DASMA TDS 192 - How to Secure a Garage Door Before High Wind Events

When a severe weather alert comes through, one of the most common questions homeowners have is whether to open the garage door to equalize pressure or keep it closed. DASMA TDS 192 answers that question and explains what homeowners can do to protect the door during a wind event.

What this data sheet says

DASMA TDS 192 states clearly that the correct action before a high wind event is to keep the garage door closed, not open it. An open door removes the structural bracing the door frame provides to the wall assembly and exposes the garage interior to direct wind loading.

"A closed garage door provides structural support to the garage wall assembly. Opening the door during a high wind event increases the risk of structural damage to the garage and the home."

The sheet addresses the pressure-equalization myth directly. This idea comes from hurricane preparedness guides about windows, where cracking a window was once thought to reduce pressure differences. That concept does not apply to garage doors in a meaningful way, and current structural research does not support opening garage doors as a protective measure.

Additional guidance from TDS 192:

• Know your door's rated design pressure (in psf, shown on the label required by IRC R609.4.1). If the forecast wind speed will exceed the door's rated design pressure, consider temporary supplemental bracing.
• Supplemental bracing kits are available from door manufacturers for some models. These add horizontal steel tubes across the back of the door sections to increase the door's resistance to outward-bowing failure.
• After the event, inspect the door before operating it. Springs, tracks, and cables can be damaged by pressure loads even when the door stays in place.

When it applies

The Front Range sees several types of high-wind events. Straight-line downslope (Chinook) winds are a regular winter and spring occurrence, with gusts commonly reaching 60 to 80 mph along the Front Range foothills from Fort Collins through Denver to Castle Rock. These are the events where TDS 192 is most directly useful.

Denver's design wind speed is 115 mph (Vult, Exposure C) per the 2025 Denver Building Code. A standard residential door rated for 24 to 30 psf can handle design-level winds when properly installed. But a door that is already aged, has worn tracks, or was not installed to its rated configuration may fail at lower sustained wind speeds.

Severe thunderstorm warnings with wind gusts over 60 mph are the most common trigger for homeowner questions. TDS 192 applies equally in those situations.

What this means for you

Leave the door down and latched before winds arrive. If you have an operator with a lock feature, engage it. The operator's locking bar provides some additional resistance to outward bow during a wind event.

Do not try to brace the door yourself with scrap lumber or tools. Improvised bracing can damage the door panels, is not engineered, and can create falling hazards inside the garage.

Check the rated psf label on your door. If you live in the foothills west of Denver or another area subject to extreme Chinook events, and your door is rated below 20 psf, that is worth discussing with a door professional before storm season.

G Brothers can assess your current door's wind load rating, recommend supplemental bracing if available for your model, and inspect doors for storm damage across the Denver metro area and Front Range.

Full text and source

Download DASMA TDS 192 from the official TDS index at https://www.dasma.com/technical-data-sheets/.

This entry covers residential sectional garage doors during high-wind events. Tornado safety is addressed separately in DASMA TDS 191; post-wind-event inspection procedures are covered in TDS 175.