Your garage doors and your garage door opener are two separate components that you can replace separately if necessary or together.
For your garage door opener, you’ll usually get around 10 to 15 years of use out of it. You may have to replace your garage door opener if it’s older than that, or you notice signs of an issue. For example, your garage door opener might not be powerful enough to raise the door or lower it. Other signs you should consider a replacement include noisiness or opening and shutting without warning.
You might decide that it’s time to upgrade not just the functionality of your home but the look by completely replacing your doors. This is obviously a more significant project than just having your opener changed, and the following are some key things to know before taking it on.
Reasons to Upgrade a Garage Door
Relatively speaking, it’s not a huge expense to replace your garage door, and it’s going to boost your curb appeal quite a bit. The best doors on the modern market are made from vinyl, galvanized steel, or composite around foam insulation.
You might instead want wood, but usually, the wood is a layer on top of solid rail-and-stile construction.
Overall, thanks to technology, garage doors have come a long way. They are designed to look beautiful and withstand the elements for years without the need for any maintenance or upkeep.
Garage Door Styles
You can find so many style options, and you want one that matches well with the exterior style of your home. You can find sleek, modern doors, classic carriage-house doors, and doors with glass window detailing.
It’s essential that you’re realistic about the style that’s going to look best for your home because otherwise, the doors are going to standout and not in a good way.
If you’re not sure what will complement your home’s style best, you can use an online visualization tool to help you.
Steel Doors Are Most Popular
Undoubtedly, the most popular material for garage doors is steel. Steel doors can be insulated so they’re more energy-efficient than wood doors. Overall, steel doors tend to require less maintenance than wood doors and be less expensive too.
Aluminum doors are usually cheapest, but they can be dented easily. Aluminum doors are lightweight if you have to raise your door for any reason manually. Aluminum is also rust and corrosion-resistant, making it a popular option in coastal areas.
If you choose wood doors, prepare to paint them or re-stain them every few years.
Insulation Value
The R-value is a term to get familiar with if you’re considering replacing your garage doors. The R-value tells you the insulation value of a particular door.
The higher the R-value, the more insulation you will get, which means more energy efficiency. If you live in a harsh climate this can end up being one of your biggest priorities. If you’re going to heat or cool your garage or have living space above your garage, the R-value is also significant.
The higher the R-value, the more you’ll pay for garage doors, but if you need a well-insulated garage, you may find the added cost well worth it.
Return on Investment
If you do your research and make the right choice for your home, replacing your garage doors can create a good return on your investment. For example, high-quality garage doors improve your security, reduce maintenance and lower energy costs. Garage doors can also have a massive impact on your curb appeal.
IF you replace your garage doors, according to current data, you could raise the value of your home by around $2800 on average.
The costs of the door replacement can vary quite a bit. You might pay anywhere from $750 for an installed garage door up to thousands of dollars. You can install your own garage door for as little as $400.
When you’re thinking about replacing your doors, it’s a good idea to do some comparison shopping. You might find, for example that a local dealer is cheaper where you live, or on the other hand, a big box store might be running a promotion making them the more affordable option. Sometimes you can get price matching depending on the retailer.
Finally, don’t forget the details. For example, you can go with a cheaper, simpler door design, but you can add hardware and handles to customize the look and make it more high-end.
