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Your garage door can have a significant affect on the function of your garage. Think about how you use your garage. Is it a storage space? Is it a recreation room? Enhancing your garage through insulation, lighting, and security features can improve its function and appearance — not to mention curb appeal. Your garage door also has an important function. It may be the primary way you enter and exit your home.
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Updating your garage door
If your garage door is showing signs of rot or deterioration, or the steel frame or track is bent or rusted and the door isn’t sealing out the weather anymore, it is probably better to have it replaced. Garage-door manufacturers are now offering a lot of material and design options, which I love.
Garage door materials
Steel is the most common and affordable option when it comes to garage doors. However, garage doors also come in fibreglass, aluminum, glass, and wood. We have even installed custom garage doors in our projects that match the architectural style of the house.
If you go with a wood door, remember to check it regularly for water damage, warping and peeling paint.
Garage door styles
Garage door styles have evolved a lot over the years. Now, you can buy garage doors with windows. I personally love garage doors with windows. We have installed a lot of garage doors in our projects that have beautiful windows and panel designs.
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There are so many options to choose from. You can get a garage door with windows down the side, on top or with even just a single window. On top of adding style, windows also bring light to your garage interior.
Many garage-door manufacturers offer customizable options for their doors, such as matching the style of your existing windows and adding decorative hardware. Some even provide the ability to design a fully custom garage door on their website.
Insulated garage doors
If you have a living space above your garage, an uninsulated door is not a good idea. If you want maximum thermal efficiency, an insulated garage door is best. An insulated garage door will prevent heat from escaping through your garage in the winter. This means less energy required to heat your home.
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In the summer, insulation prevents hot air from getting into your garage. This means lower cooling costs for your home, too.
If you can afford it, an insulated garage door is the best long-term investment. When it comes to R-values for garage doors, the higher the better. My own garage door has an R-value of 16.
Common garage door issues
If you spot a pool of water at the bottom of your garage door, it can be due to several reasons. The bottom seal could be broken or the driveway could be sloped the wrong way. Garage doors that face west are typically exposed to more rain. Take a good look at the bottom of your garage door. Your weather seal should be slightly longer than the garage door and tucked in.
The most common reason for a garage door not closing is an obstruction at the bottom of your door, ie the “photo eyes” are misaligned. Actually, the number 1 reason for this is people commonly storing things such as hockey sticks near the front of the garage, and the eyes get knocked out of alignment.
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If your garage door is noisy, the most common way to resolve this is to apply some lubricant on the tracks where the rollers run. Vacuum and wipe any dust from the tracks first. You want to buy a lubricant that’s made for garage doors as the wrong lubricant may attract dust.
Organize your garage
If you are investing in a good quality garage door, I recommend also looking into garage cabinets and organization systems. You can really make the most of your garage space by using a combination of wall and floor cabinets, overhead racks, mobile cabinets, shelves, and workstations. A good quality slat wall for your tools is an effective way to keep the tools you use most handy.
Don’t underestimate the influence of your garage door on the functionality and curb appeal of your home.
A well-designed and well-maintained garage may increase the value and enjoyment you get from your house.
Residents of the GTA can apply for season 2 of Holmes Family Rescue at www.makeitright.ca
Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.
Article content
Your garage door can have a significant affect on the function of your garage. Think about how you use your garage. Is it a storage space? Is it a recreation room? Enhancing your garage through insulation, lighting, and security features can improve its function and appearance — not to mention curb appeal. Your garage door also has an important function. It may be the primary way you enter and exit your home.
Advertisement 2
Article content
Updating your garage door
If your garage door is showing signs of rot or deterioration, or the steel frame or track is bent or rusted and the door isn’t sealing out the weather anymore, it is probably better to have it replaced. Garage-door manufacturers are now offering a lot of material and design options, which I love.
Garage door materials
Steel is the most common and affordable option when it comes to garage doors. However, garage doors also come in fibreglass, aluminum, glass, and wood. We have even installed custom garage doors in our projects that match the architectural style of the house.
If you go with a wood door, remember to check it regularly for water damage, warping and peeling paint.
Garage door styles
Garage door styles have evolved a lot over the years. Now, you can buy garage doors with windows. I personally love garage doors with windows. We have installed a lot of garage doors in our projects that have beautiful windows and panel designs.
Article content
Advertisement 3
Article content
There are so many options to choose from. You can get a garage door with windows down the side, on top or with even just a single window. On top of adding style, windows also bring light to your garage interior.
Many garage-door manufacturers offer customizable options for their doors, such as matching the style of your existing windows and adding decorative hardware. Some even provide the ability to design a fully custom garage door on their website.
Insulated garage doors
If you have a living space above your garage, an uninsulated door is not a good idea. If you want maximum thermal efficiency, an insulated garage door is best. An insulated garage door will prevent heat from escaping through your garage in the winter. This means less energy required to heat your home.
Advertisement 4
Article content
In the summer, insulation prevents hot air from getting into your garage. This means lower cooling costs for your home, too.
If you can afford it, an insulated garage door is the best long-term investment. When it comes to R-values for garage doors, the higher the better. My own garage door has an R-value of 16.
Common garage door issues
If you spot a pool of water at the bottom of your garage door, it can be due to several reasons. The bottom seal could be broken or the driveway could be sloped the wrong way. Garage doors that face west are typically exposed to more rain. Take a good look at the bottom of your garage door. Your weather seal should be slightly longer than the garage door and tucked in.
The most common reason for a garage door not closing is an obstruction at the bottom of your door, ie the “photo eyes” are misaligned. Actually, the number 1 reason for this is people commonly storing things such as hockey sticks near the front of the garage, and the eyes get knocked out of alignment.
Advertisement 5
Article content
If your garage door is noisy, the most common way to resolve this is to apply some lubricant on the tracks where the rollers run. Vacuum and wipe any dust from the tracks first. You want to buy a lubricant that’s made for garage doors as the wrong lubricant may attract dust.
Organize your garage
If you are investing in a good quality garage door, I recommend also looking into garage cabinets and organization systems. You can really make the most of your garage space by using a combination of wall and floor cabinets, overhead racks, mobile cabinets, shelves, and workstations. A good quality slat wall for your tools is an effective way to keep the tools you use most handy.
Don’t underestimate the influence of your garage door on the functionality and curb appeal of your home.
A well-designed and well-maintained garage may increase the value and enjoyment you get from your house.
Residents of the GTA can apply for season 2 of Holmes Family Rescue at www.makeitright.ca
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