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Prepare For Hurricane Season

To help you and your family prepare your safety plan, we have compiled a list of questions about garage door reinforcement, testing and operation. We have also provided a list of storm tips as well to answer some frequently asked questions about hurricane preparedness. We call this section Hurricane Central.

We are always available to answer any questions you may have through email or 800-683-2768. At Broten Garage Door & Gate customer care is our top priority.

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What is the difference between design load and test load?


Design load is a velocity pressure representing the greatest anticipated wind condition based on historical data; test load represents a predetermined maximum load a door is tested to under controlled laboratory conditions. A test load may be a higher load than the design load by a predetermined factor of safety, usually 50%.

Contact Us with any questions or comments about our Hurricane Preparedness Information.

Hurricane Central Home Page

What should I do before hurricane season starts?

Do I need to protect my home?

Is your garage door Hurricane rated?

Why do I need to replace my garage door with a Hurricane rated garage door?

How important is the garage door to the safety of my home?

What is the HVHZ - High Velocity Hurricane Zone?

What is impact rating and why is impact rating important?

Can I have safety in style?

What is the difference between post reinforcement and built-in reinforcement? (Active vs. Passive)

What is an after-market hurricane post and what is involved in its installation?

Can a post system be integrated into the door design?

What is involved in a post system that a homeowner may purchase as an aftermarket product?

Can a post system be supplied with the door by the manufacturer?

What is the Homeowner Responsibility in a post system?

Are garage door manufacturers and installers responsible for the supporting structure’s ability to resist loads applied via wind loads on garage doors?

Do I need a permit to replace my door?

How do I choose a contractor?

What if my contractor is unlicensed?

What should a contract include?

How do I open my door if the power is out?

What do I do after the storm to open my garage door?

What is the difference between wind speed and wind pressure?

Why are garage doors rated by PSF (pounds per square foot)?

Why are wind pressures better than wind speeds when specifying doors?

Why can’t the industry just supply a 100 MPH door?

What is the difference between design load and test load?

Why are positive and negative wind load values required?

Why are the negative pressures higher for a double story house, versus a single story house?

What is the difference between fastest mile wind speed and three-second peak gust wind speed?

Does orientation of the door, i.e. front-facing vs. side-facing, affect design wind load?

Does house layout configuration affect garage door wind load?

Does the compass direction the door faces affect wind load design?

What high wind events are covered?

What are hurricanes?

Are Hurricanes assigned magnitudes?

What should be in my Hurricane supply kit?

How can I use a generator safely?

What are some of the testing protocols for a hurricane rated garage door?

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