Garage doors are expensive yet necessary investments for your home. Choosing the right one is important. Sometimes, it’s hard to make that decision. There are so many different doors out there. With the help of Hanson Overhead Garage Door Service, and the tips below, you’ll be able to choose the right garage door for your Raleigh home in no time at all!
- Know the pros and cons of natural wood doors versus steel or aluminum doors before choosing a material for your garage door. The most popular garage door material in Raleigh is steel. Steel doors can be insulated to be more energy efficient than wood doors and they are lower maintenance and generally less expensive than wood doors. Aluminum doors are typically the least expensive type of garage door and the most lightweight (and thus easiest to lift manually) but also the most prone to dents. However, aluminum has the advantage of being resistant to rust and corrosion giving it an advantage in coastal regions. Natural wood doors need to be repainted or restained every few years and they can be quite costly compared to steel and aluminum doors. However, the warmth and beauty that wood garage doors can bring to a home is undeniable!
- Consider the insulation value of the garage door. The higher the insulation value of the garage door, the greater the energy efficiency is. If you live in a temperate climate, this may not be an important issue for you. However, if you live in a harsh climate, have finished living space above your garage, or plan to heat or cool your garage because you are using it for purposes other than parking cars (for example, a workshop or laundry area), the garage door’s R-value is definitely something to consider. Several years ago, we put a master bedroom/bath addition above our garage and the space has always been much colder than the rest of the house in the winter – our new garage door has a much higher R-value than the old one and that has made a significant difference in the colder temperatures. The negative of getting a garage door with a high R-value is the cost – generally, the higher the R-value of the door, the higher the price. So your need for a well insulated garage door needs to be weighed against the extra cost.
- Choose a garage door color that coordinates with the exterior colors of your home. Standard prefinished or custom doors with paint or stain are available. Most garage door manufacturers offer garage doors in several standard color options. If one of the standard colors matches well with the rest of your house, perfect! A prefinished door is the way to go if you can find a color that works for you because it’s virtually maintenance free. On the other hand, if none of the colors offered by the manufacturer work with the exterior colors of your home, consider painting it. Yes, painting can be a bit of a pain, but there are ways to make the paint job easier! Request to have the door delivered to your home prior to installation so that you can paint the sections and have it ready, before the door is installed. Do be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for how to prep your door before painting, though. The paint type used is important. There might even be color restrictions to follow.
- Don’t misjudge the visual impact of adding windows to your garage door. Windows make an amazing difference in the aesthetics of a home. Though they cost a little more, don’t count them out. Visualize your home with and without them; then make the decision.
For more tips from Hanson Overhead on how to choose the best garage door for your home be sure to visit us again. Our next post will continue our discussion. In the meantime, if you’d like to visit our garage door style page, feel free. We are also available, via phone and email, to answer any questions you might have at any time!
If you’re having problems with your existing garage door and need a Raleigh garage door repair, we can come out and take a look. Our Durham garage door repair techs will have the problem fixed in no time at all! We hope to hear from you soon.
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