What to Look for in a New Garage Door - and Why You Should Replace Yours Now

At first thought, the dead of winter may not seem to be the optimum time to replace your garage door. In fact, quite the opposite is true: frigid temperatures and brisk winds readily prove the need to upgrade your garage door from an older non-insulated version to a modern, energy efficient garage door. The garage door is generally the largest moving object in your home and offers the greatest exposure to the elements. An insulated garage door will maintain the temperature in your garage in the winter and summer and likely decrease heating and cooling costs. Insulated garage doors not only make the garage more comfortable inside but also affect the rooms adjacent to or above the garage. In addition, a well-insulated garage helps keep moisture out, and its sturdy construction offers a far greater noise-reducing sound barrier than non-insulated models. What should consumers look for in an energy efficient garage door? For starters, check out the R-value. R-value is a measure of thermal resistance to heat flow and is how most garage door manufacturers show the energy efficiency of their product. The higher the R-value of a door, the more insulation you'll get. Second, look at the door's construction. Well-insulated doors will have a "triple-layer" construction, consisting of environmentally safe polystyrene or polyurethane thermal insulation between two layers of heavy-duty steel. Homeowner Rob Slaughter in North Carolina recognizes the energy savings and noise reduction values of his new garage door. "The original garage doors that were installed when our house was built in 1999 were non-insulated single-layer of steel. Insulated doors are far superior to just plain steel doors in performance - not to mention the improved appearance," Slaughter says. "The new doors are much quieter when we open and close them and don't have the hollow rattle of the steel doors. "I could almost instantly feel our garage warming up after the installation of our new door, which happened to be on an unusually cold day in November. With the old steel doors, the outside temperature would come into the garage," he adds. "I fully expect to see a significant drop in my heating and cooling costs over the next year." Of all the budget-friendly improvement projects you can complete before spring, a new garage door will not only save on energy costs, it will give you one of the best returns on your investment and provide a great value for your home. Over the last few years, surveys conducted by the Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report indicate that installing new garage doors has been a project in the top rankings for return on investment. If you're not sure where to begin, check out the "How to Buy a Garage Door" guide on amarr.com or at YouTube.com/amarrgaragedoors. The guide is a helpful tool to get you started, offering great tips on the benefits of different materials and how to match a door with your home's architecture and character. Whether your garage door withstands heat, wind, snow, rain or all of the above, it's the largest line of defense for your home. Make sure that it's working hard for you by reducing your home's energy consumption, increasing your home's curb appeal and adding to the value of your home for years to come.