Hurricane: Strengthen Double garage door
edwardh1
| Posted in General Discussion on
Anyone done it?
All the secondary news sources – channel x whatever, all say to strengthen your double wide garage door using a retro kit.
I have looked and looked and other than the secure company ad have found none.
any of you in a hurricane zone? and have you done anything about it?
2×2 box beams or 2 inch steel pipe vertically would do a lot tho how to secure them at the bottom is the question.
Replies
Years ago when the codes for garage doors changed the garage door companies were doing just what you suggest. They provided 2 vertical aluminum braces that fit into brackets on the floor and ceiling and snugged tight to the door. I haven't seen one of those setups in years now though. The new wind load doors all are made of heavier steel, have larger springs and have horziontial strongbacks on each door panel. Usually older garage doors have the strongback only on the top panel. You could probably buy more of the strongbacks and install one on each panel which would add considerable strength to your door. I've seen a lot of older garage doors blown in by Charley and Jeanne in our area so it is something that needs to be addressed.
What Wain said about aluminum channels sounds good. You could use aluminum or steel, have them pivot up and store in rafters/joists when not in use. Fastening to floor would be more of a problem--maybe hammer drill out mortises that are capped with plastic plugs when not in use, then stick brackets in them that have bolt holes and pivot the channels down and bolt them when needed.