Iron Door Impact Ratings: An Overview

16 Nov Iron Door Impact Ratings: An Overview

Understanding the iron door impact ratings is very important. If you live in a hurricane zone, you might have to get the right type of door to meet the local codes. With the right iron door, you get an amazing look and the protection you desire.

When you look for the right iron door, finding one that has been tested for use in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zones (HVHZ). Whether you have to choose a door like this due to local building code or you just want the added protection, the iron door impact ratings are very important. Let’s look a little closer at the different ratings you should understand.

Iron Door Impact Ratings

There are a few main impact ratings you want to look at. Each is a bit different and will tell you if the iron door you’re looking at will work for you or not.

TAS 201-94

This rating means the door was impacted with a 2×4 traveling at 50 feet per second with a weight of 9 pounds. It’s known as Missile Level D. The goal of the tests this type of door will undergo is to replicate the type of wind you might experience during a Tropical Storm or Hurricane.

TAS 202-94

This type of rating means the door has been tested under intense pressure. In fact, it must be tested at 1.5 times the pressure when undergoing this type of testing.

TAS 203-94

If an iron door has undergone this type of testing, it has been tested with repeated wind loads. This type of testing is meant to replicate hurricane-force winds. It’s a very high-impact rating test for any type of door or window.

Why You Need Hurricane Impact Iron Doors?

If you live in Florida, or another coastal area, you may not have a choice. Local building codes may require you to choose doors and windows with a high impact rating. Even if you’re not required to, you will likely want to choose hurricane impact iron doors.

The entire state of Florida can possibly see winds of more than 100 miles per hour during a hurricane or tropical storm. Even the inland areas can see dangerous winds. This is also true for other coastal states.

Hurricane impact doors offer the durability and strength you need when living in a hurricane zone. These types of doors have gone through incredible testing to ensure they won’t become compromised during a storm.

Iron doors with a high impact rating will resist flying debris during a storm. It’s not just about the winds. It’s about the flying piece of wood or metal that hits the door, too. Your iron door cannot qualify as an impact product without meeting hurricane debris codes. They have to be approved by a body, such as the Florida Building Code or the International Building Code.

When you choose this type of iron door, you gain many benefits including better security and lower energy costs. You will likely gain a discount on your insurance and you can even gain better resale value for your home, too.