Selecting and Installing or Replacement of Garage Doors
Garage doors come in all manner of designs to suit different tastes, budgets, and climates. You can purchase these
doors for commercial sites or for your home.
Various factors will determine your final buying decision. You may need a new garage door if you are building a new property, remodeling a property or the door is broken or old and needs to be replaced.
Worth noting is that a new garage door can enhance the beauty of your home or commercial property by its design. It increases the house’s curb appeal. Therefore, the kind of garage door you pick should, as much as possible, complement the overall design of the main property and also be in harmony with your personal tastes and preferences.
Also, the purpose that the garage serves will determine how much you are willing to invest in the new door and money will ultimately determine the kind of door you will select.
The bottom line to selecting a garage door is that you need something within your budget, easy to operate, secure, durable and perhaps with insulation. The good thing is that there are various designs to choose from and you are sure to find something that meets your individual needs.
Do you Need an Insulated Garage Door?
Automatic VS Manual Garage Doors
Automatic garage doors have more benefits compared to manual garage doors. The main advantage being the convenience it provides during opening and closing of the doors. However, installing an automatic garage door is a little bit more complex than installing a manual door and comes with maintenance routines that have to be observed.
The good thing is that the cost of installing an automatic door is not so expensive, it should only be around $300.
Because automatic doors need to be maintained, be sure to get all the details when buying a garage door automatic system so that you know the pros and cons and choose an easier to maintain system.
Also, although both manual and automatic doors need to be lubricated regularly, however, automatic doors may refuse to work at all if not well lubricated. The doors may also make a lot of noise, therefore be sure to lubricate them as needed.
Also when considering automatic garage doors, you may need more than one remote control, especially if more than one person uses the garage. This can enable you to have a remote control in your vehicle to use it more conveniently.
Another very important highlight of an automatic door is that it should be able to work manually and more so from inside the garage. The manual system can be used during emergencies or when the remote fails to work, in case of a power outage or there is a fault in the system.
Indeed if your current garage door is manual, you don’t have to replace the whole door if it is still in good condition, you can have it converted it into an automatic style. Just consult an expert to do a possibility evaluation.
Garage Security Systems
Most times, a garage has a lot of valuables. A garage door can also be an easy target for thieves to get into the main house especially if there is a connecting door. There are various security systems that can be installed to keep the garage secure.
If you live in an insecure neighborhood, then it is important to consider having a metal door because it is sturdy and hard to break into. Then, if the garage door has windows, ensure that thieves are not able to see what is inside the garage. You can spray the windows using a special frosted spray to prevent visibility when someone is outside.
An emergency release handle also helps to secure the garage door. You can use zip ties and other hacks to prevent thieves from manipulating the emergency release handle. One way can be disabling the handle at convenient times.
Use can also use alarms or motion sensing lights as security systems. The sensors are programmed to emit a loud sound alerting you of any danger.
Also when you are not outdoors, keep the garage door remote control in the house and not in the car permanently. If possible attach it to your car keys. Another way to protect yourself from being attacked through the garage door is to secure the doors that are attached to the garage using systems that screw the door into the ground securely.
Selecting a Garage Door
Garage door designs are crafted from different types of materials. If the garage is a traditional garage used for parking only vehicles, then you may want to settle for quite a basic style.
If on the other hand, you use the garage to store other items like wood that cannot be accommodated in the main house, then the design of the garage door will also be affected slightly.
Better still, if you happen to work from your garage to do a side-hustle like woodworks, crafts, electric works or other jobs, then you have to put more consideration in designing the whole garage which also includes the door. In such a case, because you will be spending lots of time working from here, you will need a more beautiful design, and you need more thought and interior decoration skills in the project.
Roller Garage Doors vs. Traditional Garage Doors
There are mainly two types of roller garage doors; there are aluminum insulated double-skinned or steel-single-skinned roller doors. Double-skinned are insulated, are more secure and have less noise than the single-skinned even though they are more expensive.
There are many manufacturers of roller garage doors; please be sure to compare the materials and prices before making a purchase.
Different Garage Door Designs
Most times a garage door is quite conspicuous in appearance in a property or home, and its look affects the rest of the property appeal. Therefore if you are replacing your garage door, this is a good opportunity to enhance the property looks.
