Today’s guest post is by Rob Owen, Director – National Accounts, Architectural Door & Hardware Solutions

In just the last ten years the United States has experienced numerous hurricanes that have inflicted loss of life and property damage in excess of $200 billion. In response to these tragedies, many coastal regions are now adopting strict building code provisions intended to enhance the structural integrity of commercial buildings with hurricane rated hardware. Code officials have standardized this data for construction in regions of the country susceptible to violent wind storms and hurricanes in attempts to safeguard the public health, safety and general welfare through requirements for hurricane rated hardware on buildings and other structures sited.

Hurricane Rated Hardware

To meet the newfound demand for these products, CURRIES® Windstorm-Certified products have been tested to the requirements for hurricane-prone and wind-borne debris regions as defined in the International Building Code (IBC) certified by the Florida Building Commission, Dade County, and Intertek agencies. Assemblies are tested for design pressures, impact resistance, glass and glazing materials and specific commercial hardware applications. The building’s location, and the exterior placement of openings, determines the benchmark performance required.

Hurricane Rated Security Door

LockNet has taken the guess work out of this with the Hurricane Rated LockNet Security Door, available with three of the most common size openings found in the Restaurant and Retail industry. While hurricane prone areas are the only ones who have adapted these as requirements, facilities in the plains area experiencing high winds, and tornadoes have seen that this hardware is also perfect for their unexpected weather issues. Have your facilities experienced weather related structural or hardware issues? How are you handling them and how are you updating your facility to resist future incidents? Share your comments, opinions, and innovations in the comment section below.

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