Hurricane season is becoming less predictable and more intense. For years, experts measured the season simply by how many storms formed each year. But today, meteorologists are tracking a much broader range of indicators, including how quickly storms strengthen, how much rain they produce, and how expensive the damage becomes.
The 2025 hurricane season produced the second-highest number of hurricanes on record for a single season, including Hurricane Melissa, one of the most intense Atlantic hurricanes ever recorded. Collectively, the storms caused at least 126 fatalities and more than $9 billion in damages.
Hurricanes feed on warm water, and both the Atlantic and Gulf waters have remained unusually warm in recent years. As a result, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is predicting above-normal hurricane activity for the foreseeable future.
And hurricanes are no longer just a coastal concern. In recent years, storms have triggered devastating flooding hundreds of miles inland, overwhelming infrastructure and catching many communities off guard.
The bottom line: Businesses across the country must prepare for the severe weather that comes with hurricane season.
How Doors Fit into Hurricane Season
As hurricane season approaches, facility managers across the Southeast and Gulf Coast – and beyond – are asking: “Are our buildings prepared for what’s coming?” If they don’t have the right doors in place, the answer is probably “no.”
High winds, pressure changes, flying debris, and heavy rain can all exploit weak points in a facility – and traditional overhead doors are often among the first failures. Once a door fails, internal building pressure can spike rapidly, potentially leading to catastrophic structural damage to roofs, walls and foundations.
Wind remains the biggest threat during hurricanes, with pressure created from high-speed winds escalating fast. A 50-mph wind pushes roughly five to seven pounds of pressure per square foot against a door. At 100 mph, that pressure jumps to 28 pounds per square foot. By 130 mph, it climbs to nearly 47 pounds per square foot. That means a 16’ x 20’ door might need to withstand more than 15,000 pounds of force during a hurricane.
Doors Are Your First Defense Against Hurricanes
Rytec’s Spiral® HZ® and low-headroom Spiral® LH®-HZ® doors are the first high-speed, high-performance hurricane-rated doors certified for compliance with Miami-Dade County and Florida Building Codes.* These doors are built to withstand winds up to 175 miles per hour and are certified to withstand missile impacts in high velocity wind zones.
If your building must comply with wind and building codes, Rytec doors are the right choice to protect your business as weather conditions become more extreme – and to support everyday productivity and efficiency.
Built for Extreme Weather. Unlike traditional garage or rolling steel doors, today’s high-performance doors are engineered to withstand extreme pressure changes and storm conditions.
Rytec’s hurricane-strength doors feature:
- Double-walled, insulated 6-inch aluminum slats with rubber weatherseals
- A heavy-duty reinforced hinge system
- Durable powder-coated steel side frames and head that maintain the integrity of the door opening
- Heavy-duty seals that help keep rain and water out more effectively than standard garage doors or hurricane shutters
Tested to Ensure Performance Under Pressure. Rytec doors undergo negative and positive pressure testing and large and small impact testing to ensure optimal performance in extreme weather conditions.
Speed Matters More than Ever. Spiral HZ and LH-HZ doors open at up to 60 inches per second, helping keep traffic moving, regardless of weather conditions. Their speed allows the doors to open quickly, move out of the way of vehicles and help seal out inclement weather. This reduces air infiltration, allowing your HVAC systems to operate more efficiently to deliver cost savings.
Reliability Is a Top Priority. Traditional doors are often shut down by damaged components and require frequent repairs. High-performance doors are designed to minimize maintenance and ensure trouble-free, efficient operation, day in and day out.
Rytec doors eliminate many common failure points with:
- Variable-speed AC drives for soft acceleration and deceleration to increase the life of the door’s operating components
- Patented spiral design to reduce wear and increase door longevity
- No metal-to-metal contact to dramatically extend door life
- Counterbalance system for smoother operation
The result? Fewer maintenance headaches, less door downtime and lower long-term costs.
Designed for Form and Function. Today’s building owners and managers are increasingly looking for exterior elements that enhance their building’s design. High-performance doors can be customized to match the aesthetics of your building, including classic RAL colors and custom color-matched powder-coated finishes.
Florida Building Code Certified. Spiral doors are certified for compliance with Miami-Dade County and the Florida Building Code. Miami-Dade County, Florida NOA No. 23-0929.05. Florida Product Approval FL# FL28502-R3. We protect automotive dealerships, parking structures, government buildings, and a variety of commercial buildings along the eastern and southern coasts.
Be Ready Before the Storm Hits
As stronger storms become more common, hurricane-rated, high-performance doors are quickly becoming an essential tool in withstanding extreme weather – and ensuring smoother day-to-day operations long after the storm passes.
Protect your business with hurricane-strength doors from Rytec. Learn more about our hurricane-rated doors. Or contact us for more information.
* Miami-Dade County, Florida NOA No. 23-0929.05. Florida Product Approval FL# 28502.R3.
