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HURRICANE DOOR SERVICE
Site-specific design pressure calculations, zone verification and product verification for Florida hurricane-zone doors and windows.
Structural Design of Hurricane Doors and Windows
Every exterior door and window in a Florida hurricane zone must resist a wind pressure specific to its site, not a generic catalog value. We provide the structural analysis needed to correctly specify, calculate and document opening requirements in line with the Florida Building Code 8th Edition (2023) and ASCE 7-22.
A product with the wrong design pressure (DP) rating, or without the impact protection required for the applicable zone, can result in permitting problems, insurance issues or opening failure during a storm.
The Problem We Solve
Hurricane-zone openings have site-specific requirements. Our service helps determine the design pressure for each opening and verifies whether the planned door or window has the certification and DP rating needed for the project.
Site-Specific Design Pressure Calculation
Determination of the design wind pressure for each opening based on location, height, exposure category and building risk category, following the Components and Cladding (C&C) method of ASCE 7-22.
Product Selection & Verification
Review confirming that a product's certified DP rating, including Miami-Dade NOA, Florida Product Approval or Broward BC documentation, meets or exceeds the calculated demand for the site.
Anchoring Design
Specification of the frame-to-substrate fastening system for concrete, block or wood based on the calculated design pressure.
Regulatory Zone Determination
Verification of whether the project falls within the HVHZ (Miami-Dade/Broward), a Wind-Borne Debris Region (WBDR), or neither, and what level of opening protection applies.
Engineering Report for Permitting
Technical documentation with the calculated design pressures, prepared to accompany your permit application to the relevant building department.
How It Works
- Send us the project address and scope: new construction, door/window replacement or renovation.
- We determine the zone and design wind speed that apply to the exact site: HVHZ, WBDR or standard.
- We calculate the design pressure for each opening, factoring in height, exposure and location on the facade (field, edge or corner).
- We deliver a report with the required pressures and verify that the products you plan to install meet them.
- We prepare the documentation package ready for your permit application.
Who This Service Is For
Homeowners
Replacing doors or windows on your home? We help confirm whether your zone requires impact certification and verify that the product you chose has the correct DP rating before the inspector arrives.
Architects & Engineers
Specialized HVHZ technical support to complement your design team on projects where the exterior envelope requires close coordination between architecture and wind loads.
Contractors & Builders
Design pressure reports ready to include in permit packages, with support for multi-unit or development projects.
Why Site-Specific Engineering Matters
After Hurricane Andrew (1992), Florida adopted some of the strictest wind codes in the country. A design pressure that is calculated incorrectly, or pulled from a generic table, can significantly underestimate the real load at corners and edge zones, where suction forces are highest.
In HVHZ zones like Miami-Dade and Broward, design pressures frequently exceed 50-80 psf, and every opening must be justified individually.
Service Area
We serve projects throughout South Florida, including Miami, Coral Gables, Pinecrest, Palmetto Bay, Doral, Hialeah, Miami Lakes, South Miami, Miami Beach, Miramar, Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, Fort Lauderdale and Weston.
Have a Florida Project That Needs to Meet FBC Wind and Opening-Protection Requirements?
Send us the address and scope of work, and we'll tell you exactly what applies to your case.
