Reading a garage door wind-load label

Where to find it

Open the door partway or stand inside the garage with the light on. The label is usually on the inside face of one section, near an edge or the center stile, sometimes near the bottom. IBHS asks homeowners not to peel it off, because it is the simplest proof of what the door was built to handle. Take a photo of it for your records and your insurer.

What the numbers mean

• Design pressure, positive (+). Wind pushing in on the door, in pounds per square foot.
• Design pressure, negative (minus). Suction pulling the door outward, which is often the larger number on the label.
• Test standard. IBHS lists ASTM E330, ANSI/DASMA 108 and Florida TAS 202 as recognized pressure tests.
• Impact rating, if the door has one. That covers flying debris, which is a separate test from pressure.
• Product approval number. Many doors sold in Florida carry a Florida Product Approval number, often written as FL followed by digits.

For scale: the FORTIFIED technical bulletin on garage doors gives +23/-29 PSF as the design pressures for a single-car door at 130 mph, Exposure C, the minimum FORTIFIED asks for under its High Wind standard. A two-car door, a more exposed lot or a higher design wind speed needs higher numbers. The installer works out the requirement for your address.

Florida Product Approval

Florida Statutes 553.842 sets up statewide approval for building products, and exterior doors are one of the product categories it names. The Florida Building Commission runs a public search where you can look up an FL number and see the approved door with its pressures and installation instructions. Local permit forms in Central Florida ask for that number when a door is replaced.

Permits

A full garage door replacement usually needs a building permit so the new door can be checked against the wind-load code. The installing company normally pulls it. Repairs usually don't need one. Your city or county building department has the final word, and each city and county here runs its own permit counter.

Who may install it

Florida's Construction Industry Licensing Board certifies garage door installation specialty contractors under Rule 61G4-15.100(1)(k), which took effect on May 5, 2024. Its scope covers installing and repairing garage doors along with their hardware and openers, including low-voltage wiring for safety features. Other electrical work, such as a new outlet for the opener, goes to a licensed electrician. Look up any company's license on myfloridalicense.com before work starts.

No label?

The Florida Building Code replaced local codes on March 1, 2002. If your house is older than that and the door looks original, IBHS says it is likely not wind-rated. About 58% of homes in the ZIP codes we cover were built before 2000. A missing label on a newer door may just mean someone removed it; the installer or builder may have the paperwork. Your options for an unrated door.