Hail can damage plants, roof shingles, cars and windows. Its effects will be noticeable once the hailstorm is over and can damage both homes and office buildings. Most people are concerned about their roof whenever there is hail, but it’s also important to pay attention to your garage door, as this, too, can become damaged. Hailstorms generally appear without warning, so you won’t have much time to prepare once the storm starts, and this is even more problematic when hail is coupled with high winds because your garage door can become completely damaged. The issue can be minor, like a small cosmetic problem, but in some cases, the damage can be severe and can cause structural issues that will require significant repairs or a full replacement.
If your garage door is well constructed and installed properly, hail can still leave a mark. Wind-driven hail, in particular, can easily scratch a door or cause scuffs, and larger hailstones may leave dents or punch holes right through your garage door panels. This would be very problematic because holes in a garage door will invite bugs and water to enter your garage, which can cause even more damage. Holes of any size must be addressed right away; otherwise, they can increase in size, and this will compromise your door’s strength. It’s important to remember that even the best constructed garage doors are not impervious to hail, so this is something every homeowner needs to monitor after a hailstorm.
The good news is that there are steps you can take to help protect your garage door from hail, and preventative maintenance will make a big difference. You can prepare ahead of time and can install reinforcement struts on each panel of the door to boost the integrity of the overall structure. This step is very effective and will help your door hold up to very strong wind that can otherwise bend or break the panels.
In terms of materials, steel garage doors are much stronger than other materials, so they can stand up to hailstorms. You can also choose to install a heavy-duty protective screen to reduce potential damage, and you can even construct a temporary screen that you can install whenever there is a threat of a storm, and you can remove it once the storm passes. You can also install heavy-duty garage doors that are specifically built to endure harsh weather conditions, as these are specifically designed to serve as defence against hail.
If your garage doors become damaged because of hail or other elements, the experts at Sam’s Garage Doors can help. We specialize in repairs, so if you are in the Vancouver, Surrey or Coquitlam areas, give us a call today!