Wind Load Certification for Garage Doors in Chicago Area: What Homeowners Need to Know
If you’re a Chicagoland homeowner, you are in a region classified as Exposure B (suburban areas). Not all, but some suburban municipalities are requiring wind load certified overhead doors. Wind load certification standards protect your home from high winds.
These municipalities require that the overhead doors in these areas meet requirements which include proper hardware, an engineering drawing provided to the installer, and proper labeling.
It is important to understand that wind load certification involves more than just adding a sticker to your door — which has been a misconception floating around. Wind load certification is process that requires careful modifications dictated by testing and must adhere to local building codes.
Why Wind Load Certification Matters
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) 7-16 provides wind speed maps for the United States, which are used to calculate the pressure requirements for residential structures like garage doors. For Category II residential structures, garage doors must withstand specific lateral forces to stay in place during high wind events, such as hurricanes. This is particularly important because garage doors are often the largest opening in your home. A properly certified wind load garage door ensures that your home remains structurally protected during extreme weather.
Wind Load Certification: Who’s Responsible?
Wind load certification requirements are dictated by your local municipality. This means that it’s the builder’s or homeowner’s responsibility to check with their local building department to determine the required wind pressures for their specific location.
At Forest Garage Doors, our responsibility is to provide the requested wind load-rated door, along with the necessary drawings and labels for doors ordered as wind load certified. However, we are not responsible for determining whether a wind load-rated door is suitable for your specific installation. That responsibility lies with you and your local building authorities.
Please note that wind load certified doors are NOT currently required for a garage door replacement on an existing structure. The municipalities requiring wind load certified overhead doors are requiring them on new builds.
What Does Wind Load Certification Involve?
Garage doors that meet wind load requirements will be tested for Lateral Force Resistance to withstand the specific pressures needed. When properly certified, your garage door will have a permanent label provided by the manufacturer along with and Engineering Drawing for the installer’s reference.
The label includes:
- The manufacturer and model/series number
- The design wind pressure ratings (both positive and negative)
- Installation instruction reference numbers
- Applicable test standards
This label cannot be applied to any door. The door must be ordered accordingly. The hardware will be specific to the door model and size ordered. Hardware and strutting requirements are specific to each door and will be provided by the manufacture. You cannot use one manufactures requirements on another door even if it is the same size and all requirements are determined through testing and relevant requirements.
It’s important to understand that the wind load door design stops at the jamb attachment to the structure. While the door itself is reinforced to withstand wind pressures, Forest Door is not responsible for ensuring that your home’s structural design is adequate. This means that your garage door will only perform as expected if your home’s structure is also designed to handle the same wind pressures.
A Wind Load Door Isn’t Damage-Proof
A common misconception is that having a wind load certified door means the door is indestructible during a storm. This is not the case. The purpose of a wind load door is to remain in place during high winds to protect the structure and its contents. However, this doesn’t mean the door won’t suffer damage during a severe wind event.
Any damage to the door due to wind is not covered under warranty. The goal is to prevent the door from being blown out, which could compromise your home’s safety, but the door itself may still experience damage in extreme conditions.
Conclusion
Wind load certification is a crucial part of ensuring that your garage door can withstand the pressures of high-wind events, but it’s not a simple process. Certification is dictated by your local municipality, and the builder or homeowner must verify the specific requirements for their area. At Forest Door, we ensure that the doors we provide meet the necessary certification standards when requested, but we are not responsible for determining door suitability or your home’s structural design. Remember, even a certified wind load door is not damage-proof but is designed to remain in place to protect your home.
If you’re considering a wind load-rated door for your home, contact us for expert guidance and product solutions.
