Bob meets with Ryley on the third floor of the Cambridge House to re-hang the old doors (they've been stripped) and install the new trim.

Doors and windows are vulnerable components of your homes protective shell or envelope because they are easily penetrated by wind-borne debris often generated by the high winds of storms like hurricanes. If that envelope is breached during a storm because of the failure of windows and doors, wind, wind-driven rain and debris can enter your home causing considerable damage to its interior and your property. A more critical issue develops when the envelope is breached -- high winds can enter your home and exert high pressure on your walls and roof. These internal pressures combined with the external pressure of wind blowing over your home can lead to catastrophic damage. You can protect your home's openings by installing impact-resistant windows and doors or installing impact resistant coverings, such as shutters over windows and doors. Impact resistant glass and shutters are specifically designed to meet a combination of impact and continuous pressure from the wind. Always use products that have been tested to one of these standards and have been designated as such through a recognized product approval system or evaluation report. Ratings SBCCI SSTD 12 ASTM E 1886 and ASTM E 1996 Miami-Dade Protocols PA 201, PA 202, and PA 203. Impact resistant windows usually consist of a clear plastic-like film sandwiched between two specially-treated pieces of glass, giving the window greater strength than glass alone. Equally important as the strength of the glass is the strength of the window's frame. An impact resistant window is tested as a unit that includes the glass, the frame, as well as the attachment hardware and the installation method. Impact resistant windows should always be installed following the manufacturer's recommendations. Exterior doors should also be wind and impact resistant or protected with an impact resistant covering. Garage Doors Garage doors are particularly vulnerable to high winds, because of the long span of opening they cover and the relatively lightweight material they are made of. Two options are available for strengthening garage doors. Replace the door and track with a system that is designed to withstand high winds and wind-borne debris. The second option is to protect the garage door with a tested and approved impact resistant covering.

The garage doors are being replaced on the Norwell house. Although the project primarily involves adding an in-law suite to the home, homeowner Howard Brickman is replacing the original garage doors and installing two doors on the new garage. Bob talks with Brickman, who built this home 25 years ago on a fairly tight budget. Brickman estimated that construction costs probably ran about $50 per square foot, a figure that would not be possible today. The existing garage doors are fiberboard in a wood frame, with no insulating value. Bob talks with Robert Rainey of PJ Overhead Door about the installation of the new doors. All the hardware has been removed from old door so the sections can be taken out. The hardware is worn and the track is outdated so it will all be replaced with new hardware and operating mechanisms. The new door is a two-sided steel door with a 24-gauge exterior and a 27-gauge interior. The door features two inches of polyurethane insulation, which gives it an R-value of 13 �a vast improvement over the existing doors. The interior side of the door has an embossed wood-grain finish while the exterior has an embossed panel with a carriage-door design. This Amarr Classica 3000 door has the appearance of a wood door and the performance of factory-finished metal. A rubber gasket on the door will act as a seal to prevent air and water from entering the garage. The first panel is put in place and then the track is assembled.

Ernie Hutto from DAB Garage Doors explains that the garage door is the largest opening into any home. Hurricane winds can twist and shred a door, bringing wind force and pressure vacuums into the home and causing building failure. Hurricane Master doors are made of 24-gauge steel to make them more resistant to failure. DAB Hurricane Master doors are strengthened with their patented Interforce system that reinforces the top and bottom panels to prevent door twisting and blow-in. Denver Miller and his crew install the panels starting at the bottom. Reinforcing bars are integral to the design of these hurricane-resistant doors. The Interforce bars are added to the top and bottom panels to give more strength during high winds. The garage-door tracks are also reinforced with seven brackets, a flag bracket, and a 14-gauge steel track. This prevents the tracks from pulling, twisting, and blowing in during a hurricane. The garage door opener is also installed but, as Miller points out, it need not be heavy duty because the strength of the system relies on the torsion springs not the opener. An opener's job is simply to guide the door, not pull it.

…is a decision you will be happy with for many years to come. You know you can count on Sears to complete your home improvement project with high quality materials, workmanship and installation. And by calling Sears you know you don’t have to worry…

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