Australia is a great place to live. However, every year from November to April, cyclones affect the eastern, northern and western coastlines, so whether you live in the city or the rural area, learning to protect yourself, your family and your property from cyclones can assist in minimising the potential losses and trauma that you might suffer. 

A number of studies have discovered one of the common failures during cyclone event was the disengagement of roller doors from their tracks. This left the door curtain free to flap in the opening and allowed wind and water to enter the house, which caused the roof and walls to fail. On some buildings, the change in internal pressure caused other damage to the structure. Failure through buckling of sectional garage doors was also observed.

In 2012, the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) changed the regulations to make garage doors more resistant to severe wind damage. This work has resulted in a very good understanding of effective garage door design to resist severe tropical cyclones. So in repairing and rebuilding after wind damage, it is important that the current codes and standards are followed.

Preparing for High Winds 

In cyclone areas, it is not possible to predict whether an element will be on a windward, leeward or side face, so all building elements must be able to perform regardless of the wind direction. As the largest point of entry, your garage door offers the largest opportunity for high-pressure destruction.

Dangerous winds can strike unexpectedly and damage your garage door. It’s crucial to prepare your garage door for the cyclone season. First and foremost, you should examine local building codes in order to determine the minimum wind resistance for your garage door. Make sure you’re in line with local building codes. These minimum requirements can help serve as a guideline for future garage door purchases. Investing in a door that exceeds the minimum requirement is a great way to ensure your door will be able to weather occasional high winds.

When selecting a rolling door, ask for products that are specified to resist the design wind speed for your house location. These garage doors have wind locks or other braces to help resist the wind loads. This will give your house the best chance of performing well and safeguarding the lives of you and your family during these types of events in the future.

How Do I Open a Garage Door Without Power?

Power outages are common during the cyclone season, but they can happen at any time. Every homeowner should know how to manually open their garage door from the inside. During a power outage, your first step is pulling the detachment cord and putting the garage in manual mode. By detaching the motor, you will have to lift your door by hand, but you won’t need any power to do so.

Is a Garage Door Battery Backup Worth It?

A garage door opener battery backup system is simple but is a relatively new feature. Many new garage motor models come with a battery backup, so you can use the motor even if the power is out. Unfortunately, if you don’t have one currently installed on your motor, you can’t simply add one. In order to take advantage of this powerful feature, you need to replace your motor. For people in areas that experience frequent blackouts, this can be a very helpful feature.

Having to get out of your car in the rain to lift your garage door by hand while you wait for power to be restored doesn’t sound inviting. A new garage door opener with a battery backup is convenient and gives you some comfort in an emergency situation. Be sure to test the battery before the cyclone season, so you can feel confident when the cyclone hits.