Garage Door Failure

[bigmig]

Here is a code question that unfortunately hits close to home. I had a garage door fail under a wind storm at my personal residence. It wasn't dramatic, but rather a noticeable bend that makes the door hard to open. After a conversation with the garage door installer, he mentioned that the local building code (IRC 2003) doesn't require a wind rating on garage doors. He basically said I had a 70 mph door in an area with a 90 mph requirement. A 16x8 area of "nonstructural" door is pretty significant in my mind. Has anyone come across structural code requirements for gargage doors in either the IRC or IBC? Would they fall under "compenents and cladding"?

 

[MiketheEngineer]

I think IRC/IBC says all doors, windows and hardware must be designed to withstand local wind loads. At least that is the note I put on my drawings.

The old code (BOCA/UBC) was 70 mph. The new one says 90 mph. Regardless - when you run the numbers there is not that much difference.

They should replace the door.

 

[strainman]

As this doesn't seem to happen often, "my quess" is that if someone looked into it carefully you would probably find that it is a defect in materials or workmanship. In which case they should be responsible to replace the door.

 

[Tmoose]

Did the track or wheels bend?
Did the door bow? Did it bow outward or inward ?


have you been in touch with the garage door manufacturer to confirm that rating?

http://www.dasma.com/PDF/Publications/TechDataSheets/CommercialResidential/TDS155l.pdf

http://www.professionaldoordealer.com/articles/safety/671_651feat1.html

 

[JAE]

If you had more than a true 70 mph wind you'd probably not have a garage behind it. I doubt that the difference between a 70 mph door and a 90 mph door would matter if the true straight-line wind speeds were found to be at 50 to 60 mph (usual for most wind storms at ground level).

 

[diarmud]

I'd approach this as follows:
1. When was it built?
2. Check with the local building code official as to what the requirements were when it was built.
3. States have different codes and in some cases allow local officials to supplement the code, as some states do.

If it was built to code and the code was changed to more restrictive (as they are going), you're probably out of luck. Few items except fire are retroactive in codes.

If it wasn't built to code, I imagine you get a new door free.

Good luck,
Dermott

 

[kslee1000]

Obtain a copy of specification to see what standards its (the door) design was based upon should help.

 

[bigmig]

Thanks for your responses everyone. And thanks for the articles Tmoose. I contacted the garage door installer who is in the process of getting me some specs, although like I mentioned previously, he told me that the door was not "rated". I also called the governing building department and found out that the door should be rated according to IBC Section 1609.1. I reviewed my door maintanence instructions to make sure I hadn't neglected something, and sure enough, in bold letters with a diagram, the manufacturer required additional strap reinforcment on light weight aluminum doors. My door didn't have any.

Regarding the failure, the bottom and center horizontals bowed in slightly, and one of the spindles that holds a roller had bent also (from load going towards the building, making door travel "clunky".