A wind-rated garage door is built and tested for a stated wind pressure. On the Texas coast, the Texas Department of Insurance sets the rules for doors that must qualify for windstorm insurance, and it says garage doors must be tested under ASTM E 330. Check your address with the state, your insurance agent and your city before you buy.
Myth: any new garage door is hurricane rated
Fact: an ordinary residential door is not a wind-rated door. Clopay says ordinary residential garage doors offer little to no real protection against an EF2 or stronger tornado. A wind-rated door is built and tested for a stated wind pressure, and the label should say which.
FEMA also points out that garage doors are among the largest openings in a house, and wind can blow them in, pull them out or twist them off the track. That is why the rating matters.
Myth: the whole state follows the same rule
Fact: coastal and inland Texas are handled differently. Clopay says the coastal rules apply to the 14 counties recognized as the TWIA catastrophe area, where the Texas Department of Insurance sets the requirements. Inland, the rules follow local building codes and wind maps.
The department's builder FAQ refers to the first tier counties along the coast. It does not list them on that page, so ask the department, your insurance agent or your city building department whether your address is in that area. We do not decide that for you.
Myth: any wind rating works
Fact: the Texas Department of Insurance says garage doors in Texas must be tested in accordance with ASTM E 330 and that glass panels should be rated to ASTM E 1996. It also describes a Certificate of Compliance as proof of eligibility for wind and hail insurance coverage through the state's pool.
Clopay says coastal doors need TDI product approval and installation by a TDI-registered installer for certification. Ask any seller which approval the door carries and who files the paperwork.
Quick facts
| Question | Short answer | Who decides |
|---|---|---|
| Is my address in the coastal zone? | Ask; we do not decide it | Texas Department of Insurance or your agent |
| Which test does a garage door need? | ASTM E 330 for the door; ASTM E 1996 for glass panels | Texas Department of Insurance |
| Does a hurricane category tell me the door rating? | No; a category is a wind speed scale, not a door rating | National Hurricane Center |
| Can I brace an old door instead? | FEMA describes bracing and latches, but a rated door is the other path | Your building official |
| What does it cost? | A quote lists the door, hardware and labor | Confirmed after we see the opening |
Rules change. Always check the current requirement for your address.
Myth: a hurricane category is a door rating
Fact: the National Hurricane Center describes the Saffir-Simpson scale as a 1 to 5 rating based only on a hurricane's maximum sustained wind speed. A Category 1 storm has winds of 74 to 95 mph and a Category 3 storm has winds of 111 to 129 mph.
A door rating is a pressure the door was tested to resist. The two numbers measure different things, so do not shop by category. Ask for the rating on the label and the approval number.
Myth: bracing replaces a rated door
Fact: FEMA lists measures such as longer latches, wooden or steel girts, stronger tracks and a center post brace, and says replacement doors should be rated for the wind speed and pressure where the home is located. Some measures need a person to install them before the storm.
Whether bracing is accepted for your home is a question for your building department and your insurer. See new garage doors for the doors we install, and storm damage to a garage door if yours was hit.
What to ask before you buy and who to call
Ask the seller for the rating, the test standard, the approval and who installs it. Emil Garage Doors repairs garage doors, springs, cables and openers and installs new doors in Texas, including Beaumont, Galveston and Pasadena. Call or send your details and the size of the opening; we will tell you in plain words what we can supply and what the quote covers.
Questions people ask
What is a hurricane-rated garage door?
A garage door tested and labeled for a specific wind pressure, often with reinforced sections and track. The label, test standard and approval matter more than the sales name.
Do garage doors in Texas have to be tested?
The Texas Department of Insurance says garage doors in Texas must be tested in accordance with ASTM E 330. Rules for your address depend on whether it is in the coastal area.
Does a Category 1 hurricane need a rated door?
A category describes wind speed, not a door rating. Ask your insurance agent and building department which rating your address needs.
Can I make my existing garage door stronger?
FEMA describes bracing, longer latches and stronger tracks, but replacement doors should be rated for the local wind speed and pressure. Ask your building official what is accepted.
More guides
Sources
- Texas Department of Insurance: Windstorm inspection program FAQ for builders (garage door testing, Certificate of Compliance, first tier coastal counties)
- Clopay: WindCode garage doors for Texas (coastal counties in the TWIA catastrophe area, inland wind maps, TDI approval)
- FEMA Fact Sheet 3.2: Wall Systems and Openings (how wind can push garage doors in, pull them out or twist them off the track; bracing and rated doors)
- National Hurricane Center: Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale (categories by sustained wind speed)