The Importance of a Quality Residential Garage Door

Residential garage doors have come a long way over the years. Whether you need a garage door for your new home or your old one has fallen into disrepair, there's a good chance if your door is more than a few years old that it's time to have it replaced. Garage doors affect everything from curb appeal, to the interior quality of your garage, as well as the security of your home, and the safety of your family. Consider these characteristics of modern garage doors to determine what you can get from a new installation.

Residential Garage Door Design

Roller Garage Doors: Roller garage doors have become the most popular residential garage door. These doors use a drum just above the opening and are stored along the roller when opened.

Sectional Garage Doors: These garage doors look and act almost exactly the same as roller doors, but don't use rollers to operate. Both roller and sectional garage doors save space and allow you to park your car flush with the garage door.

Up-and-Over Garage Doors: These garage doors swing out and up before being stored. You'll need more space to make these doors work but they are simple to use and have a classic feel.

Side Hinged Garage Doors: These garage doors are the simplest and most traditional door design. They are usually double doors that lock in the middle. These doors also require more space and tend to be used in more rural areas.

More Features of Garage Doors
Along with the design, the material you choose will have a big impact on the overall performance of your garage door. Residential garage doors are traditionally made of wood, but like so many home improvement installations, alternatives have surpassed the old wooden models. Metal, synthetics, and fiberglass are not only cheaper but are safer and require less maintenance. Nearly all of these alternatives are fire and pest-resistant.

New garage doors can have insulation that keeps your garage warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. They can be soundproofed in case someone in the household has a band or plays a loud musical instrument. Plastic windows will let natural light into your garage without sacrificing security. Automatic garage doors have ever increasing capabilities and improved security codes to keep undesirables out of your home.

Residential Garage Doors Should Provide Home Security and Safety
Residential garage doors, besides providing an entrance and exit for your car, also maintain the security and safety of your home. Burglars know that many garage doors aren't nearly as secure as entry doors. Even if your garage isn't connected to your home, you'll want to keep your vehicles, tools, and bikes safe and secure. New, sturdier garage doors will help prevent burglars from entering your home or making off with your valuable property. Still, it's just as important to install and maintain a garage door that won't hurt anyone, especially your own family. In the last 25 years, 60 children have been killed under garage doors and countless others seriously injured. Even manual doors are by no means completely safe, but if you're installing an automatic door, a reversing garage door is a good idea. You may want to periodically test to make sure the safety devices are working on your garage door.