WindGuard
What is WindGuard?
Midland WindGuard garage doors are designed and tested to withstand high wind pressures and meet applicable building code requirements. WindGuard-rated doors feature reinforced hardware, additional struts, and track supports to help resist bending and structural damage during severe weather. Available on select Midland garage door models, WindGuard provides added protection for homes and buildings in high-wind areas.
Determining Design Pressure Requirements
Wind speeds and other factors are used to determine design wind pressures for testing and assessing doors. Risk categories and exposure categories are classifications used to assess the potential risk and exposure of a building to wind hazards. The International Building Code (IBC) defines these below:
Risk Category:
Category I: Buildings and structures that represent a low risk to human life and health in the event of failure. This category includes agricultural buildings, minor storage facilities, and other structures with low occupancy loads.
Category II: Buildings and structures that represent a moderate risk to human life and health in the event of failure. This category includes most commercial and residential buildings, such as offices, retail stores, apartments, and hotels.
Category III: Buildings and structures that represent a substantial risk to human life and health in the event of failure. This category includes buildings with high occupancy loads or buildings essential to public safety, such as hospitals, schools, and high-rise buildings.
Category IV: Buildings and structures that represent an essential risk to human life and health in the event of failure. This category includes buildings housing hazardous materials, emergency response facilities, and critical infrastructure.
Exposure Category
- Exposure B: Represents the least wind-exposed areas, such as urban or suburban areas with numerous buildings, trees, or other obstructions that shield structures from the full force of the wind.
- Exposure C: Areas with moderate wind exposure fall into this category. Applies to urban or suburban areas with some obstructions but less dense than Exposure B areas.
- Exposure D: Applies to locations with significant exposure to wind, such as coastal areas or flat, open terrain without many obstructions.
Midland WindGuard
Midland determines design pressure requirements and tests doors in accordance with ANSI/DASMA 108-2017. All doors that achieve a WindGuard label are tested to meet or exceed the pressure on the label and remain operable after a wind event so occupants can escape if necessary. WindGuard doors feature wind ratings with added track supports and additional struts and trusses to resist bending and reinforce the door.