How to Secure Your Garage For a Hurricane

High winds during hurricanes and other severe storms can cause significant destruction to homes, especially the garage door. And while most homeowners focus more on their roofs and other parts of the house, any damage done to the garage could end up costing you substantial sums of money. The best possible outcome of a bad storm is that no damage to the garage door has been done. To that end, there are ways to secure your garage for a hurricane.

In the event your garage door is damaged, however, you may need to rely on insurance to cover it. What happens if the insurer refuses to pay what you deserve under your policy? The Louisiana law firm of Insurance Claim HQ is here to advocate for you.

Why Is It Important to Protect Your Garage From a Hurricane?

The garage door itself can cost a few thousand dollars to replace, depending on its make and model. Yet this is not necessarily the worst part about high storms and what they can do to your home. The garage is one of the most vulnerable points of the house because it is the largest opening. During a storm, this part of your house will bear the brunt of high-speed winds. If the door isn’t sound enough, or at least fortified to make it more resistant, there’s a good chance it will break.

This immediately exposes the interior of your home to further damage. Personal items in the garage, including your vehicles, can be destroyed. The framing, roofing, and other portions of your house will also be at risk, meaning that high winds could wreak havoc from the inside out. This can lead to major structural damage to the rest of the house.

What Options Are There for Hurricane-Resistant and Hurricane-Proof Garage Doors?

A secure garage is extremely important in avoiding damage during a hurricane. These are a few ways to make a more resistant and hurricane-proof garage:

Install braces

One way to fortify the garage door is to brace it with vertical and horizontal boards. These 2-by-4 boards are anchored into the walls of the garage and can add additional protection against high winds. You can purchase a wind retrofit kit that includes braces and hardware for the garage door. These kits cost up to $500 for a double garage door. Some owners prefer to install their braces, while others have professionals do the work.

Replace with a wind-resistant door

Another option is to replace the existing garage door with one that is wind-resistant. Wind-resistant garage doors come with specific ratings that are based on the severity of storms; higher ratings generally correspond to more protection from higher wind speeds. Because of the pressure that wind places on screws and joints, this option is especially critical if your home is older.

Replace with an impact-resistant door

A slightly different type of garage door is a steel, impact-resistant model. These are designed to resist not just high winds but flying debris as well. You will need to check with local building codes to make sure your new garage door complies, although companies that sell these doors often already know the regulations.

Contact a professional to learn more about how to secure a garage door for a hurricane.

What to Do After Sustaining Garage Door Damage

If your home has endured astorm with high-speed winds, you will need to inspect the exterior to check for signs of damage. One place to make sure not to overlook is the garage door. We recommend taking the following steps:

Determine if there was any damage

Examine the outside of the garage to check for dents, bends, broken panels, scratches, broken windows, and other signs of wind or debris damage. The door may be off its frame, so take a close look and call a professional if you are unsure. By carefully opening and closing the garage door, you can readily discern whether it is misaligned. However, do not attempt to force the door open or closed; it should go up and down as smoothly as it did before the storm. You should also not attempt to repair any damage yourself since this could end up jeopardizing your insurance claim.

Take photographs and record video

Next, be sure you document the damage by taking numerous detailed photographs at different angles that clearly depict what happened. Some pictures will need to be taken close up, while others can be taken at a distance. At least one photo should depict your street number, if possible, or some other identifying mark to prove it is your home. You should also record a video, for example, of your attempt to open and close the door and what that looks or sounds like. In your video, you should also include evidence that the door belongs to your house.

Contact your insurance company

Finally, reach out to your insurance company about filing a claim to pay for the garage door and other damage to your home. You can check here to find out whether your garage may be covered by your homeowners’ insurance policy. Your insurance company can also explain the details of your policy. Assuming the garage door is covered, your insurer will want photographs and other information about the damage. The company may send someone to inspect the damage and then process the claim. Ask your insurer about what steps they recommend for you to mitigate the damage so you don’t put your claim at risk.

What If My Insurer Refuses to Cover the Damage?

Regardless of what the insurance company tells you, it is important that you read the details of your policy. This is necessary even if the garage door damage is covered because you will need to know exactly what the insurer will pay for. But this step is especially critical if your insurer denies the storm damage claim or you encounter another issue like the ones listed below.

It’s a good idea to reach out to an experienced New Orleans home insurance claim lawyer if you encounter any of the following problems:

• You are unsure how to file a claim with your insurer or what to include with it
• The insurance company says that you did not timely or correctly file a claim
• You do not agree with the insurance company’s assessment of how severe the damage is
• The company denies the claim
• The company pays too little on the claim
• The company is dragging its feet in paying on the claim or communicating with you
• You disagree with the insurer’s interpretation of the policy

Depending on the facts of your case, you may be able to take legal action to seek more compensation from the insurance company. An insurance claim lawyer can handle each step of the claims process, including negotiating with the insurer for more money or filing a bad faith lawsuit if necessary.

Review Your Options With Insurance Claim HQ

If you are unsure whether your claim is being handled fairly by the insurance company, reach out to our legal team for another opinion. We can review your policy, the extent of the damage, and other information concerning your claim so you better understand your rights and options. Call Insurance Claim HQ today to get started.