Once every few weeks, you might see people take a long time picking and choosing their kitchen worktops and bathroom tiles, only to put in a cheap door for their garage and completely forget about it. It protects a wide range of things worth a lot of money and you use it a few times a day. For some reason, though, it gets a lot less attention than it should.
During their first outbuilding, garages were simply places to house horse-drawn carts. Now, garages are a lot of things. They are vehicles, workshops, fitness rooms, and additional living areas. More than most, people tend to think that the door that protects all of those things doesn’t matter all that much.
The Security Blind Spot
People forgetting to secure their garage, and at times their house, is a pattern burglars often look for. Homeowners commonly have a good lock on their front door and often set up a smart doorbell and alarm system, but garage doors have a standard and basic lock that most people don’t use at all.
It only gets worse if your garage connects directly to your house: Once someone gets into your garage, they have enough time and privacy to work on getting through that door, even if it’s locked, and they’re out of site.
This has also become a point of interest for insurance companies. Many policies have assumptions they could make around garage door security, especially if you’re keeping expensive things, or if the garage has a direct access door into your house. This kind of information, if misrepresented, can lead to claim denials – the last thing you want to deal with post-burglary.
Garage doors that have been bought in the last ten years have security upgrades that the previous decade of garage doors wouldn’t have even dreamt of. Features such as multipoint locking systems, automatic deadbolts, and smart technology that can send alerts your way if the door has been opened – they’re becoming standard. If your garage door was bought over a decade ago, you’re probably due for one of these upgrades.
The Insulation Factor Nobody Mentions
Most people ask others about garage door replacements, and they will give an answer saying broken, or looks tired. Insulation gets a lot less mention, but actually it makes a monumental difference.
Without insulation, a garage door acts like a solid block of ice. When the winter months roll around. your garage freezes over. If that garage is attached, the cold air will leak into your home and make you heating system work over time. In the summer, it gets even worse when the garage becomes a blistering sauna. This is borderline torture if you use the garage as a workspace.
When it comes to insulated garage doors, only the best are using polyurethane foam. This provides real thermal insulation and is no longer just a matter of comfort. This is also important if you use power tools frequently, are charging EVs, or if you are storing any heat-sensitive items.
This also helps mufflle noise as an added perk. When insulated garage doors open and close, they do so much more quietly. If you or your family love to sleep in, your family and neighbors will be grateful for not having a noisy garage door in the early hours of the morning.
Automation: Once You’ve Had It, You Won’t Go Back
At one time, electric garage door openers seemed to be only in movies. However, they are now a standard feature on most new garage doors and for a good reason, as they are more useful than just for convenience.
Nobody needs to exit their vehicle and open their garage door manually by hand anymore. Simple pressing of a button can open a garage door. As it can get tougher opening and closing during the rain and with heavier doors, it becomes more of a pain to work with when you’re older.
It is no longer a simple remote system as the technology now is smarter as well. You can check to see if the garage door is closed. Were you the one who closed it this morning? With the smart technology, you can close your garage door from your phone. Certain devices even alert their user when their garage door has been opened, allowing the user to keep an eye on their possessions.
Safety has also improved a lot with the older systems. If someone is obstructing the door from closing, it will automatically stop descending and reverse. If a child or pet is nearby, the garage door will stop closing and reverse to prevent them from getting injured.
While it is common nowadays, it isn’t a feature that has been around much longer than the older systems. With voice control, you can tell a system to close your garage door as you’re leaving or open it when you’re preoccupied. It’s a nice convenient feature to have.
The Importance of External Looks
Garage doors occupy a decent amount of a home’s outer visual space. While an old and dilapidated garage door can make a house look worse, an updated and well-maintained garage door can actually elevate the look of the house.
Because of the rapid changes in the industry, it is understandable that garage doors nowadays look and feel better. They do not come only in brown and white, but in a variety of colors. the appearance and the maintenance hassle. Contemporary designs with clean lines and glass panels suit modern designs beautifully.
This is also not purely looking at the vanity side of things. When the time comes for you to sell your house, a garage door can make an impact in your house’s overall look. Real estate agents understand that a good looking garage door can enhance the house’s appeal. It won’t sell your house by itself, but it can elevate the overall look and prevent it from looking outdated.
The Disadvantages of Delaying the Decision
Garage doors are not one and done, they do not last forever. Rusting of mechanisms, panel and spring wear are all things that happen to garage doors and that means you have to make a decision; should you fix the issues, or should you just replace the door?
Repairs are reasonable when the door is new and the issues aren’t too complicated. If only one of the locks are broken, it’s not too costly to replace. However, if the door is old and is starting to show several different issues, at that point, you’re probably wasting money. If you’re just going to have to fix something else in a few months, it isn’t worth it.
Another key point is safety. Old mechanisms of garage doors have the potential to be very dangerous. If a spring under tension snaps, it can cause a lot of damage. If an automatic garage door has no safety features, it can cause lots of issues if it malfunctions. If a garage door is old and is at risk of failing, it’s not a safe bet to leave it until it fails completely.
Cost is an important factor as well. If there is a door that isn’t insulated, the garage will be wasting heat, especially if the garage is attached to a house. If there is an insulated door, the savings from heating will often pay for the price of the door over time. This is especially true in a house that is old.
Making the Right Choice
When looking for garage doors, the first step is to identify what you really need rather than what looks appealing in a brochure. If it isn’t suited for the situation, the most expensive door is just a waste of money.
Everyone has space limitations and it is usually the first limiting factor. You need to see how much space you have in front of the garage and how much space you have above the opening. This is what usually rules out door types. Make sure you have accurate measurements before searching for door types.
Make sure that the border you pick will meet the standards to qualify for cover. These security requirements matter for insurance and finding out about them is always frustrating.
Consider how you plan to use your garage on a day to day basis. If you plan on using it just for parking your vehicle, a manual door is a great cost friendly option. If you plan on using that space for a workshop, you will want to consider insulation.
Everyone has a budget, but it is essential to consider the long term cost. A cheaper door that will need to be replaces in a few years actually ends up costing more than a more expensive door that is built to last for years. Quality is what really matters and should be your focus, not on how many features a door has.
There are multiple benefits that come with having a garage door. Aside from protecting valuables inside the garage from theft or damage, it also improves the overall appearance and energy efficiency of the home. A garage door also provides convenience and ease of access to the garage. Because of this, it’s important to make the right decision, design-wise, when choosing a new garage door. Also, a garage door will save you from the hassle of having to open and close a manual door when it’s raining or when you are busy.
It’s nice to view a garage as more than just a place to store your car of overflow anything. A garage has become a staple to modern convenience and design. Make your new garage door selection an important and beneficial decision.