Hurricane season prep should be on every Houston homeowner’s mind starting in May, well before the Gulf gets active. June 1 marks the official start of hurricane season, and your garage door is one of the most vulnerable points on your home’s exterior. A garage door that fails during high winds can lead to major structural damage, since a breach there lets wind pressure build up inside the whole house. Taking care of hurricane season prep early is one of the simplest ways to protect your home before the busiest months of the year arrive.
Why Garage Doors Fail in High Winds
Standard residential garage doors aren’t always built to handle sustained high winds or flying debris. Older doors, doors with worn tracks, or doors that are already slightly out of balance are especially at risk. Once a garage door fails, wind can push through the opening and put extreme pressure on the roof and walls from the inside, which is why building codes in wind-prone areas increasingly call for wind-rated doors.
Hurricane Season Prep Checklist
- Have your door and track inspected for wear, rust, or misalignment before storm season begins.
- Check that all hardware, including hinges and rollers, is tightly secured.
- Consider a wind-rated door or a retrofit bracing kit if you’re in an older home with a standard door.
- Test your backup power option for the opener in case of an outage, or know how to manually release it.
- Keep the manual release handle accessible in case you need to operate the door by hand.
Upgrading to a Wind-Rated Door
If your current door is older or you’ve had any doubts about how it would hold up in a storm, hurricane season prep is a good time to consider an upgrade. We design and build custom wood and composite garage doors and can talk through wind-rated and reinforced options that fit your home’s style. Every opener we install also comes standard with a single-piece rail and 2 remotes, so you’re covered on both the door and the opener side. We’re happy to walk you through the options and help you decide what level of protection makes sense for your home and budget.
Hurricane season prep is one of those tasks that’s easy to put off until a storm is already in the forecast, but that’s exactly when scheduling gets difficult. Once a storm watch is issued, technicians across the Houston area get booked solid, and parts for older or less common door models can be harder to source on short notice. Handling your inspection or upgrade in May, before the rush starts, means you get your pick of appointment times and aren’t stuck waiting until it’s too late to make changes before the storm arrives.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my garage door is wind-rated?
Wind-rated doors typically have a label or sticker from the manufacturer noting their wind speed rating. If you’re not sure, a technician can check your door’s specifications for you.
Can I reinforce my existing garage door instead of replacing it?
In some cases, yes. Bracing kits can add support to an existing door, though a full wind-rated replacement generally offers better long-term protection.
What should I do with my garage door right before a storm hits?
Keep it closed, make sure it’s properly locked, and avoid opening it unnecessarily during high winds. If you lose power, know how to use the manual release safely.
Get ahead of hurricane season with a garage door inspection or upgrade from American Garage Door Solution. Call (832) 527-7359, contact us online, or visit our showroom at 4014 Hopper Rd in Houston.