8 Benefits of a New Garage Door
The life span of a garage door with proper maintenance can be up to 30 years. However, many factors can decrease that life span, such as a lack of maintenance, repair issues, or environmental factors like humidity and severe weather. In the Olympic Peninsula, rain and wet weather conditions can lead to multiple issues for garage doors. Having proper insulation and ventilation for your garage door can save you money in utility costs and increase the value of your home.
From left in the morning to coming home at the end of the day, your garage door is the last thing you see of your home and the first thing that welcomes you back. So it’s also valuable to make it a beautiful and functional statement piece. To enjoy these and other benefits of a new garage door, call a professional from Olympic Garage Door to find the best option for your home!
- 8 Benefits Of Buying A New Garage Door
- When To Buy A New Garage Door
- Browse Our Showroom To Find Your New Garage Door
8 Benefits of Buying a New Garage Door
Since 89% of homeowners use their garage to enter their home regularly, it’s clear that garage doors play a large role in most families’ daily lives. When your garage door’s performance begins to decrease, you may ask yourself, “Do I need a new garage door, or can I wait a few more years?” It’s best to address serious issues as soon as possible with professional maintenance. Sometimes, no amount of maintenance can fix the problem, and that’s when you should replace your garage door.
Benefits you can look forward to with a new door include the following:
1. Increases Home Value
One advantage of a new garage door is that it adds value to your home, whether you are looking to sell immediately or in the future. For garage door replacements in the Pacific region, Remodeling magazine’s 2021 study reveals that homeowners recoup 95.2% of the remodeling cost at resale, which is higher than the national average. New garage doors have a high return on investment (ROI), especially in the Pacific Northeast, and have the bonus of attracting buyers to your home.
If you plan to stay in your home for the foreseeable future, a new garage door can make getting in and out of your house much easier. While you may not see an immediate monetary ROI, investing in a new garage door increases the practical value you gain from your home, making life easier and safer for you and your family.
2. Improves Curb Appeal
In the 2019 Remodeling Impact Survey, responders reported that 31% remodeled their garage door for beauty and aesthetic reasons. Although the garage is primarily a functional feature of your house, an unsightly garage door can detract from even the most beautiful exterior decorations and landscaping. Anything from chipping exterior paint and rusty chains to loud, unpleasant noises can diminish the appeal and value of your home, both to buyers and visitors.
The beauty of a new garage door can make you feel better about your home. In fact, the same 2019 survey notes that homeowners who replace their garage doors tend to find more enjoyment from being home and feel a sense of accomplishment from the project. Many homeowners may not put much stock in how their garage door makes them feel, but replacing your garage door can lend a surprising boost to your happiness with your home.
3. Adds Extra Security
A new garage door can provide an extra barrier between your family’s belongings and thieves. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reports that burglaries represent 16.1% of property crimes, with 62.8% of all burglary offenses occurring at residential properties. Older garage door models can be an open invitation for thieves, particularly if they know what’s inside or that your family keeps the door to the house within the garage unlocked. While it’s best to lock all your doors, installing a new garage door can add an extra layer of security to your home.
An essential component to garage safety is to hide or keep the garage door opener inside your house rather than in your car. While it may be more convenient to keep it in your vehicle, it’s also convenient for thieves to locate and open your garage. You can also keep your garage safe from break-ins by adding privacy film on the windows to prevent people from seeing inside. Thieves are less likely to break in if they can’t see anything valuable that would make it worth their risk.
4. Requires Less Maintenance
Getting a new garage door can save you time and money on costly and frequent repairs and maintenance. New doors run smoother, have better features and don’t require as much upkeep. An old garage door can run into maintenance issues easily due to old, rusted parts or insufficient care and upkeep. The most common maintenance issues for old garage doors include:
- The door won’t close or open fully.
- The springs break or are too old.
- The rollers and bearings wear down over time.
- Dirt or debris block or obstruct the photo eye sensors.
- The garage door remote stops working.
As with most large home maintenance issues, the best course of action is to get professional assistance with major repairs. The benefit of having a professional work on your door is that they can alert you to any possible issues before they happen and help you decide when it’s time to replace your door.
5. Reduces Heating and Cooling Costs
Your garage should be a livable space — maybe not for sleeping in, but you should be free to perform basic tasks and store vehicles and other items in it. If the extreme heat in the summer and frigid cold temperatures in the winter keep you from spending any time or storing items in your garage, consider replacing your garage door.
A new garage door can give you monthly ROI through your heating and cooling costs. With better insulation from the cold and heat, a newer garage door can increase your energy savings and decrease your energy footprint, making your house more efficient and environmentally friendly.
Having better insulation can be especially important if there are rooms above or adjacent to the garage. With better temperature control in the garage, your heating and cooling systems won’t need to work as hard to control the temperature of those rooms.
