Potential Problems from Unreinforced Garage Doors
If your house has an old garage door that is not reinforced and which does not comply with the current building codes, you do need to be aware of the risks to your house. Throughout a strong tropical storm or typhoon, the winds can create an excess amount of pressure to build up in the garage.
Eventually, this pressure builds up and is so powerful it can trigger the entire garage door to blow off of the garage. In some homes the stress has been so strong, as we saw with Irma in 2015, that it blew off the roofing system over the garage and tore down support walls. Aside from this potential damages, once the garage door has blown out, the rest of the home becomes vulnerable to water and wind damages.
Are Reinforced Garage Doors Required to Get Property owner’s Insurance?
Whether your house requires a reinforced garage door or not does depends on your insurance supplier. In the past, providers would still offer coverage on Florida residences with one catch: If you did not have a reinforced garage door, then your insurance rates were much higher.
The increase in prices is frequently enough to justify the costs to invest in a new reinforced garage door. And also, some insurance coverage companies will certainly offer a discount on insurance coverage prices for homes with reinforced doors.
Furthermore, after Irma tore through the state, some insurance coverage providers are now requiring houses to have reinforced garage doors. If the homeowner decides not to update, then their insurance can be canceled. If you have any kind of questions about your coverage and requirements, we recommend calling your insurance representative.
Exactly How Do Reinforced Garage Doors Work?
There are two general styles of reinforced garage doors. The first one uses built-in reinforcements that are part of the door. In case of a tropical storm or hurricane, the house owner just locks the garage door. The reinforcement requires no additional setup considering that it is already part of the door. The property owner can continue to open up and close the garage door, if necessary, simply by unlocking it.
The other type of reinforced garage door utilizes post reinforcements you set up prior to the tornado. The posts are positioned in certain places behind the primary door and lock right into place. When mounted, the door can not be opened or shut. After the tornado passes, the property owner has to take down the post reinforcements before utilizing the garage door.
Can Reinforced Garage Doors Get Harmed?
There is constantly a possibility that reinforced garage doors can get damaged by a major storm. The door could get dents, dings, and other damages. If the storm is powerful enough, it might trigger debris to be driven through the door.
The important things to bear in mind is that the primary purpose of reinforced garage doors is to reduce and reduce the amount of potential damages to your house throughout a tropical storm or cyclone. As long as you have typhoon insurance coverage on your home, your insurer will assist cover any kind of Garage Door Repair in Brush expenses, as well as other home repairs, minus your insurance deductible.