with a garage door professional to make sure everything is as structurally sound as possible.
- Install locks: If your door and windows do not already have locks, this is a great time to install them. Locks offer additional protection against unwanted entry and leaks.
- Add braces or panels: Add additional bracing to the inside of your garage door with vertical or horizontal hurricane panels, reinforced bars or two-by-fours. Close and lock your windows and board them with a plywood brace. When installing these braces and panels, make sure they are secure, so they do not come loose and become a hazard in high wind.
- Replace your door: While there are some garage options that can boost your door’s durability, like retrofitting for a stronger door, installing an impact-rated garage door is the best way to get maximum hurricane protection. This is especially important if your existing door is damaged, worn, outdated or made of flimsy material.
Benefits of Impact-Rated Garage Doors
An impact-rated garage door is a door that has been tested and verified as strong enough to withstand certain degrees of damage caused by wind and impact from flying debris. If you live in Florida, an impact-rated garage door is the best decision you can make for your garage for the following reasons.
1. They Are Durable
One of the most significant advantages of impact-rated doors is that they are constructed out of strong, long-lasting and weather-resistant materials — such as steel and composite — that are durable in extreme weather. Depending on the specific door, it might have additional safety features like integrated insulation, hot-dipped galvanized layers, rust-prevention brackets and WindCode® reinforcement. This level of durability keeps your door safe for years to come and will help protect your belongings.
2. They Protect Against Unwanted Entry
Unfortunately, severe weather isn’t the only thing homeowners need to be cautious of during a hurricane. Post-hurricane home and business looting is a risk to be aware of, especially if you evacuate your house. For homes with an attached garage, a weak garage door provides easy access for these looters to break in and enter your house. An impact-rated garage door is made of strong steel that is nearly impossible to penetrate, making it the ideal form of protection against unwanted entry.
3. They Help Regulate Temperature
In addition to added protection during hurricanes, an insulated door will keep the temperature regulated in your garage, which can keep energy costs low. Garages with a regulated temperature are more comfortable to spend time in, turning your garage into a year-round space. For those who work on projects in the garage or have an at-home gym, impact-rated doors with insulation are a perfect choice. This temperature regulation and insulation also create the ideal environment for food storage and temperature-sensitive items, like electronics, important documents and antiques.
4. They Satisfy Local Building Code
Impact-rated garage doors satisfy local building codes in many areas around Florida. Because the Sunshine State is prone to an active hurricane season, several counties and cities — especially those in High-Velocity Hurricane Zones (HVHZ) — have specific building codes in place to protect garage doors and windows from missile-like flying debris and strong winds. Possible wind-borne debris that threatens to damage your garage door includes tree branches, outdoor furniture, garbage cans, uprooted fencing, rocks and signs.
The HVHZ in Florida covers all of Broward and Miami-Dade counties, but these are not the only areas at risk. Because they satisfy these building codes and offer supreme protection, impact- and WindCode®-rated garage doors might also help lower your insurance costs or meet coverage requirements.
5. They Look Great
With an impact-rated garage door, you never have to sacrifice style for protection. Industry-leading garage door manufacturers offer a variety of impact-rated styles for you to choose from, including:
- Wood or faux wood finishes in a variety of stains and colors.
- Modern, traditional or carriage house style doors.
- Neutral, chic steel and factory-finished paint selections.
You can also choose the best type, style and finish of your garage door windows to create the perfect fit for your home. These attractive design options, combined with the numerous benefits of owning an impact-rated door in a hurricane-prone area, can boost your home’s curb appeal and value, making it more appealing to future buyers.
How to Inspect Your Garage After a Hurricane
If a hurricane has swept through your area, you need to inspect your home for damage so you know which areas need repair and how to file claims with your insurance company. When inspecting your garage and garage door, look for the following:
- Door operation: Test the operation of your garage door, especially if it is automatic. Do all openers and locks function as they should? Are there any stutters or stalls in operation, unusual sounds or broken components?
- Water damage: Standing water in your garage is the most obvious sign of a leak or flood, but it may not always be visible. Look behind shelving and furniture, as well as around windows and near the door. Make a list of all items damaged by water if flooding or leaking occurred.
- Structural damage: Remove plywood boards from the windows and remove braces from your garage door and inspect these areas for any cracks, dents, holes, corrosion or warping.
To ensure your garage door is performing optimally and there is no undetected damage, schedule a post-hurricane inspection with your garage door technician.
The Doorman Can Help You Prepare for Hurricane Season
While there are steps you can take to hurricane-proof your garage door, nothing is as effective and convenient as having a reliable impact-rated garage door to protect against strong wind, floodwaters, flying debris and unwanted entry. Unlike individual hurricane-proofing methods, impact-rated doors are a one-time investment that requires no set-up and tear down. Once they are installed, you can reap the benefits all year long.
Browse The Doorman website to learn more about what happens to a garage during hurricane season and what you can do to protect your garage from weather-related disasters. You can also contact us online or call 561-600-9606 to schedule a tune-up service appointment and request a free quote or estimate for your residential impact-rated garage door today.
