Storm Protection
Garage Doors Are Weakness in Home During Tornadoes
Source: Tulsa World
Publication date: 2006-04-13
By PHIL MULKINS World Action Line Editor
The Institute for Business and Home Safety (www.ibhs.org/) is a good source of
guidance for how to fortify your home against fierce winds.
Garage doors: The institute's Web site says: "Because of their size and construction,
garage doors are highly susceptible to wind damage. A qualified inspector can
determine if both the door and the track system can resist high winds and, if
necessary, replace them with a stronger system. Garage doors more than eight feet
wide are most vulnerable. Install permanent metal stiffeners. Or contact the door
manufacturer's technical staff for recommendations about temporary center supports
you can attach and remove easily when severe weather threatens."
One big hole: Tulsa Partners, an affiliate of Tulsa Project Impact, says that even if your
home is solid, your garage door is one big hole in it, waiting to let in enough wind to
blow off the roof.
In addition to sturdy storm doors and windows, homeowners also should secure their
garage doors against high winds.
If yours isn't, your home and family are in danger. The garage door is the largest,
weakest perimeter opening -- the one most likely to fail. Most homeowners don't know
how to strengthen garage doors or even realize that they need to.
(c) 2006 Tulsa World. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.
Amarr's new Wind Load Post system allows for the homeowner to provide
superior protection against high winds. The system is put in place when a
threat of a severe storm is announced and then removed after the storm
has passed. The post is attached to a header bracket above the door with
a carriage bolt. It is attached to the stiles in the center and bottom sections
of the door with brackets and cables. It is also attached to the floor of the
garage with a bracket and an eye bolt.
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