Why Impact Garage Doors Are Essential For Coastal Living

​​​​​​Your coastal home offers many benefits including beautiful ocean views, refreshing breezes, and a relaxed lifestyle. However, without a quality impact garage door, you risk structural damage, physical injury to your family, and costly repair costs during extreme weather conditions, especially hurricanes and tropical storms.

Homeowners in coastal regions need to take extra precautions to protect their homes, and one of the most important steps is to install impact garage doors. These doors are specifically designed to withstand the harsh weather conditions coastal homes often experience and provide multiple benefits that make them a worthwhile investment.

If you are still undecided whether an impact garage door is essential for your coastal home, this article explores the benefits of hurricane doors, their protective features, security enhancement, and long-term savings.

Risks Associated With Coastal Weather

Coastal weather, while mostly calm for most of the year, can become dangerous during hurricane season. During this period, the difference between air temperature and sea surface temperatures causes an array of weather extremes, leading to a heightened risk of severe storms, including:

1) Hurricanes and Storms

Hurricanes, also known as tropical cyclones, are the most destructive elements to coastal homes, especially if they are not equipped with hurricane-resistant features. While reinforced roofs, sturdy walls, and storm shutters are essential components in enhancing a home’s resilience against hurricanes, all these protective features can be less effective without impact garage doors.

A garage door is often one of the largest and most vulnerable entry points to a home and should be reinforced to prevent high winds and flying debris from entering the home. While traditional garage doors are effective during regular weather conditions, the force of hurricane elements can undermine their protection, putting your home and loved ones at risk.

2) Wind-borne Debris

Wind-borne debris is the most destructive element during storms and hurricanes. Think about tree branches, leaves, trash cans, patio furniture, garden tools, pieces of roofs, siding, or glass from damaged buildings – anything hurricane winds can collect – all coming to your home. The impact of these projectiles can be devastating, causing extensive damage to the exterior of your home and potentially breaching entry points like windows and doors.

Coastal homes with traditional windows and doors are particularly vulnerable to this kind of damage. Standard glass is not designed to withstand high-velocity impacts; it can shatter easily, creating a cascade of broken shards that not only compromise the integrity of the home but also pose significant safety hazards to its inhabitants. Once a window is breached, the high winds can force their way inside, dramatically increasing the risk of further structural damage and flooding.

3) Flooding and Storm Surges

Coastal regions are susceptible to occasional flooding and storm surges. While impact garage doors will not prevent the effects of these extreme conditions entirely, they can play a crucial role in mitigating some of the damage and enhancing the overall resilience of a home.

What Are Impact Garage Doors?

Impact garage doors, also known as hurricane garage doors, are specifically engineered to handle the extreme weather conditions commonly found in coastal areas. These doors are designed with reinforced materials that can withstand strong winds, flying debris, and the pressure that hurricanes can bring.

Impact garage doors are constructed from heavy-duty materials such as steel or aluminum, often combined with multiple layers for added strength. Some designs also include shatter-resistant glass or insulated cores, which provide additional protection and energy efficiency. Unlike traditional garage doors, which may buckle or collapse under extreme conditions, impact-resistant doors are built to remain intact, even when exposed to the high pressures caused by a storm.

Benefits of Impact Garage Doors for Coastal Homes

Impact garage doors offer many benefits for coastal homes, including:

Hurricane Protection and Safety

​​​​​​Quality impact garage doors are designed to protect your home against extreme weather elements. Their reinforced construction ensures they can withstand extreme winds and the force of wind-borne debris, reducing the risk of structural damage. These doors are built with sturdy materials, like heavy-duty steel, aluminum, or fiberglass, along with impact-resistant cores, that provide an essential defense against the hurricane’s most destructive forces.