6. Decreases Safety Hazards
Garage doors can be a safety hazard in your home if they aren’t functioning properly. The most important feature of garage door safety is the photo eye sensors that detect movement under the garage. If the sensor is triggered by a person or animal running underneath the garage as it closes, the garage should immediately halt and reverse. If these sensors are not working correctly, the door can come down and harm people, property and animals.
Another safety measure to check for is the auto-reverse function. If the photo eye sensors don’t detect movement, but something is blocking the door from closing fully, it will auto-reverse as soon as it hits the object in its path. Installing a new garage door with these enhanced security features can ensure that young children, in particular, are safe from harm.
In addition to mechanical issues, old garage doors can also pose health risks. Because the Olympic Peninsula has a wet climate, particularly in the rainy season, mold can become an issue in garages that are not well insulated. Mold thrives in areas that are moist and dark. A poorly ventilated garage can cause mold buildup, which can be costly to repair and potentially life-threatening.
7. Performs Better
A squeaky, noisy garage door that disturbs the whole house can be a nuisance. A new garage door is better in practical performance compared to an old one, even a old door that received proper maintenance. Newer models run quieter and faster than older ones, making a marked difference for your convenience.
Newer garage doors also need less maintenance and upkeep and have improved safety features, like better sensors. They won’t get stuck or locked up as frequently as old ones, and you can be sure the improved safety features are functioning well with simple at-home checks.
8. Enhances Utility
Having a new garage door can open up a range of possibilities for better utilizing your garage space. People often use garages for storage and workstations, especially at-home carpenters and mechanics who need the space to move large items in and out. Having a properly insulated garage door that protects from the elements will make the space more functional and usable. You won’t have to worry about your stored items or equipment suffering damage from extreme temperatures or retaining moisture from outside humidity.
When to Buy a New Garage Door
Why buy a new garage door? Even if your garage door doesn’t have any major issues, underlying issues may make a new door a necessity. Replace your garage door when you encounter significant issues that a professional cannot fix or repair, including the following:
1. Significant Wear and Tear
Over time, garage doors can become worn down from wear and tear. Something as simple as frequency of use can affect your door — for example, if you use your garage door four times a day, it will likely last longer than those who use it eight or more times a day.
Weather factors can also influence the wear of your garage door, with significant rain and snow potentially leading to rusting and warping of the door. Mechanical failures become more common as doors age, with springs and lift cables needing more frequent replacement or maintenance over time. Even a slight track misalignment can progress to the point of serious damage to your garage door. With evidence of this kind of wear and tear, you need to replace your garage door.
2. Failure to Open or Close
Coming home after a long day and not being able to get inside due to a faulty garage door can be frustrating. If your door isn’t opening or closing properly, there are a few culprits for the cause:
- Faulty opener: An old or faulty garage door opener can lead to safety and security risks. Faulty openers can lead the auto-reverse feature to malfunction, putting anyone who walks under your closing door in danger. Thieves can also override old or outdated opener systems, giving them easy access to your home.
- Broken remote: Your remote could be out of batteries or become disconnected from the motor unit. More seriously, the motor unit may be burned out, calling for a complete replacement.
- Misaligned sensor: An obstructed sensor can impact the opening and closing of your door. Anything from dust and debris to more serious mechanical failure could be the cause.
You can solve some issues like dirt and debris yourself. Call a professional if you think your door needs any more serious repairs.
3. Damage to the Door
While small dents and scratches may not be very noticeable from the street, even minor dents can impact a door’s functionality. Having a dent in your door can prevent its smooth and unobstructed movement along the tracks, resulting in issues from misalignment to total door failure. In some cases, you might fix it by replacing one of the panels, but it’s usually better to replace the whole door.
If you notice any serious dents or the door encounters significant trauma from weather, sports balls or vehicles, call a professional to assess the damage and limit opening or closing the door until it is replaced or deemed safe for use.
4. Poor Energy Performance
Since a garage door can significantly impact a household’s energy output, having a poorly insulated garage can result in higher overall costs for utility bills and issues such as mold and water damage. Some insulation issues are fixable with repairs or additions, but old garage doors may not support these techniques.
If you discover your garage is at fault for your home’s poor energy performance, a new garage door can be an investment in future savings down the road and a greener choice for the environment.
Browse Our Showroom to Find Your New Garage Door
Olympic Garage Door services Port Angeles, Sequim, Port Townsend, and other areas throughout the Olympic Peninsula. We offer an extensive showroom staffed with professionals and a vast selection of new residential garage doors. A qualified technician will perform a site visit to your home to assess your property’s unique needs, answer your questions and oversee proper installation. At Olympic Garage Door, we also offer continued maintenance services to keep your new garage door functioning well over time.
Browse our selection of garage doors online or visit our showroom to speak with a knowledgeable team member. To learn more about our products and installation, call us at 360-452-3859 or fill out a contact form for a detailed estimate.