The right garage door can totally change the look of your home. Some overhead doors look better on some homes than others. For example if the look of your home is a contemporary look, a carriage house style door may not be the best suited. In some cases it may transform that home to a ranch style look. Clopay’s Door Imagination System is a good tool to “try on a door” so you can see what it will look like & help you with garage door selection. You can upload a picture of your home & then put the door of your choice on it. Here are some of the top garage door questions asked & some you may not of thought of.
Should I Buy A Wood, Steel Or Composite Wood Garage Door?
Steel doors are rugged & inexpensive. They are coated with galvalume coating which is a combination of aluminum & zinc. Aluminum is reserved for the frames on glass garage doors because it is expensive.
Wood garage garage doors are beautiful. They are more expensive & require more upkeep. How much upkeep depends on how much exposure to the sun & elements it get. This may not be a good choice when the door is facing the west afternoon sun & the rain from the roof or second story runs onto the door.
Don’t let the name composite wood turn you away. Composite doors like Canyon Ridge are hard to distinguish from real wood & require less upkeep. It is hard to tell the difference unless you take a real close look. There are two options with Clopay garage doors. The less expensive Ultra Grain Series uses composite overlays & steel backing with Ultra-Grain paint. The Limited Edition is composed of all composite material. They both have the highest R-values available of R-18.4 & R-20.4 respectively.
Should I Buy An Insulated Or Non-Insulated Garage Door?
If you spend much time in your garage, insulation is always a good investment. Something not often considered is the insulation in the door panels fills in the open space on the inside of the door where dirt & bugs will collect. If you like a clean garage this helps a lot!
An insulated panel that has steel on the inside & outside is stronger & will last longer. It is also quieter & looks better.
A minimal insulation of R-6.3 may not seem like a lot but R-value doesn’t tell the whole story. Even some minimal insulation will make a big difference when the afternoon sun is on a steel door. If your garage is more utilitarian or it is strictly for storage or parking you may want to spend the extra money.
What About Insulated Windows?
Insulation on windows are rated by U-value. In technical lingo U-value & R-value are the inverse of each other. A lower U-value & higher R-value are desirable. U-values represent the transfer of energy through conduction and radiation. R-value is resistance to heat transfer.
This may be worth the extra expense if the space is usually climate controlled & you have a door that has a high R-value. Also some people in moderate climates may not feel the need as much.
Different Garage Door Springs – Torsion Springs & Extension Springs
Extension Springs
Extension springs are the two springs above the two horizontal rails or track. The bad thing about these are they operate independently of each other. This may result in operation that isn’t optimal especially with an older door with wear. about this system is the two springs operate independently. That means the door may not operate as smoothly. Extension springs work better with single wide doors & are more problematic with a double wide. Extension springs are only available on doors 8′ & lower. If you buy a garage door at the big box store they will sell you one with extension springs because of liability concerns…so they say. Clopay does sell a EZ-Set torsion spring system for DIY consumers that you can wind with a drill. The cost difference is about $40 for extension springs & conventional torsion springs.
Torsion Springs
Torsion springs are far superior to extension springs. Torsion springs are the ones on a tube directly above the garage door. Most torsion springs are rated for 10,000 cycles.
If you open & close your door twice a day this would be about 14 years. 20,000 cycle are available for residential. 40,000 cycle springs are available. 40,000 are available for commercial applications. Galvanized springs will last for 15,000 cycles & are available for residential doors. As mentioned above a DIY installer can’t buy a torsion spring at a big box store but Home Depot can sell you a Clopay’s EZ-SET Torsion Spring System. This is the safe easy way to wind a spring. They are available for torsion & extension springs.
For more detailed information on garage door springs read my post on Garage Door Torsion Springs & Extension Springs.
What Is The Best Brand Of Garage Door?
Most all the big brands are of good quality but a few have some weak points. One in particular has a problem with the hinges breaking off the stiles & another has an integrated strut built into the sheet metal that will break under to much stress. I could sell any garage door but I sell Clopay & Amarr. Clopay is the big dog in the industry & they are the most innovative. Amarr makes a very good garage door also but if you are going to install one your self I would stay away from buying these at Lowes (or Pella which is Amarr). Amarr uses a lot of parts that need to be sorted out. The brackets on their tracks aren’t pre-mounted & the hinges are more difficult to figure out if your not a technician. Home Depot sells Clopay.
How Long Will A Garage Door Last?
With normal use & if it was installed properly many will last 20-30 years. A three layer garage door (an insulated door with steel on the inside & out) is more substantial & will last longer. If you have ball-bearing rollers & heavy duty 14 gauge hinges these will last longer too.
How Can I Get More Life Out Of My Old Garage Door?
If your track & hardware are in good condition it may be possible to replace just the panels. A realistic assessment of the total wear of the whole door must be taken. For example if the spring(s) are over 10 years old & the door has had a lot of use they may be at the end of their life. It is less expensive to do this now than later. New rollers are inexpensive. Give me a call & we can see if this option is a good fit for you. See my post on New Life To An Old Garage Door.
Resource: Everything Homeowners Need to Know About Garage Doors
This is a great read for every homeowner! Lots of great tips & info.
Selecting the right overhead door for your needs can seem overwhelming so give us a call & we will find the right fit for you. We also have Screens For Your Garage Door so you can enjoy your peace without annoying bugs & dirt & leaves blowing in your garage.
We are happy to answer any & all questions. Even those regarding you fixing your door your self! I service Nashville, Antioch, Brentwood, Clarksville, Dickson & all middle TN.