Choosing the Right Garage Door for Your Florida (Coastal) Home

July 28, 2021

Many people in the Midwest live here for the beautiful weather in spring and summer. But when the temperatures drop, and winter brings its seemingly endless snow, it’s common for many Midwestern homeowners to head south. Often, this means heading to a winter home in Florida or many other coastal states. While this yearly migration takes homeowners to the best part of the country to reside in during the winter months (at least if you don’t like cold temperatures and the snow), it also means you have to prepare your winter home for entire year, not just during the months in which you reside there.

This includes finding the right garage door for your coastal home.

The Difference Between Midwestern and Coastal Garage Doors

One of the things every coastal home needs is a sturdy, hurricane-rated garage door. These types of wood garage doors are able to withstand the heavy winds, hail, heavy rain, and other severe weather conditions common in the area.

These doors also need to meet the often-strict standards set forth by the county where the home is built. Among these are the Miami-Dade County Notice of Acceptance and the Florida Building Code product approval, two of the toughest and most stringent building codes relative to high velocity wind load and impact rating.

What Makes a Good Garage Door for Warm, Coastal, and Hurricane-Prone Climates?

There are several key factors that go into creating a well-built and designed hurricane-rated garage door:

Wind ratings: these determine how well a garage door can withstand heavy winds brought by storms. Discover more about garage door wind ratings here.
Controlling for temperature: walk-through doors are a great way to control the temperature in a garage space because they allow you to enter and exit the garage without opening the overhead door. Find out what other design features are ideal for garage doors in hot climates.

Insulation: insulation is just as important for warm climates as it is for cold climates. See how wood garage doors can be insulated properly here.
Consider the architectural styles of the region: based on where you are and what type of home you own, the design of your garage door will change. View the architectural home styles common in coastal homes.

There are many more design elements that are integral to creating a garage door for a coastal home. These can include protections against humidity, insects, and much more.