Protect Your Garage

Did you know your garage door may be the most vulnerable part of your home to hurricane damage? That's because it is typically the largest opening in a home. If left unsecured, the garage door is susceptible to 100-plus-mph winds that can cause it to buckle, allowing wind to penetrate the garage, potentially rip apart a roof and eventually the rest of a structure.

Reinforcement Options
To strengthen your garage door against high winds, you can brace it with vertical and horizontal 2-by-4 boards anchored into the walls. A wind retrofit kit for garage doors includes braces and hardware. A kit costs up to $500 for a double garage door. You can probably install braces yourself, if you’re handy with a drill.

A more expensive option is replacing your garage door with an impact-resistant model made of steel. Impact-resistant doors cost between $750 and $1,295. Be sure that whatever door you chose meets local building codes for wind resistance. If you are a resident of The Villages, make sure to check your garage door, before you do to extremes, as many homes built within the last few years will probably already have these doors.