In this article we’ll be discussing Garage doors. This includes types of doors, pros and cons for the price, garage door insulation, costs, maintenance, etc.
How Do Garage Door Types Effect Insulation?
With today’s high energy costs, garage door insulation is at least as valuable as anywhere else in your house.
The amount of uninsulated garage doors sold continues to fall as consumers demand energy efficiency for cost savings and comfort, which is actually more essential than ever as more individuals use their garage for a work place or social gathering spot, and not just storage.
Garage doors made from aluminum and glass offer a contemporary, classy look.
The aluminum frames are available in many colours as well as finishes and you could choose from a broad variety of glass options including clear, vague, and tinted.
Aluminum garage doors are relatively maintenance-free, however they might not possess as much insulation as other doors, so they might not be perfect for areas with extreme temperatures.
The thermal property of insulation is expressed as an R-value.
A higher R-value reduces external sound and assists the door function more gently.
Many insulated doors are built using polystyrene or polyurethane foam.
Most polystyrene insulated door could be thicker but have a lower R-Value than polyurethane.
If you’re looking for thermal efficiency plus a high R-Value, do not be misled by the depth of the door!
A polyurethane insulated door might look thinner but really offers a much greater insulation R-value.
That’s due to how the insulation expands through the production process to tightly fill the cavity between the two steel panels as it bonds to the skins of the door.
Not only does this make the door better insulated, in addition, it makes the door amazingly powerful and helps lessen noise as the door operates.
What are the Factors to Consider in Garage Door Safety?
Can the largest moving item in my house be dangerous? Make sure it’s not.
Safety is a concern with any product, and garage doors are no different.
Since it’s a large moving object that lots of family members socialize with, it should have as many safety features as potential.
Crunch-resistant garage doors feature a layout that pushes fingers out of harm’s way should they accidentally be set too close to a closing door.
Tamper resistant bottom brackets moderate the chance of injury from garage door parts under tension.
The polyurethane insulation even provides better fire safety in that this type of insulation lessens the amount of smoke and flames in case of a fire.
How Long Will My Garage Door Last? And What is the Required Maintenance?
How long your door will last, what type of punishment it might take, or even how much yearly maintenance it is going to require is firmly determined by the material used to make the doorway.
The Classic Steel garage doors and Carriage House Steel garage doors are durable with just occasional demand for cleaning or touch up.
Vinyl garage doors can last even longer, especially in environments with harsh weather conditions, and are more resistant to dents, are rust-free and not should be painted.
Garage Door Springs – The True Opener of the Garage Door
Counterbalance springs are how your door is actually lifted and closed.
It is not the opener that truly lifts and closes your door.
That only supplies the force to really get the door going.
It is really the springs, which are wound tightly whenever your door is shut.
As the door moves up, the springs unwind, which provide the force needed to lift the door.
As the door closes, the weight of the door actually winds the springs back up until it closes completely.
At this stage the springs have their total tension again.
These springs are usually exposed and when they’re under full tension, can be exceedingly dangerous.
What are the Costs of the Various Garage Door Types?
Everyone has a budget. Well, most of us anyway.
However, many of us are surprised by how affordable garage doors can be.
Most reckon two times as much as what it really comes out to be.
Typically, premium wood doors are truly the most expensive, then fiberglass doors, steel doors with and without vinyl or PVC overlays, and then uninsulated, single sheet steel doors and lower grade wood doors.
When considering what to spend though, consider that this purchase will never be made again for many, many years, if ever.
And what you put on your own garage now will have a large effect to the garage itself and maybe even more significantly, for the rest of your home.
A couple extra dollars now could give a benefit of a life, and increase the real value of your house to a new level.