Impact garage doors are designed to resist wind pressure that could cause traditional doors to buckle, collapse, or fly off their tracks. This is crucial because, once a garage door is compromised, wind pressure can build inside the garage, potentially lifting the roof off the home or causing walls to collapse. By maintaining a strong barrier against wind, impact garage doors help maintain the home’s structural integrity during even the most intense storms.​​​​​​

Storm Defense

Coastal homes face major challenges during storms, from powerful winds and flying debris to the devastating effects of flooding and storm surges. It doesn’t help that even a minor water infiltration can cost homeowners thousands of dollars in repair costs and personal property damage. Additionally, lingering water can provide a conducive environment for the growth of mold and mildew growth, which can compromise both the structure and the health of inhabitants. What’s even worse is the fear of internal pressure building up and causing roof collapse.

Impact garage doors with weather seals and reinforced frames are essential to protect your home against the effects of coastal storms. These garage doors help keep water out, reducing the risk of flooding and preventing moisture from entering the home. This protection not only preserves the home’s exterior but also mitigates the potential for long-term water damage, mold growth, and costly repairs, making impact garage doors an essential investment for storm defense.​​​​​​

Preventing Structural Damage

One of the most significant risks of a hurricane is when wind enters a home through vulnerable points like windows, doors, or the garage. If wind is allowed to enter, it can create pressure that compromises the structural integrity of the house. An impact-resistant garage door serves as a vital barrier, reducing the chance of widespread damage inside the home. By preventing the initial breach of the garage, the rest of the structure is better protected.

Peace of Mind for Homeowners

Knowing that your garage door can withstand a hurricane provides homeowners with peace of mind. Living in a coastal area can be stressful when hurricane season approaches, but having an impact-resistant garage door ensures that you have taken one of the most important steps in protecting your home.

Enhanced Security

The reinforced construction of impact garage doors makes them much stronger than traditional garage doors. This added strength not only helps during storms but also serves as a deterrent to burglars. Thieves are less likely to attempt breaking into a home with an impact-resistant garage door because it is far more difficult to breach compared to standard doors.

Traditional garage doors, especially older models, are often seen as weak points in a home’s security. They can be easily forced open, allowing intruders access to the house. With hurricane garage doors, homeowners can rest assured that their homes are more secure, both during extreme weather and in everyday situations.

Energy Efficiency

Many impact garage doors are designed with insulation that helps regulate the temperature inside the garage. This can be particularly beneficial in coastal areas where temperatures can fluctuate. Proper insulation reduces the need for heating or cooling, leading to lower energy bills. Additionally, an insulated garage door can help maintain more comfortable temperatures in rooms adjacent to the garage.

Durability

While the initial cost of an impact-resistant garage door may be higher than a traditional door, it is a long-lasting investment. These doors are designed to endure extreme weather, meaning they will likely require fewer repairs and replacements over time. By choosing a durable, hurricane-resistant garage door, homeowners can save money on future repairs, maintenance, and energy costs.

Compliance with Local Regulations

In many coastal regions, building codes require that homes be equipped with impact-resistant doors and windows to protect against hurricane damage. Miami-Dade standards, for example, are some of the most stringent certification requirements for garage doors, ensuring they can withstand high winds and impacts from debris. Installing a door that meets these certifications ensures that your home complies with local regulations and is better protected from storm damage. Installing certified hurricane garage doors not only protects your home but also ensures you meet local regulatory requirements, making it easier to sell or insure your property.

Protect Your Home with STS Impact Windows, Doors & Roofing

For homeowners in coastal areas, impact garage doors are an essential part of hurricane preparedness. These doors provide protection from the devastating effects of high winds and flying debris, enhance home security, and offer energy efficiency and long-term savings. While the initial cost may be higher, the benefits far outweigh the expenses, making hurricane garage doors a smart investment for any coastal homeowner.

Are you looking to protect your coastal home with high-quality impact garage doors and windows that can withstand hurricanes? STS Impact Windows, Doors & Windows offers top-of-the-line solutions designed to keep your home safe from storms while enhancing security and energy efficiency. Contact us today at 561-763-1675 to find the perfect impact-resistant products for your home and experience peace of mind all year long.