If you live in a hurricane-prone area, you’re no doubt familiar with hurricane-rated doors, especially if you’re a facility owner. In light of the damage that Hurricanes Andrew and Katrina inflicted in Florida and Louisiana, code officials cracked down on the specifics for buildings that stand in high wind areas.

The Florida Legislature actually came up with the Florida Building Commission and gave them the task of drafting a statewide building code that would develop regulations for the entire state of Florida when it came to preventing the damage hurricanes and strong winds could cause.

Hurricane-Rated Doors

What It Takes

In order to be classified as a hurricane, wind speeds of 74mph have to be sustained over a solid period of time. However, winds don’t have to be nearly that high to cause damage.

Hurricane door ratings are based on exactly how much wind-force a door, the frame, and all of its hardware can withstand. This is measured by pounds of pressure per inch or “PI.” A facility located further inland may need a door with a PI of 60 while one closer to the coast would require a door with a PI of 70 or 80. This is all dependent on the average wind-force of the area.

It’s important to remember that not only do these doors have to hold up against hurricane-force winds, but also against the debris that may be thrown around because of the winds.

The Tests

These products are put through the ringer before they’re ever available as official hurricane-rated products. They go through several tests ranging anywhere from the amount of pressure they can withstand to testing against water infiltration and impact. They must pass all of these various tests in order to officially qualify as “hurricane-rated.” Below is a pretty cool video demonstrating how hurricane-rated windows and doors are tested:

Cost

The good news with hurricane-rated material is that they really aren’t much more expensive than average door hardware and frames. But, the amount of money it’s going to save you in the event of a hurricane or gale-force winds is well worth it.

Technically, Hurricane Season begins in May, but it doesn’t usually ramp up until late summer, which means there’s no time like the present to address the issue. The experts at LockNet can answer any questions you may have and get you all set up so your doors are ready to face the eye of a hurricane.