A garage door creates a wide portion of the façade of your home, and it is also the largest piece of equipment that moves. This means that you want a quality garage door that ensures the exterior of your home is one of which you can be proud. To do this, your garage door should:
- Work with the exterior architecture of your home
- Require little maintenance and work efficiently
- Be designed to last for years of use
It’s completely normal that you don’t know much about garage doors, but you do need to make sure you can choose one that meets your needs and is installed properly. The following five considerations will help you make the right purchase.
What materials are available for garage doors?
Garage doors come in wood, vinyl, fiberglass and metal, which is generally either aluminum or steel.
- Around 85% of the garage doors in North America are metal, making them the most popular option. Steel options tend to have the lowest price, while aluminum provides a lightweight option. Garage doors in these materials have low maintenance requirements and are available with insulation. These options come in a range of styles, including modern, carriage house, contemporary, flush, ribbed, mixed panels, classic and ranch.
- Wood garage doors are the oldest option available, and they continue to be versatile and add natural beauty to the home. These doors are available in stained and painted varieties. The cheapest are wood composite models, while solid wood construction provides the highest quality. These types of doors have higher maintenance requirements than other options.
- Fiberglass doors are the most expensive options available, and they come in a range of appearances that mimic cedar, oak and other types of wood. These options require little to no maintenance over time.
- Vinyl garage doors require no maintenance, and have a scratch-resistant finish. The lack of maintenance requirements over time offsets the increased initial cost, while the numerous styles and colors make them a great choice for many types of architecture.
The company you choose for installation matters
The Canadian and American garage door industry is not monitored, and this means there are some businesses that don’t provide basics like workers’ compensation and aren’t insured, which could cost you in the long run.
A good garage door company is one that
- Is friendly, courteous and professional
- Readily provides references from other customers whenever asked
- Has clean work vehicles and employees that are in uniform
- Has insurance policies that adequately cover potential accidents and damage
- Provides warranties, in writing, on the labor and materials
One of the most important considerations is to make sure that the company provides adequate training and certifies that their technicians understand proper garage door installation. When you consider that injuries related to garage doors are more than those related to snow blowers and lawnmowers combined, it’s easy to see why this is so important.
How do i know when it’s time to replace my garage door?
The statistics related to garage door accidents are much higher than most people realize. This means that if your door is not operating correctly, it becomes a moving wall that could easily harm you or your family.
The garage door is one of the first things anyone sees when they approach your home. If it detracts from the overall appearance, either through the design or blemishes like cracks and dents, it can lead to poor first impressions of both your lifestyle and your home.
Another sign that it’s time to replace your garage door is if there is an obvious deterioration in the panels, or if you are spending more and more time trying to maintain the door hardware or appearance.
Choosing where to purchase a garage door
Nowadays, the places available for purchasing a garage door include window and door dealers, big box stores and those that specialize in garage doors specifically. The best option among these is whichever of the facilities in your area that features garage door specialists. Reputable companies have installers that have on-the-job training, which ensures they have the skills and special techniques required for proper, safe installation in all circumstances.
This company, whose motto is “Quality work you can depend on!”, typically has a showroom that you can visit to see all of the options available, or they can have a sales representative visit you in your home. The most reputable of these companies use their own technicians and installers, and always offer a guarantee on the materials and labor. They also provide quick installations due to having plenty of inventory available.
Make sure you understand the warranty
Nearly every garage door available comes with a warranty, but they don’t all cover the same thing. A solid warranty should cover all labor and the parts, including hardware, the opener, individual sections, decorative windows and more. Make sure to read the entire warranty, including the fine print, to make sure you know exactly what’s covered and what isn’t.
Make sure to remember…
While a high-quality garage door is important, so too is the installation – the overall durability and performance depends on quality installation by a professional.
If you have any questions, contact us at 1-877-828-5279. All of our work is guaranteed to ensure that you are fully satisfied with your purchase and the installation. If you prefer, you can request for a free quote that will be delivered to you online.
If you aren’t sure which door you want, upload a photograph of the exterior of your home and use our Design Centre to create the garage door that works with your home and the look you want to achieve.
Add new comment