Wind Load: What Is It And How Does It Determine The Strength Of Your Steel Garage Doors?

Posted on: 19 June 2015

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When hurricanes or tornadoes threaten to damage or destroy your home, installing the right steel garage doors can help protect it. Garage doors made with galvanized steel offer outstanding strength and protection against the excessive winds produced by seasonal storms. However, your contractors must design your garage doors with the right wind load to achieve these benefits. Here are things to know about wind load, as well as descriptions of three types of steel garage doors you can choose.

What Does Wind Load Mean?

Galvanized steel garage doors are some of the most effective structures on the market. They not only protect the items in your garage from water, wind and heat damage, they also stabilize and secure the rest of your home by using the correct wind load. Wind load describes how well structures withstand the forces of wind.

Contractors often use special calculations to determine the correct wind load for structures such as galvanized steel garage doors. For instance, your garage door contractors may calculate how much wind pressure it takes to push in or lift out their steel garage doors from other structures, such as your home. Your contractors may consider certain factors, such as the region you live in, when they fabricate their steel doors.

Your location may experience higher wind pressures, speeds and other changes than other regions in the United States, which may require stronger steel garage doors to protect your home. Garage doors that fit a home in another area that doesn't experience severe weather may not work well for your home. So, keep this in mind when purchasing your garage doors.

Your contractors may also base their wind load calculations on the slope of your home's roof and your home's size and height. Your garage doors should have the strength to support your home's weight, height and size during all types of severe weather changes. If they don't have these features, your garage doors can fail, and your home may collapse because of it.

It's vital that you ask your garage door supplier to calculate the correct wind load for your particular home before buying and installing your steel garage doors.

What Are Three Types of Steel Garage Doors?

There are numerous options available when it comes to garage doors. However, three of the most advanced are single-layer, double-layer and triple-layer galvanized steel doors. All three types of garage doors can benefit your home based on the wind load you require. 

Single-Layer Steel Garage Doors

Garage doors made with one exterior layer of galvanized steel are excellent defenses against moderate to high winds and rains. Single-layer doors usually come in higher gauges than two- and three-layer doors.

Steel made with higher gauges tend to be weaker than steel made with lower gauges. For instance, 16-gauge double-layer garage doors are stronger and thicker than 24-gauge doors.

Double-Layer Steel Garage Doors

Double-layer garage doors are stronger and more reliable, especially if you live in an area that experiences heavy winds and other seasonal weather. The doors feature a thick gauge of steel for the exterior and a secondary layer of foam or fiberglass insulation. These features make double-layer garage doors perfect additions for larger homes as well.

Triple-Layer Steel Garage Doors

Triple-layer steel garage doors provide the most protection against severe seasonal storms and weather changes. The products come with:

  • One exterior layer of steel to reinforce the front of your garage doors
  • One thick layer of insulation to protect your home during the summer and winter seasons 
  • One interior layer of reinforced steel to support the garage doors from the inside of the room

Depending on the brand, all three types of garage doors feature a protective weather seal at the bottom. The seal keeps out rainwater, melted snow and dirt.

If you want to know more about wind load and steel garage doors before you buy them, contact your garage door sales company for more information and product details.