Windstorm Inspection for a Garage Door Near Houston

Across most of the Houston area there is no state windstorm inspection for a new garage door. In a band along the coast, a door put in without one may cost the home its TWIA eligibility, and the difference shows up later, at the insurance counter.

Who is in the area

The Texas Department of Insurance puts it this way: "Properties in 14 coastal counties and in parts of Harris County east of Highway 146 are in a designated catastrophe area." Three of those counties touch the Houston area: Brazoria, Galveston and Chambers. In Harris County the area is the City of Morgan's Point and the parts of La Porte, Pasadena, Seabrook and Shoreacres that lie east of State Highway 146 (TDI Commissioner's Order 96-1468).

Cities that straddle a county line straddle the area too. Part of Pearland is in Brazoria County, part of League City and Friendswood is in Galveston County, part of Baytown is in Chambers County. Each place page on this site says which side it is on.

Why a garage door is on the list

The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association sells wind coverage in that area, and to buy a TWIA policy, in TDI's words, "most homes and properties must have a certificate of compliance verifying that the structure meets applicable building codes and can withstand high winds and hail." TWIA's examples of improvements that need to be certified name garage doors: "Windows, entry doors, and garage doors."

So a new door put in without the inspection may leave the home ineligible for a TWIA policy. It is "may", not "will": TWIA makes an exception for some homes that were insured privately and then refused renewal. It is not a gamble worth taking by accident.

What makes a door pass

TDI's product evaluation answers are specific: "Garage doors must be tested in accordance with either ASTM E 330-14 or ANSI/DASMA 108-17." TDI keeps product evaluations for garage doors, and the installation is what the windstorm inspection certifies.

The label on the door carries the design pressure in pounds per square foot, positive and negative, not a wind speed; the door industry's association notes that "the building code requires design pressure (psf) on the label" (DASMA TDS #1502). TDI explains why it matters on a garage: "Garage doors are particularly vulnerable to high winds, because of the long span of the opening they cover and the relatively lightweight material they are made of."

What to ask before the old door comes out

Is my address in the designated catastrophe area? If you are on a county line or near Highway 146, check before anything is ordered.
Which TDI product evaluation does the new door carry?
Who arranges the windstorm inspection, and when?
Will I get a copy of the certificate? It is what TWIA will ask for.

Outside the area

Across most of Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery counties there is no state windstorm inspection. If a replacement door carries a wind-load label, that label is still the thing to read: see replacing a garage door.

Updated 2026-09-30.

What you will be asked

The address, and which county it is in.
Whether the home is insured through TWIA, or you plan to apply.
Whether the current door has a wind-load label, and what it says.
The opening: one car or two, and roughly how wide.
Whether the old door was damaged, or you are replacing it by choice.

Call (888) 217-5954 to schedule a visit

The line takes repair, replacement and installation of garage doors and openers, for owners and renters, at homes and at commercial buildings. It is not for buying parts, doors on box trucks and trailers, or a price quoted over the phone without a visit. The price is named after someone has seen the door.