Wind-Rated Garage Doors in Beaumont and Jefferson County

Garage doors are tested for wind. In Jefferson County, ask your insurance agent about a windstorm inspection before replacing one.

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Yes, garage doors have wind ratings: TDI says Texas garage doors must be tested to ASTM E 330, and wind-rated doors carry a published rating. In Jefferson County, ask your insurance agent whether a replacement needs a TDI windstorm inspection.

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Why garage doors fail first in hurricanes

The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) says garage doors are "particularly vulnerable to high winds, because of the long span of the opening they cover and the relatively lightweight material they are made of." TDI's storm-repair handout for garage doors goes further and says garage door failures were behind most of the home failures in recent hurricanes.

When a door bows in and leaves its track, wind gets inside the garage. That's why TDI's first option for a stronger door is to replace the door and the track together with a system designed for high winds and windborne debris.

Southeast Texas has seen both kinds of storm. A National Weather Service forecaster told the Port Arthur News that Hurricane Ike in 2008 was "a Category 2 storm" with "a Category 4 storm surge," with 110 mph winds at landfall. Hurricane Laura came ashore in Louisiana in 2020 as a Category 4. Texas Standard reported little serious damage around Beaumont, but the Weather Service says Laura still blew down trees, power lines and poles in Jefferson and Orange counties.

Do garage doors have a wind rating?

Yes. Here's what the rating means:

Testing. TDI says "in Texas, garage doors must be tested in accordance with ASTM E 330." DASMA explains that the 2006 International Residential Code requires garage doors to be tested to ANSI/DASMA 108, and that documentation can include drawings, test reports and door labels.
The load your house needs. DASMA says the required wind load depends on the door's width and height, how close it sits to a building corner, the building's height, the roof pitch and the exposure (open water vs. a suburban street). Two houses on the same street can need different doors.
Your area's design wind speed. Port Arthur's building FAQ says the design wind load for that area is 140 mph. Ask your city what applies at your address.
Glass. TDI says glass panels should be rated to ASTM E 1996, and suggests considering an impact-resistant door if yours has glass.

Jefferson County: TWIA and Form WPI-8

TWIA's coverage area covers 14 first-tier coastal counties, including Jefferson County, so Beaumont, Port Arthur, Nederland and Port Neches are inside it. TDI says homeowners there may not be able to get private insurance that covers wind and hail, and that most homes need a certificate of compliance to buy a TWIA policy.

For a garage door, TDI's guidance adds up to this:

Call your insurance agent first. TDI's garage door handout says homeowners in first-row Gulf counties should ask their agent whether the repair must meet the building code.
Garage doors aren't on TDI's no-inspection list. That list includes storm doors, fence repairs, gutters and some window glass, but not garage doors.
Get the inspection while the work is underway if you can. TDI issues a WPI-8 for work inspected during construction. Finished work can get a WPI-8-E instead, but TDI says that inspection is harder and "may cost more."
Install to the manufacturer's high-wind instructions. TDI says the door "must" be installed in strict accordance with the manufacturer's instructions and its tested high-wind application.

We don't say an inspection is required for your job, because that depends on your policy and the work. Ask your insurance agent or TDI at 800-248-6032.

Vidor and Orange County

Vidor is in Orange County. Orange County isn't one of the 14 TWIA counties, so TWIA's WPI-8 inspection rules don't apply to Vidor homes. Wind still matters there: the Weather Service listed Orange County among the counties where Laura blew down trees and lines. If you want a wind-rated door in Vidor, the same rating questions apply, and your own insurer may have its own requirements.

How to check a door's wind rating

Ask for the rating and the paperwork. DASMA says documentation can include drawings, test reports and labels on the door.
Look up the product. TDI says most major manufacturers have product listings with TDI. Current product evaluation reports are on TDI's Windstorm System; TDI's handout gives (800) 248-6032, option 5, for help.
Make sure door and track match. TDI's two options for a stronger garage door are replacing the door and track with a system designed for high winds and windborne debris, or adding a tested, approved impact-resistant covering.
Ask whether the installer knows the program. TDI lists a contractor "who is not familiar with the Windstorm Inspections Program" as a warning sign.

Bracing kits and storm prep

TDI's second option, a tested and approved covering, is what retrofit products try to do. If a company offers a bracing kit or cover, ask what testing it has and whether TDI lists it. An untested brace isn't the same thing.

TDI's no-inspection list includes "protective measures before a storm" and "temporary repairs after a storm." Before a storm:

Close the garage door fully. An open door lets wind into the garage.
Clear the track and the floor under the door.
Know where the red emergency release cord is in case the power goes out, and use it only with the door closed.

After a storm damages your door

Don't run a door that's bowed, crooked or off its track. See off-track and cable repair.
Take photos before anything is moved, and call your insurance agent.
Follow TDI's contractor advice: get at least three written bids, avoid door-to-door contractors, and be wary of anyone who takes cash only or wants payment before materials are on site.
In Jefferson County, ask about the windstorm inspection before the replacement goes in.

For prices on a new door, see garage door installation and the garage door repair cost guide.

Sources (12)

Last updated 2026-10-23