Residential Garage Doors

Clopay has an easy to use product selection guide to identify the appropriate wind load application for each building code jurisdiction.

Clopay WINDCODE doors are identified by “W” designations; the higher the “W” rating, the stronger the door.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Reinforced Garage Door:

• Find out the wind load requirements for your geographic region and make sure your garage door meets them. The local building code authority can provide current information and a professional garage door technician can perform an on-site inspection. 

• Know your door, even if you didn’t buy it. If you have recently moved into a new residence and did not purchase the garage door currently installed on your home, have a trained professional inspect it to make sure it is the appropriate model for your area and also show you how to secure it during a storm.

• Understand “storm ready” vs. “add-on” reinforcement. Two kinds of reinforced garage doors are available. With the “add-on” system, a homeowner must install long posts in the floor and ceiling to reinforce the door before the storm hits, and then remove them again afterwards to resume normal operation.

“Storm-ready” models require no advance set-up. Reinforcement is contained within the structure of the door and is engaged by simply locking it, a timesaving convenience in the event of an evacuation notice.

This type of door is particularly beneficial to vacation home and rental property owners because they have peace of mind knowing that the garage door is secure as long as it’s locked. 

• Retrofitting an older door with new hardware will not provide the structural support needed for the new building codes.

• You can have safety in style. A reinforced door doesn’t necessarily mean barricading the garage opening in a solid sea of steel. Clopay offers code compliant carriage-house style doors and impact resistant windows.

Notes:
1. Values are nominal design 3-second gust wind speeds in miles per hour (m/s) at 33 ft (10 m) above ground for Exposure C category.
2. Linear interpolation between wind contours is permitted.
3. Islands and coastal areas outside the last contour shall use the last wind speed contour of the coastal area.
4. Mountainous terrain, gorges, ocean promontories, and special wind regions shall be examined for unusual wind conditions.

FLORIDA BUILDING CODE (ASCE7) - (EXPOSURE B**)
Mean Roof Height	90 MPH	100 MPH	110 MPH	120 MPH	130 MPH	140 MPH	150 MPH
15' One-Story	W1	W2/W3	W3/W4	W4	W5	W6	W7
25' Two- Story	W1	W2/W3	W3	W4	W5	W6	W7

FLORIDA BUILDING CODE (ASCE7) - (EXPOSURE C***)
Mean Roof Height	90 MPH	100 MPH	110 MPH	120 MPH	130 MPH	140 MPH*	146 MPH*	150 MPH
15' One-Story	W3/W4	W3/W4	W4	W5	W6	W7	W7	W8
25' Two- Story	W4	W4	W5	W6	W7	W7	W8/W9	W8/W9

* Broward County, Florida is 140 MPH and Miami-Dade County, Florida is 146 MPH, Exposure C only.
** Exposure B is defined as urban and suburban areas, wooded areas, or other terrain with numerous closely spaced obstructions. Exposure B is assumed unless building site meets the definition of another exposure.
*** Exposure C is defined as open terrain with scattered obstructions including flat open ground, grasslands and shorelines in hurricane prone regions, and all of Miami-Dade and Broward County is Exposure C.

WindCode Related Terms:

ASTM E330 The testing standard used in the garage door industry. Also known as uniform static air pressure testing. This standard was developed by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) to allow products to be measured in air pressure chambers. ASCE7 Design standard developed by the American Society of Civil Engineers titled “Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures”. Section 6 of this standard deals with wind loads.

ASCE7 is the basis for wind load calculations used in most building codes.

International Building Code Model building code developed by the International Code Council. Most of the U.S. has adopted this building code (sometimes with slight, locally adopted variations). The wind load provisions in this code specifically call out ASCE7 to be using in wind load calculations.

Design Pressure The measurement of resistance in both positive and negative directions that a door system must withstand. Design pressures are usually expressed in both positive (PSF+) and negative (PSF-) values. Also known as design load.

Test Pressure The actual tested wind pressure resistance that a door system will withstand during laboratory testing. Most building officials usually require that the test pressure be equal to 150% of the design pressure. Also known as test load.

3-Second Gust How wind is measured by the National Weather Service. This data is then compiled into wind maps incorporated into ASCE7 and the International Building Code. The wind speed maps are based on a yearly 2% probability of occurrence (50-year average peak wind).

Mean Roof Height The height above grade level of the midpoint of the roof. Mean roof height is calculated by averaging the eave and ridge heights, and is used as part of design pressure calculations in both ASCE7 and the International Building Code.

Wind Velocity The actual measured speed of airflow during a wind event; usually expressed in MPH. Wind velocity is typically measured at 33 feet (10 meters) above ground level at airports and similar open country locations.

WindCode® The registered name for all Clopay Building Products garage door products designed and tested to comply with wind resistance requirements of local, state, and national building codes. The WindCode® program includes engineering, marketing and sales efforts designed to assist Clopay’s customers understand code issues and to offer the best products for their market