The Hinge Guys

Florida Building Code is one of the most rigorous in the U.S.

When Hurricane Andrew devastated Florida in August 1992, it did $23.4 billion of damage. As this Category 5 storm hit landfall, it had 1-minute sustained wind speeds as high as 165 mph and a gust as high as 174 mph. Andrew caused more structural damage and destruction than any other hurricane in Florida’s history and broke all insurance loss records.

The Florida Building Commission responded in 1996 with a more stringent code that has been continually amended. Besides the “standardization of the design, construction and compliance processes, the Code establishes regulations for the safety, health and general welfare of building occupants and for firefighters and emergency responders during building emergencies.” 

SELECT Hinges get FBC approval in February 2022

The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation submitted its product approval on Feb. 8, 2022, for specific SELECT exterior door components. The following concealed geared continuous hinges passed FBC high-velocity hurricane zone (HVHZ) testing to TAS 201, TAS 202 and TAS 203 (cyclic wind, pressure and impact) at a design pressure of +/- 65 psf. (7th Edition 2020). Download this FBC specification document for more details. 

• SL11 HD
• SL11 LL
• SL14 HD
• SL18 HD
• SL18 LL
• SL24 HD
• SL24 LL

These models are available in any variation, including colors and sizes, and with any prep. Each performs worry-free for decades and comes with SELECT Hinge’s Continuous Warranty^TM — The warranty that never ends for the hinge that never quits.^SM

Many other HVHZ states accept FBC-approved products

States with high-velocity hurricane zones recognize FBC has some of the country’s most stringent product requirements. Many also accept the FBC’s testing and approval of these specific SELECT hinges for exterior entryway wind load, pressure and impact requirements, including the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI). However, please verify with the TDI or your state building codes before making the final specification. 

Act now! Protect your building’s entryways from hurricane damage for decades.

The National Hurricane Center lists the Atlantic hurricane season between June 1 and November 30. Recent outlooks from the well-respected Colorado State University’s Tropical Weather and Climate Research Division predict, for the seventh consecutive year, 2022 will have an above-average active hurricane season in the Atlantic Basin. Now is the time to install the FBC-approved SELECT hinges on your entryways to protect your buildings from HVHZ damage. Contact your SELECT representative to place your order today or call SELECT customer service with your questions. Let’s keep our buildings and their occupants as safe as possible for decades to come.