Five Essential Garage Tips To Amp Up Your Home

Introduction

Moving into a new place can be an exciting experience –– you get to start over and recreate your dream home from the beginning! Although most people don’t usually pay attention to designing a garage door, it is still part of the front entry of your home and can make or break people’s first impression of your house. Furthermore, if you ever intend to sell your house in the future, studies have shown that garage doors are a good return for your investment. 

However, with a wide plethora of garage doors available,  choosing a suitable one can be daunting. Additionally, you’ll still need to decide on the kind of materials to use, pricing, and the choice of color. Although these factors may not be extremely visible to you in the beginning, these minor structural differences will become noticeable in the long run. Hence, it’s important to ensure that you’re completely satisfied with your decision. If you’re interested to find out more, read on for the three things you need to understand.   

How To Gauge Its Replacement Value

Did you know that garage door replacements have the highest overall return on investment within residential homes? With a stylish and functional garage door, you’re able to greatly increase your home value by choosing one that is suitable for your property. Step back and use some time to critique your current garage door –– does it properly accentuate your property or does it radiate melancholic feelings?

Fortunately, you’re always able to replace or improve your garage door when needed. We strongly recommend this, especially if you’re looking to sell your house soon. It’s a worthwhile investment that can not only boost your pride and well-being but also add a beautiful touch to your home exterior. 

What Is Your Garage Used For?

Before you purchase a new garage door, consider what your primary uses for the garage door will be. Are you looking for a place to simply park your car, or are you looking to turn it into something else –– such as a place to store athletic equipment or a game area to hang out with your friends? A garage is multi-functional; you can park a car or two, store recreational toys, vehicles, and equipment, or even keep beer fridges and winter wear! The possibilities are endless. 

If you’re looking to store precious items, then choosing a strong garage door that offers adequate privacy would be ideal. However, if you use the garage as a workshop, you’ll want one that offers plenty of natural light. In that case, luxurious glass garage doors would be key to keeping your workshop well-lit and welcoming. Alternatively, if you’re looking to store items that need to be kept warm, choose a door that offers temperature control and insulation. Lastly, if you’re planning to use the garage for summer hangouts, choose one that regulates heat well.

Garage Door Cycles

Garage door usage should be thought of in cycles –– this means that every time you enter and exit your garage, whether if it’s for moving a car or transporting materials, counts as one cycle. Most people take up multiple garage cycles per day as the garage acts as their primary entrance and exit point. 

No matter how well-built your garage door is, its lifespan comes with limited cycles. Eventually, wear and tear will occur on the rollers and springs, as well as stress tension on the rails and hinges. Having two cycles daily would mean that you have 730 cycles annually, whilst having four cycles a day would equate to 1,500 cycles annually. Most garage doors have a lifespan of 20,000 cycles, which means they will require replacement after 13 years. 

Garage Door Styles

Garage doors come in many different shapes and sizes, and it matters how you choose from the many options available. We strongly recommend choosing a door that matches the vibes that you intend for your home to have, as this is a long-term investment.

Traditional, Carriage, Or Contemporary?

Firstly, we have the traditional panel model garage doors, which give a classic, yet homely, touch to your house. Moreover, you can customize how it looks by choosing a unique material, picking a stunning paint color, and adding windows.

Next, incorporating carriage house garage doors is the perfect addition for Victorian-style homes. These give off a nostalgic, timeless homage to the past, where homeowners would keep their carriages adjacent to their houses.

Thirdly, contemporary garage doors are best suited for modern houses near cities. Most of these doors are made with aluminum and glass, which allows for a good amount of natural light and privacy for your home. Compared to traditional or carriage houses, they offer a more modern and futuristic appearance.

Garage Door Materials

Once you have settled on the style that appeals best to your design senses, it’s time to choose your garage door material. Wood is an extremely popular choice because of its natural accents which give the home an unbeatable classic yet homely ambiance. Yet, wooden garage doors do require more maintenance as compared to steel or metal garage doors.

Steel, on the other hand, is another popular choice due to its affordable yet durable stature. It can withstand many natural elements like storms, hurricanes, and tornadoes. They also have a longer life cycle than wood. Hence, in terms of functionality, steel stands at the top.

Another alternative to steel is aluminum. Although it is not as durable as steel, aluminum doors are lightweight and formidable against extreme weather. Furthermore, aluminum is less prone to corrosion as compared to steel when faced with wet weather. However, the downside to it would be its malleability –– which makes it easy to dent an aluminum door.

Garage Door Colors

It’s time to add the finishing touches. When choosing a garage door color, focus on pairing it with the color scheme and design of your house. Having the right color acts as an addition to your house’s statement, and can significantly improve the curb appeal. 

Before choosing a color, keep in mind that the garage should not match the front door, but should match the windows or the main color of your house. The front door is still the main focal point of your house, hence having identical colors will only cause your home to lack a visual interest point. Next, don’t choose an overly vibrant color –– the garage door should blend in well and complement your house, not stand out. Thirdly, choose one that matches the style of your house. Certain colors go well with select materials, such as a silver aluminum door for a modern house, or a brown wooden door with a classic house. 

The few most common colors for garage doors are white, light gray, dark grey, black, brown, beige, or taupe. If you are leaning for a warm invitation, colors like brown, beige, or taupe are good options. Otherwise, for cooler or contrasting colors, white, grey, and black are better.

Garage Door Insulation 

The insulation of your garage door is extremely important, especially if you’re using it during the summer and winter seasons. During humid days, you’d want cooler air to be kept in, whilst in colder seasons, you’d want the hot air to be trapped inside. Regardless, this is important for energy efficiency, especially if you’re using air conditioning or heaters. 

Materials

Styrofoam and polyurethane foam are the two most common insulation materials. If you have budget constraints, styrofoam would be the better choice. Otherwise, if you can afford to spend more, polyurethane foam is a better insulator. Styrofoam is glued to the surface, whilst polyurethane foam fills the garage door with foam, thus giving it better insulation. 

Conclusion

There is a multitude of factors that can determine the value of a garage door replacement, but properly taking care of it can greatly aid in boosting your house’s curb appeal. Do remember to work with a reliable garage door supplier and installer that can provide you with detailed care and value for money!