What is a home without a flattering garage door? Your home might be a marvelous piece of architecture, but if you do not give it an equally befitting garage door, that beauty might be lost. For most people, the garage is the most used entry into the house.
Given the importance of the garage, there are various considerations to make when choosing a garage door. Even if you need an Insulated Garage Door, you still need to consider several other factors.
If you are a new homeowner, deciding on your garage door can be challenging. However, we can make it easy by giving a few tips to help you out!
7 Tips For Choosing The Best Garage Door
1. Cost
Your budget should be the first thing to consider on any home improvement project. While your garage door is important, you do not want to spend an arm and a leg on it. It is advisable to stay within a budget you can afford without straining your pockets.
Cost varies between regions, so what might be affordable in one state might not be affordable in your area. Before you decide, do some market research in your locality to find out the average rates. It should help you decide how much you should spend on a good garage door.
2. Insulation
If you live in a cold area, insulation is an important consideration when choosing a garage door. Without proper insulation, the openings around the garage door will allow cold and hot air to enter the house, interfering with your house’s temperature. You might end up spending more on electricity because of poor insulation. Therefore, ensure to go with an Insulated Garage Door, which provides proper insulation.
3. Climate and Environment
Climatic and environmental features are also critical factors you have to consider when choosing a garage door. How is the climate in your area? Is it mostly sunny, rainy, or icy?
If you live in a warm climatic region, there is little to worry about, unless there are termites in the area. If the area is infested with termites, then you will have trouble with wooden structures.
If your region is mostly wet, then mental health is also not a good idea. If it’s a salty region, then it’s even worse. Metal does not like exposure to salt and water, so unless you have a way of protecting your garage door from these elements, mental will be a bad choice.
4. Material
When it comes to material, your choice will be influenced by the environment and preference. You want a material that can withstand the environmental variables of your region and last for years. Also, you might have a preference for specific materials.
Steel and aluminum are the most common materials for garage doors for the apparent reason that they are durable and easy to maintain. However, these materials are also expensive, but you will compensate for the maintenance cost.
Wood is stylish and suits those who want that traditional appeal, but its also high maintenance. The other common material is composite, which combines wood fibers and plastic resins. These are lighter, more durable, and moderately cheap to maintain.
5. Style
The style of a garage door is influenced much by material and functionality. Sectional garage door designs are the most common in modern buildings. They consist of horizontal panels that roll up and down to open the entrance. Sectional designs often use a remote-controlled system.
Swing out garage doors are more common with traditional buildings. They are similar to French doors in the way they open. This design often comes in wood, but galvanized steel is also moderately common. The swing door is a good choice if you want an automated door, but you do not have much headroom.
Roll-up garage door designs have a drum where they roll up to open or close. These designs are often used for industrial purposes, but you can have them in your home as well.
If you do not have much ceiling space, you can opt for slide-to-the-side designs. They slide parallel to the entrance, so they are not good if you need more storage space inside. Tilt-Up Canopy designs are not so common nowadays. This type has a pivot hinge where the solid panel tilts on.
6. Safety
When choosing a garage door, you should consider safety more than esthetics. There is no need to have a garage door that anyone can break past. Most people use their garage to store other valuables apart from their cars. So, consider a material that is difficult to break.
Also, consider how the door locks. Most automated garage doors can only open via a remote from the outside. However, if you are inside, you can open them from the safety trigger. This ensures that someone cannot break into the garage.
Some people do not like remotes, though. If you are that kind of person, then consider digital locks, t-handle locks, or even reliable regular locks. If you are looking for something more secure, you can go for garage door defenders.
7. Durability
A garage door is not something to be replaced every year. If possible, it should last as long as the house. So, you also need a durable material. It will help minimize your costs in the long run. Some regions experience extreme weather changes, making some wood warp materials and wearing out quite fast. Such conditions require strong materials that are not affected much by changes in temperature.
Fiberglass is a good material for extreme conditions since it’s a poor heat and waterproof conductor. It will also help insulate the garage from the extreme outside weather.
The material of the garage door will also influence temperature changes between the inside and outside. A suitable material should be a poor conductor of heat. Materials such as steel, vinyl, and plywood are ideal in such conditions.
Conclusion
Picking a garage door may seem like a simple decision, but it is not. If you are not careful, you might end up with a garage door that will cost you so much in maintenance every year.
The tips given above can help you make an informed decision and avoid materials and designs that will be high maintenance. However, this is just a guide, and the final decision goes down to your preference. If you are findings it difficult to decide, you can consult a professional garage door installer.
Emma is a full-time content marketing specialist and a passionate writer who loves to write about creating an aesthetic and ambient living environment for everyone. She focuses on sharing ideas and techniques learned from his experience in a concise manner so that it can be used by everyone to make their surroundings beautiful to live in. Currently, She shares great tips on Garage Door Repair Services.