The good thing is that the technology of developing garage doors has gotten more complex providing homeowners with many options to select from. Further, they can come with many high-tech attributes for consideration.
Not only that, modern technological innovations have made most construction materials to be quite weatherproof and can withstand extreme temperatures.
Many garage door manufacturers have garage doors made from wood, steel, aluminum, fiberglass, and vinyl. It is important to make an informed decision when buying a garage door and know the advantages and disadvantages of all garage doors.
- 1 Wooden Garage Doors
- 2. Steel Garage Doors
- 3. Vinyl Garage Doors
- 4. Aluminum Garage Doors
- 5. Fiberglass Garage Doors
- 6. Carriage Style Doors
Wooden Garage Doors
Wood continues to remain a favorite option for many, because of its availability, easy customization and also beauty. However, it is not very long lasting especially in humid climates. Wood is also expensive because garage doors have to be custom made. Also, it is rare to find it in shops ready-made. Most are made by independent sellers to order.
Wooden doors also need regular maintenance more than the other options. They may need a fresh coat of paint every year. The other disadvantage of wooden doors is that it is more complex to install automatic systems on the doors.
Wood is also affected by salt in the atmosphere and moisture. Woods contract or expand depending on the moisture content in the environment. If the wood expands or contracts by a large percentage, it may refuse to work until it goes back to its usual size.
Further, termites can also attack your wooden garage door when they are searching for food and warm shelter.
Steel Garage Doors
Steel garage doors are a very popular option nowadays. They have very many advantages when compared to other options. First and foremost they are very strong and therefore secure and durable.
Also, they require low maintenance, most of them crafted to be rust-proof for longevity. What’s more, they are quite pocket-friendly and can be beautifully designed to imitate wood with various coatings and wood-grain styles.
You also have an option to order insulated steel doors which have polyurethane foam or rigid polystyrene for insulation.
Vinyl Garage Doors
Vinyl garage doors come with a lot of aesthetic appeals, in terms of color and designs. There are various kinds of finishes including glass and wood-look-alike finishes. They are also quite affordable. You also have an option to choose between insulated and non-insulated and automatic or manually operated.
The other good thing is that they are rust-proof and easy to maintain. Further, there are some that are designed with a UV-finish for longevity.
Aluminum Garage Doors
Fiberglass Garage Doors
Carriage Style Garage Doors
Carriage style garage doors date back to prehistoric times when garages were used as barns and required two single doors. They were designed to open outwards for convenience. Carriage style garage doors have been overhauled to be more ergonomic in the modern age.
Where to Buy Garage Doors
After checking a few reviews online, the first place to check should be a local independent garage door company in your neighborhood or a woodworks workshop as some may be distributors for manufacturers. A local woodworker will do a perfect job of making a custom garage door for you if that is what you need.
Do this before considering visiting showrooms of home depots and other home improvement stores.
Installing Garage Doors
Installing a garage depends on many factors including whether it is an automatic or manual door and the size of the garage door. The good thing is that modern technological advances have made it easy for most functions to be performed by non-technical experts and that includes garage door installations.
You can purchase a garage door and install it without having to hire a technical expert because most garage door manuals come with self-installation instructions.
However, consider hiring an expert if you doubt your ability to install the door.
Please note that garage doors are huge and not like other do it yourself projects that can be managed from a table top. As you know, it takes an amateur more time to figure out anything, and the project may take unnecessarily long and end up being a headache. Remember that you will only incur the cost of hiring a technical expert once.
The Cost of Garage Doors
One of the main determinants of whether you need an insulated garage door or not is what the garage is used for. What the garage is regularly used for influences the features you will want in your garage door. Also geographical location.
If it is used only for parking vehicles, then you may not need insulation. However, if the temperature of the garage affects the temperature of the main house, then you are better off buying an insulated garage door.
If on the other hand you use the garage as an extra room for storing things or you use it as a workshop you may need it to be insulated.
Insulated garage doors have many advantages. They regulate the room temperature of the garage by keeping the garage warm during the winter and cold during the summer. Also, insulations make the garage doors noise free and light in weight. Furthermore, the longevity of the of the garage door is also increased because the insulation also prevents the doors from sagging.