Garage Services

Why a Garage Door is Important to Your Home

Norman Garage Door has hundreds of individual components. These include panels, tracks, hinges and springs.

Garage Door

Insulated doors offer energy efficiency and comfort. Homeowners can also customize them with a wide variety of trim and window options.

Safety features include photo sensors, which emit and detect beams of light and can stop the door from closing if something interrupts the path of the sensor. Inspectors should test these devices regularly to ensure they work properly.

While garage doors play a functional role in keeping cars and their owners safe, they are also an important part of home aesthetics. Whether it is through their color, design, or material, a garage door can make a bold statement and add curb appeal to any home. It is important to keep your garage door looking its best through regular maintenance and repair services.

The most popular garage door styles include sleek designs and minimalist panels, which complement contemporary architecture well. They are easy to customize with stylish hardware accents to create a look that is unique and complementary to your house. The latest garage doors are also made from durable materials that can withstand harsh weather conditions, making them a long-lasting investment for your home.

Those with more traditional homes can opt for garage doors with more detailed panel and window designs that add visual interest to their exteriors. These doors are often crafted from wood, which gives them a rich and natural look that is timeless in style. They can be further enhanced with a stain to protect the surface from wear and tear. They are also available in a wide range of colors to complement any home’s design.

Steel garage doors are a popular choice for their durability and design versatility. They come in a variety of finishes to suit any home’s style, from modern gray and white to dark brown and black. They are easy to customize with various window options, including frosted and tinted glass that can allow more natural light into the garage space. Alternatively, wood-look fiberglass and composite doors offer the beauty of natural wood without its drawbacks, such as warping or fading.

Another way to enhance your home’s visual appeal is to add lighting fixtures that highlight the garage doors and their details. These can be pendant lights or sconces mounted on either side of the door. The lights can be installed with a motion detector to activate automatically when someone approaches the garage.

The latest garage door trends reflect a balanced blend of aesthetics, environmental responsibility, and individual expression. They provide a glimpse into the future of this practical household fixture, paving the way for even more exciting innovations in the years to come.

Energy efficiency

Garage doors are the largest openings to your home, so investing in energy-efficient insulation is an easy way to reduce your home’s carbon footprint and save on utility costs. Insulated garage doors reduce heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer, minimizing the burden on heating and cooling systems. They also help reduce external noise, enhancing indoor comfort and tranquility. Lastly, garage door insulation helps stabilize indoor temperatures, ensuring that your family stays comfortable year-round without the need for frequent adjustments to your thermostat.

The most common garage door insulation is a layer of foam inserted between the inner and outer skins of the garage door. Different types of foam insulation provide varying levels of thermal efficiency, which are indicated by an R-value rating. A higher R-value indicates greater insulation performance. When selecting an insulated garage door, it is important to consider the climate where you live and your budget. In general, steel garage doors with polyurethane insulation offer the best thermal efficiency compared to aluminum and wood.

Another factor to consider is whether the garage door features windows, which can impact a door’s overall energy efficiency. For example, a window with tinting or shading can help minimize the amount of direct sunlight that enters your garage, decreasing heat gain in the summer.

Garage door tracks, hinges and other components also play a role in the energy efficiency of a garage door. For example, a steel track with galvanized finish provides better thermal resistance than a track with painted or powder-coated finish. In addition, proper installation and regular maintenance can help maintain the energy efficiency of your insulated garage door.

In addition to investing in an energy-efficient garage door, you can further improve your home’s energy efficiency by installing a programmable thermostat and using energy-efficient lighting fixtures. Additionally, it is important to perform seasonal checks of your garage door and ensure that all components are in good condition. Finally, avoiding slamming your garage door can prevent damage to the insulation and tracks and extend the lifespan of your garage door. If you are interested in upgrading to an energy-efficient garage door, contact World of Doors for a free consultation and estimate.

Durability

A durable garage door protects your property from damage and keeps your family or employees safe. It can also prevent break-ins and save energy, especially in climates with high humidity. Some features that increase durability include insulation, reinforced wind load ratings and high-performance weatherstripping.

Steel garage doors are a popular choice due to their strength, security and design flexibility. They are often insulated to help reduce energy bills and provide a solid barrier against extreme temperatures. They are also highly durable and able to resist break-ins, fire and even the effects of corrosion in humid regions.

Fiberglass garage doors are a good option for homeowners who want a stylish, eye-catching look. They’re easy to maintain and have a smooth, super-sleek finish that looks great with any décor. They are also a good choice for coastal areas because they can resist sand, salt and seawater better than other materials. However, they are susceptible to dents and warp, which can affect their performance and durability over time.

Aluminum garage doors are another durable option because they’re lightweight, rust-resistant and require little maintenance. They are available in a wide range of colors, finishes and styles, including those that mimic the look of wood grain for homeowners who prefer the aesthetics of natural timber. Aluminum is also a good choice for coastal regions because it can withstand saltwater corrosion and rust.

It’s important to regularly inspect and lubricate your garage door hardware. Check the screws, springs and pulleys for looseness or signs of wear. Loose or worn components can result in a loss of tension, leading to a broken cable or snapped torsion spring. Performing regular maintenance checks and routinely lubricating moving parts can prevent these problems from occurring and extend the lifespan of your garage door.

Security

Taking proactive security measures to protect your garage door and the things stored within it is a smart move that can help keep your possessions safe from theft. While many homeowners are diligent about protecting their home’s main entryways with robust locks and alarm systems, the garage is often overlooked as a potential entry point for burglars.

One of the simplest things you can do is install a shield that blocks your garage door’s emergency release cord. This simple, low-cost measure is far safer than cutting the cord or tying it up as thieves often do, and it still provides access when you need to use your door’s emergency mechanism.

Another way to beef up your garage’s security is to reinforce the frame of your door with heavy-duty strike plates and screws. These upgrades are designed to create roadblocks for burglars, making it more difficult for them to break into your garage and the rest of your home.

Also consider adding a camera to your garage’s interior, which can provide real-time footage of any activity in and around the space. Plans like ADT’s Trusted Neighbor with Google Nest allow you to monitor your garage remotely and receive notifications if it detects movement.

In addition to reinforcing the frame and installing cameras, you should also regularly inspect the condition of your garage door itself. If you notice any signs of rust or damage, have a professional technician repair these problems as soon as possible to prevent potential burglary or other security risks.

Lastly, be sure to lock the door between your house and garage when you aren’t using it. This is the most common way crooks gain entry into the home, and it’s just as important to secure it as any other exterior door.

Finally, make a habit of avoiding leaving items in plain sight, especially expensive tools and equipment. If a thief sees your toolbox on the street, they’re likely to try and steal it for its value or to sell. Also be careful about keeping high-value items in your parked car. Even if you only leave your remote in your glove box, a thief who breaks into your vehicle can grab it and use it to enter your home through the garage.