Each year on the first of June the Atlantic Basin enters the dreaded six-month hurricane season that can often bring high-speed winds, excessive rainfall, and damaging floods. To ensure protection until the end of the season on November 30, many homeowners know that hurricane preparation is best done sooner than later. It can be an overwhelming experience due to the many factors involved, but if you live in an area affected by hurricanes, choosing the right door for your home is a crucial step towards protecting your investment.
Why Do You Need a Special Door?
During hurricane season, your door acts as the first line of defense for your home, and a strong door can protect against catastrophic damage. When a hurricane hits, strong winds put an extreme amount of pressure on your home and any openings in your windows or doors create additional pressure on your roof. This can result in the roof tearing away from the main structure altogether, or caving into your home.
Pro Tip: Be sure to close all of your windows as well as all interior and exterior doors during a hurricane. This helps to disperse the pressure and makes your home more resilient during the storm.
What to Look for in a Door
While many assume that steel doors are the only way to ensure sufficient protection, forfeiting your curb appeal isn’t the only option. There are several specially designed doors that offer substantial protection during hurricanes – many of which include decorative glass inserts as well.
These doors provide a stylish solution without sacrificing the security and protection that your home needs. Be sure to look for high impact or impact-resistant glass door inserts that are approved for High Velocity Hurricane Zones (HVHZ) because they are designed to meet specific codes and can withstand wind gusts of up to 200 mph. With two outer layers of glass and an inner layer of polyvinyl butyral (PVB), this glass type is sure to provide maximum protection for your home in the event of a hurricane.
The door itself should have the proper Design Pressure or DP rating. These doors are tested using air pressure and are assigned a rating based on their ability to withstand high winds. In areas commonly affected by hurricanes, DP ratings should factor into your purchasing decision when choosing the right door for your home.
Why Trust Trimlite When Choosing a Door?
Choosing the right door is an important step in hurricane preparation, and our goal is to help you make the right decisions that will protect your home in the event of bad weather. Trimlite has been providing homeowners with high-quality, hurricane-resistant glass and secure door solutions for over three decades, and we are proud to have expanded our operation in four different countries. Our products are designed for the future, and we’ve created a system that allows us to serve our customers with the flexibility that they need. Contact us today to discuss options for your hurricane preparation.
