South Florida is known for its tropical climate, beautiful beaches and active hurricane season. Some of the more notorious and devastating hurricanes that have struck the region over the years include Andrew in 1992, Katrina in 2005 and most recently, Hurricane Irma in 2017. Property damage estimates from Irma ranged from $42.5 billion to $65 billion.
Because of the persistent threat of hurricanes, Florida building code garage door requirements ensure that all doors installed in the region comply with specific regulations and standards regarding hurricane resistance. The Windcode® rating system has been developed to determine the wind resistance requirements and capabilities of a structure and its components.
If you live in an area with the potential for hurricanes or high winds — like Florida — knowing that Windcode® rating is essential to keep your garage door stable. However, it can be challenging actually figuring out how to find the Windcode® rating for a garage door.
To figure it out, you’ll need some basic information.
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What Is a Windcode® Rating?
A Windcode® rating is a system used for determining the strength and durability of a garage door against high winds produced by a tropical storm or hurricane. The Clopay® rating system ranks garage doors on a scale from W1 to W9 in regard to factors such as roof height, exposure and building code requirements.
How Does It Work?
The location and building materials are the two essential factors that go into determining a Clopay® Windcode®. Based on these two overarching themes, Clopay® then looks at the more specific details that will determine the Windcode®, such as:
- Building dimensions
- Exposure type
- Size of garage door openings
- Local laws and regulations
- Wind speed
- Roof height and angle
As you can see, a lot of factors go into actually finding a Windcode® rating, and the process is thorough so that you can be confident in the strength of your garage door.
How to Find Your Ideal Windcode® Rating
Since hurricane-rated garage doors are a requirement in South Florida, it is imperative to know how to find a garage door Windcode® rating when purchasing a product for your home. Use the following steps to determine the applicable Florida garage door wind rating and requirements for your area:
1. Find the Minimum Wind Speed Your Door Must Be Able to Withstand (in mph)
Figure out the minimum wind speed in miles per hour that your door must be able to withstand based on where you live in South Florida by visiting windspeed.atcouncil.org. You will also need to consult a map to find out if wind-borne debris applies to your area. Generally, if your property is closer to the shoreline and the farther south, you’ll face a higher risk from wind-borne debris.
2. Determine Your Home’s “Exposure Region”
South Florida contains three exposure region classifications:
- Exposure B: Residential neighborhoods, cities, woodlands and any other areas that have numerous obstructions placed close to one another.
- Exposure C: Open land with various obstructions. This includes flat ground and grasslands, and encompasses all of Broward and Miami-Dade counties, unless otherwise indicated in exposure D.
- Exposure D: This exposure covers any buildings found within 600 feet of oceanfront or any other large body of water that is 5,000 or more feet across. For this classification, it’s important to determine your home’s structural type — for example, if it’s a one-story or two-story building.
3. Figure Out the Appropriate Windcode® “W” Rating for Your Door
Use the wind speed, exposure classification and structure type to help you determine the applicable Windcode® “W” rating and design pressure. The garage door’s design pressure is expressed in pounds per square foot (PSF) and must exceed the pressure of the opening where the door will be installed. Use the chart to find the appropriate negative and positive PSF values for your door.
You may be able to tell if your garage door has already been wind-rated. There should be a wind load sticker somewhere on your garage door — you can use the information on this to look up your garage door’s durability on Florida’s product approval website.
Use the WindCode Calculator to Help You Determine the Ideal Windcode® for Your Home
A simpler way to pinpoint the desirable Windcode® rating for a garage door in your area is using the Clopay® Florida Windcode® calculator. Just plug in the values and click on the calculate button at the bottom to obtain your results. Please note that the calculator will only deliver an approximation: The building code official in your local area will have the final say regarding your garage door’s building code and Windcode® compliance.
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How to Hurricane-Proof Your Existing Garage Door
If you’re looking to boost the durability of your current garage door, you can follow a few simple tips.
- Know what you need: Often, there is a lot of information you can find in your local area about the kind of garage door you’ll need to be protected from the elements. Your local building code authority, for instance, will likely have the average wind speeds that your garage door should be able to withstand.
- Use add-ons: There are various products and bracing kits you can look into to increase the strength of your garage door. Some of these you’ll only need to put on your door in the case of a storm. Though these products can help, it’s often easier and more beneficial to have a garage door that comes with the durability that’s needed against strong winds.
- Use a professional service: Though you may be able to find some information yourself, it’s always good to consult a professional garage door technician that can guide you to the best option.
Contact The Doorman of Southeast Florida for the Best Windcode®-Rated Garage Doors
The Doorman offers a wide variety of high-quality Windcode®-rated garage doors from Clopay®, America’s number one garage door brand. Contact us to learn more about the Windcode® rating system, and feel free to stop by our Boca Raton showroom for a closer look at our product offerings.
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