As we all know, home maintenance is very important – and your home’s garage is no exception. The part of the garage that will get the most wear and tear as well as exposure to the elements is the garage door, making it the most frequent maintenance item in your garage. If you think it might be time to consider replacing your garage door, below is a list of several things to take into consideration when making the choice of “yes or no” to replacing your garage door or holding off for a little while longer.
1. Low Maintenance
Replacing your old garage door with a low maintenance option means you will significantly reduce future maintenance. A good quality, pre-finished garage door is incredibly durable. Also, it will provide many years of low maintenance – i.e. requiring only an occasional washing with soap and water. Gone will be the days of repainting – only to turn around it do it again.
2. Safety of your Personal Items
If you use our garage to store personal items, installing a new garage door will help protect those belongings. It protects them from the effects of extreme heat and cold. The new door styles of today also protect from moisture and air getting to your personal items. There are also additional items you can select to increase this protection such as upgraded weather-stripping.
3. Home Security
The safety of your family inside the home is another important factor. Adding a new garage door with heavy, sturdy opening mechanisms and added safety items will help to improve the security of your entire home. One of the easiest ways to break into a home is through a garage door with little to no safety elements. These added durability and security features of modern doors make them almost impossible for burglars to enter.
4. Personal Safety
If your current garage door does not have a motion detector, then your personal safety is at risk. Most new garage door styles with these detectors can help to minimize or eliminate this risk of personal injury. These motion detectors sense the very moment something or someone crosses and automatically reverses the door. Thus, preventing potentially very harmful consequences. Also, most new automatic garage door opener designs turn on a light when you are entering. Concurrently reducing potential slips and falls from maneuvering in dark conditions.
5. Curb Appeal/Home Value
If you are in the market to possibly sell your home, replacing your garage door can significantly increase the curb appeal. Therefore, positively affect the market value by impressing any potential buyers. Even if you are not selling, maybe you just want to spruce up the look of your home. Today’s garage doors come in many colors, finishes and styles. This gives you many options to completely transform the look and feel of the front of your home.
6. Cooling and Heating Costs
By installing an insulated garage door with a good R factor rating, you can significantly reduce your heating and cooling costs. Also, this is important if your garage has living spaces or work spaces above it. With the energy savings, you can quickly recover the cost of replacing the door. Plus, because of the high insulation value, your garage space will be much more comfortable and usable.
7. Insurance Benefits
Some homeowner insurance policies offer discounts for adding modern garage doors styles with certain safety and security elements. Call your personal insurance agent to ask if your policy offers a rate reduction for this home improvement.
Shakespeare Home Improvement offers Clopay premium garage doors. Some options have limited lifetime warranties on the paint as well as great warranties on window and hardware options. Clopay has earned the coveted Good Housekeeping seal for their high-quality doors. The sky is the limit relative to the design, safety, and efficiency options available to homeowners to fit their exact specifications.