It’s only after seeing the power of Mother Nature during events like Hurricane Patricia that we, in Tucson, can really appreciate what we do (or don’t) need in a garage door.  In many other parts of the country and the world, there are a lot of additional considerations when it comes to installing a new garage door, or repairing an old one. And you better believe there are a LOT of garage door repairs going on right about now…

Take this story for example, of what one homeowner went through after Hurricane Sandy in 2012:

Storm-Ready Garage Doors and Garage Door Openers Protect Coastal Green Home

After Hurricane Sandy destroyed Kim Erle’s house on October 29, 2012, her only choice was to rebuild.

Instead of simply making modifications to meet the new building codes, she decided to go above and beyond to build the coastal home of the future – a highly efficient, resilient house that would stand up to future storms and serve as a model for responsible building practices.

The owner went on to write:

“Clopay’s three-layer Intellicore^® insulation technology enhances the door’s rigidity and strength.  During Hurricane Sandy, large pieces of debris were pushed by the storm surge into the foundation and siding of our old home.  A non-insulated door does not have the same ability to withstand denting as an insulated garage door.”

Even though the Canyon Ridge door’s wood-grain composite cladding looks like real wood, the durable material won’t rot, warp or crack, which is important if there is a flood. The boards are molded from real wood pieces to replicate the grain pattern and natural texture. Like wood, the material can be painted or stained.

That’s a whole lot of stuff that we don’t need to worry about (much) here in Tucson.  As you can see from the image at the top of this post taken from the Clopay Door blog, there are times when you need a really, really strong garage door!

If your home has an attached garage, think of it as a welcome mat for destruction if you don’t have a properly reinforced garage door installed when a hurricane rolls in.

When 100 MPH winds hit a non-reinforced garage door, the door can buckle, fail, and be pulled off its hinges, allowing pressure to build up inside the house until it blows apart.

So while we’re fortunate not to have to deal with hurricane force winds or severe cold and mountains of snow, that doesn’t mean that we can’t take advantage of the (finally!) cooler weather to make sure our garage and garage door is in optimal condition going forward.

The Overhead Door Company website has some great tips regarding getting ready for the winter.  While it may not all apply to us here in the desert southwest, some of it certainly does.

With cold weather approaching, fall is the perfect time to discuss an important subject – garage door maintenance. Preparing for inclement weather and freezing temperatures is just as important for the garage and garage door operating system as it is for the rest of the home. Taking preventative steps now before problems arise, and while the weather is still tolerable, can save you time, money and the headache of larger issues down the road.

1. Organize

• Clear out and organize the contents of the garage. This is an excellent time to check for concrete damage, mold or any other issues.
• Remove any summertime items that are no longer in use, as well as anything that could be damaged by cold or freezing temperatures.
• Empty unused fuel from gas-powered equipment stored in the garage.  Read more here…

We’ve said it before and you can bet we’ll say it again… proper, on-going garage door maintenance is key to avoiding bigger, more expensive problems later on down the road.