Is your garage door starting to look like a disgrace, ruining the curb appeal of your home? It may be time to start shopping for a new one. The following are 5 tips to follow when you finally take the plunge to find a new garage door. 

Avoid DIY

Sure, you could save a few hundred dollars by installing the door yourself, but it’s one DIY project that doesn’t have a big payoff. First of all, there’s a ton of parts and it’ll take you at least a full day to put them together. Plus, winding the spring requires special tools and lots of arm strength and is fairly dangerous. If you hire a pro to install the door, the new door will be delivered and the old one hauled away, and the job will be done in about four hours. And you’ll have someone to a call if there’s a problem.

Be Skeptical of Wood

Real wood doors look fantastic when they’re new. But unless you’re willing to devote time and money to maintenance, they won’t look good for long. Natural finishes last a few years before they need recoating. And if you wait too long, you’ll have to sand off all the finish and start over to get your door looking new again. You can save a few thousand dollars by going with a faux wood-grain or vinyl door instead.

Stronger Springs are Worth It

 Springs are what help your garage door go up easily and come down slowly. Most garage doors use torsion springs. You can usually see these coiled torsion springs above the door. Standard torsion springs last for about 10,000 cycles. That may sound like a lot, but if you open and close your door six times a day, which is pretty average, you’ll reach 10,000 cycles in less than five years. Spending an extra $50 when you shop garage doors will buy you a spring good for 20,000 cycles.

Insulate Your Door

Most garages aren’t heated, but your garage door still impacts your home’s energy efficiency. Construction materials and insulation technologies for garage doors have improved significantly over the last five to 10 years. Today’s doors provide a tighter seal to keep out the elements. If your garage is attached to the house, you should purchase an insulated door. It will help reduce both noise and utility bills.

Know Your Surroundings

If you live in a high wind or hurricane-prone area, make sure your garage door can withstand the elements. Because of their size, garage doors are more susceptible to wind damage. Garage doors must have additional bracing, heavier gauge tracking and other hardware to help keep them intact under extreme winds. If you’re buying a new door, look for models that are “storm ready” with a built-in reinforcement system, which requires no advance set-up before a dangerous storm. 

Conclusion

Buying a new garage door does not need to be a stressful endeavor. Following the above tips will have you enjoying an attractive and sturdy new door in no time. For the best in garage door installation, call or visit Katy Door Systems today.