Reinforce garage doors against wind uplift

Strengthen your garage door — the single largest opening and most vulnerable point during hurricanes. A failed garage door lets wind pressurize the entire structure, often leading to roof failure.

Why It Works

Garage doors span 8-16 feet with minimal bracing. Wind loads during a Category 2+ hurricane easily exceed standard door ratings. Retrofit bracing kits distribute force across the door panels and transfer loads to the wall framing.

Steps

1. Install a bracing kit: Horizontal bracing kits from Secure Door or Hurricane Garage Guard ($200-$400) bolt onto existing doors and take 2-4 hours to install
2. Add a center post: For double-wide doors, a removable center post ($50-$100) halves the unsupported span
3. Upgrade to wind-rated door: If your door is 15+ years old, consider replacing with a Miami-Dade rated door ($1,200-$2,500 installed)

Tips

• Standard garage doors fail at 50-60 mph; rated doors withstand 130-150 mph
• The center post alone provides significant improvement for under $100
• Check if your insurer offers a wind mitigation discount for rated doors — savings of 5-15% on premiums are common