Insulated v non-insulated garage doors

Difference Between Insulated V Non-Insulated Garage Doors

Insulated V Non-Insulated Garage Doors

There is a debate among those in favor of insulated garage doors and those who believe they are not worth the extra dime. Let’s face it! Insulated garage door installation costs more. The question is whether or not it is worth it. The only way to understand which door will be right for you or which side to take is to see if the advantages of insulated v non-insulated garage doors.

How insulated garage doors worked their way into our lives

Up until recently garage doors did not have insulation. They were simply panels, which offered no energy efficiency. Over the years things changed. We have become more attached to ideas such as environment protection and make an effort to keep our houses green. People started investing more in home insulation in order to use the heating and cooling system less. This move helped them save money and protect the planet since emissions affect negatively the global warming. And then the insulated garage doors were born.

As houses got larger and more garages were built with attachment to residences, people know that the energy lost in the garage affects the whole house. And they had to use the heating and cooling system more. So one of the greatest benefits with insulated doors is that they keep the garage and the entire house energy efficient. And that’s true for both warm and cold climates. So you may be wondering in your head what the big advantage between insulated v non-insulated garage doors are. Read on…

Garage door repair also helps keep the house energy efficient

Most definitely, proper insulation is good with garage door repair, which must include the replacement of worn weather seals. It is clear that damaged tracks or broken pulleys, which will keep the door half open, will also allow energy to escape. That happens even if there is a tiny gap under the door due to the ruined bottom seal. Such problems should repair fast and that’s why Dream Garage Door replaces weather stripping fast. Among the pros of insulated doors is that they also isolate sounds and help the door move smoother. Since they are often made by several layers, they also make the door stronger without making it heavier! And that’s awesome too!

Differences among insulated garage doors

But let’s see which insulated garage door is the best choice. In order to take advantage of their great benefits, you must make the right choice in terms of materials. And we are not just talking about the door’s material. The vital thing is to choose the right insulation. There are two choices: polystyrene and polyurethane. The former comes in the form of sheets sandwiched among two panels. The latter comes in the form of foam injected in between panels.

The advantage of polyurethane is that the foam covers the entire cavity and thus offers better insulation. It’s no wonder why garage doors insulated with this material have a greater R-value, to determine thermal resistance. The higher the R-value the higher the energy efficiency. But there is a small trap here. Don’t assume that a door with 16-value offers double energy efficiency than an 8-value door. The thermal resistance is higher but not double.

In spite of such details and the need of frequent garage door repair services, the facts show that insulated doors are much better than the non-insulated ones. And that makes sense too since they are the product of more recent technologies, which offer better solutions. So to answer your question: insulated v non-insulated garage doors, the latter wins.

Set Your House Apart with a Customized Garage Door

Customized Garage Door

To upgrade the aesthetic beauty of your home, there is a really simple place to start- the garage door. Customizing your garage door and windows to match the rest of the house is an easy way to showcase its distinctive architecture.

When changing out your garage door, you might as well add in some features that may cost a bit of money but will be worth it when you go to resell your property. Installing some stylish garage windows and a solid door may just catch the eye of a potential buyer who you’re trying to impress. So why don’t upgrade now and enjoy the benefits for yourself in the meantime?

Matching the home’s windows to your garage’s windows gives the whole structure a sense of uniformity to someone passing by. Plus, it can give your home a renewed spatial sense that it’s larger than it really is.

There are two types of garage door windows- real ones and fake ones. Simulated windows can be installed to practically any kind of garage door, but in certain kinds of light it could be very apparent that they are fake. However, there are some benefits to having simulated windows. If the garage door faces west in an area with lots of sunlight, fake windows can decrease the need for air conditioning. Real garage doors windows that let lots of light in tend to heat up not only the garage but the rooms in the house closest to it.

Adding in windows is a way to make your garage and house stand out, but mounting garage door hardware in a way that gives the impression that the garage door opens a different approach can be another example of how to set your house apart. More appealing than functional, this article covers garage door hardware that may be just what you need in your upgrade:

Fancy hinges: Long curvaceous hinges on a garage door can give the illusion that the door opens outward. They look good on antique or carriage house doors, but can be attractive on basically any kind.

Door handles: Mounting door handles in the center of it gives the impression that the garage doors open to the sides. A handle that is hung low in the center of the door makes it seem like it’s a single-piece door that opens upwards.

Old-style door knockers: Just like a doorbell, a knocker installed on the center of the door may look good on ancient and rustic type openings, even if no one uses it.

Door latches: Just like door knockers, mounting a latch on a door might not ever be used but it can give a door an urban feel and can be appealing on a carriage-style or barn door.

Garage door studs: Mission-style or French Country homes that are already unique-looking may be able to pull off a garage door that has decorative nail heads or studs, or even a rolling grille. These are features that really make a statement.

