The garage door is such an important aspect of the frontage of every home hence you need to be very careful when choosing one. Your choice should be a compromise between the suitability of the door in securing your garage and the aesthetic appeal the door will have on the exterior of your home. Here are a few tips to guide you and help you choose the right garage door for your home-:
Decide on the material
Garage doors are available in different materials including wood, aluminum, steel, fiberglass and PVC. While considering the material of the door, you should take into consideration factors like durability, design, cost as well as the maintenance requirements.
Wood is a bit resilient and can take a lot of abuse as compared to aluminum or steel which might show dents and some cases rust during harsh weathers. You may also need to paint the aluminum and steel garage doors quite often to maintain their appearance hence you shouldn’t opt for them if you are looking for a low maintenance door. Wooden garage door would be the ideal choice in such a situation.
Choose a style that complements your overall home design
Your ideal garage door should complement the architecture of your home. For instance, a traditional house might need a garage door which will blend perfectly well or simply disappear into the wall. A modern home on the other hand might need a slightly sophisticated glass door probably with some unique designs.
The décor on the door should also match either the roof style or the window patterns. This is how to create an ambient coherence and get the most out of the door in terms of aesthetics. Generally, the available styles of garage doors include Victorian, Edwardian, Ranch Style and the contemporary or modern styles.
Be spot on with the color
Choosing the wrong color for your garage door will certainly affect the outward beauty of your home. The color should complement the entire home and blend well with other structures instead of contrasting everything. A good scenario would be when the color of the garage door is matched to the window trims and not the front door as some people are fond of doing.
The garage door insulation
The insulation of the garage is very essential in your choice for the ideal door since it will ultimately affect the energy bills, especially during the extreme weather conditions. While considering the insulation, check on the R-value of the door rather than the thickness of the door.
A higher R-value will offer better insulation in addition to reducing the noise from outside. Most manufactures will attach the R-value to the doors hence be sure to check them out and choose one with a good R-value.
Safety and security
One of the main reasons to fitting a door to your garage is to secure it hence the security and safety features of the door are very important when making your choice. The door should have adequate and reliable security features to ensure that the bad guys are kept at bay from entering your garage.
It should also have safety features to prevent accidents to members of your family as well as accidents that might end up damaging the door itself. Some of the important safety features it should never miss include pinch resistant and tamper resistant bottom brackets.