Guide
Garage doors,hail and Kansaswind
After a storm, look the door over before you run it. If you're replacing it, ask how it stands up to wind and dents.
After a storm
Look at the lower panels for dents and the tracks for bends. Check that the door sits square in the opening. Don't run a door that's crooked, dented at the track or rubbing.
Take dated photos before anyone touches the door. If you may claim on insurance, speak to your insurer before you agree to permanent repairs.
- Be wary of anyone who knocks on your door and wants a deposit that day. Kansas law lets you cancel a door-to-door sale within three business days.
- If the storm damaged the framing around the door, ask about a permit. Olathe's residential permit list includes damage repair.
Choosing a door for wind
Garage doors are usually the largest openings in a house. Lenexa's garage door installation guide warns that one failing in strong wind can lead to partial collapse of the house, and gives 115 mph as the design wind speed for the Kansas City area.
In Lenexa, the installer is to attach a label to the door stating it meets that load. Elsewhere, ask the contractor what wind load the door is built for, whether it carries a label, and how the track is fastened to the framing.
Choosing a door for hail
No door is hail-proof. Thin, uninsulated steel dents more easily than thicker steel or a door with insulation bonded to the skin. Ask each contractor to compare the thickness of the doors they offer.
Ready to talk to a contractor?
Your call goes to an independent contractor who works in this area. Say what the door is doing, ask what the price covers, and ask for license details before you agree to anything.