Keep in mind that your garage door can really be a reflection of the rest of your house and of yourself, so customizing it with some cool features can leave you with a favorable reputation.

Installing A Garage Air Conditioner

Garage Air Conditioner.

Having a heated and stuffy air conditioner especially in the summer is no fun and can cause frustration. Installing a garage air conditioner is budget friendly and the perfect solution to this problem. Best of all, installation can be completed in just half a day! In this post, we will provide you with some useful information to keep in mind when choosing a garage air conditioner.

Before you start the installation process, you should strongly consider insulation. Without it, your garage air conditioner may be ineffective and a waste of money. The cool air from your air conditioner will escape and the comfortable temperature will not last for long. You may also want to consider sound dampening installation if you want to minimize the sounds from your garage. Ultimately, if you plan on using the air conditioner for long periods of time, we highly recommend getting insulation.

The first thing you will have to do is check the size of your garage space – depending on how much area you have to occupy, you can determine the size of your garage air conditioner. It is important to select a large enough air conditioner to be able to cool your entire garage, and not just half of it. Buying an air conditioner with a higher BTU rate (meaning that the unit is able to take more hot air out from a larger space in a shorter time period) will maximize the effects of the cooling system.

At this point, you may be wondering “Is A Garage Air Conditioner” even worth it? Well, that depends on several factors; Is it extremely hot where you live? How often does it get unbearably hot in your area? Do you do a lot of work in the garage? If you find that you are spending a lot of time in your garage in the summer time, it may be a good idea to invest in a garage air conditioner. If not, it may be a better option to just get a simple fan.

If at this point, you are convinced that you do in fact need a garage air conditioner, read on to find out the different types of garage air conditioners:

1) Window Air Conditioners – This may be an option for you if you have a window in your garage and a smaller sized garage. The drawback for window air conditioners are that they are bulky and can get a bit noisy. For this reason, they are the most affordable option.
2) Mini – Split Air Conditioners –This type of system is split with the outside and inside. They are known to be very energy efficient. They are mounted high on the wall, which results in more space for your garage.
3) Portable Air Conditioners – While this type does save money and energy, if you are going to use it during very high temperatures, we do not recommend it.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to call us today! We look forward to answering any of your garage related questions!

Secure Your Garage From Theft

Secure Your Garage

There are many ways to secure your garage, and it is essential to do so in order to ensure safety. One of the most popular places that criminals check as an entry point into your home is the garage. People seem to overlook the garage door, garage door windows and the garage entry door when they are leaving their home. This three entry points give criminals an easy way to get into your home. This article will tell you some really fast corrections that you can complete to make sure that the burglars are turned away if there decide to pay your home a visit when you’re out for the day.

Do not leave the garage door remote inside of your car. Some home invasions crimes are not random. Criminals will case out a home and watch people for weeks. They may know places that you go and if you have a schedule, when you leave. If they do know where you go, they can take your garage remote and return to your home while you’re still out; or return to your home on another day. You may think you miss-placed your garage door remote until it’s too late. Also valet drivers have received a bad reputation the last few years for taking people’s garage door openers and looking at the car registration documents to get the home addresses. Most people do not remember to place the garage door remote in the glove compartment box and lock it. If it does go missing make sure you reset the garage door code ASAP.

If you garage has an entry door another thing that you can do is make sure that the door is reinforced. This would be especially important if the door is on the side of the garage, out of view of people passing by your home. Criminals are more likely to force a door out of view than one that is exposed to the street. A door Lock reinforces would be the first thing to buy and install. What this does is make sure that the lock can’t be pried off of the door or if someone takes a hammer to the door it will be more difficult to break open. You should also install a Heavy-duty strike plate. Heavy-duty strike plates will prevent an intruder from forcing the door. Also make sure you have heavy duty Anchor hinges. Anchor hinges are the part that connects the door to the frame securely. The screws that you use should be a minimum of 3 inches long so that it goes deep inside the frame and the door. The type of lock you need is a dead bold with an ANSI grade of 1. In order for the dead bolt to work you need the previous parts in place. A dead bolt lock with no other heavy duty parts is practically a waste of time and money.

One of the best devices that you can have to secure your garage is a motion detector light. When someone walks up to your garage at night the light will come on and more than likely the person will walk the other way. Windows should be covered to make sure that people are not just looking in to see what you got. If you like the light coming into your garage when you’re working and don’t want to cover the windows then you can only cover the bottom portion of the window. Are just buy privacy shades. If you think you need a little more protection in a high crime community then please just install window bars? They do not look very nice but the safety of your family and belongings should be priority number one. If you’re like me sometimes you just forget to hit that button to close the garage door. Well, for very low cost you can add an auto closing device so that after a set amount of time the garage door will close on its own.

Vacation

If you’re going on vacation make sure that you disable the garage door and place a lock on the garage door track. You can just get a standard heavy duty lock at Home Depot. Secure your garage today!