Facts about Garage Doors That You Should Know

You might not think too much of your garage door, but it is the largest moving object of your house. It’s one of the things we use everyday but take for granted. Here are some of the facts that might help you appreciate the basic fact that you have a garage door.

1. A garage door replaces your front door’s job.

A nationwide survey revealed that 71% of homeowners use their garage door as an entrance and exit point for the home opposed to using the front door, which people might naturally assume to be the main access point. It is because of the convenience of parking your vehicle inside and just walking in the house, as well as driving your car out of the garage when going out. For some, it can be considered as the front door’s replacement.

2. A garage door can be opened with just a touch of a fingertip.

Since home technology is advancing, the more features garage doors are having. Exterior keypads are rapidly growing in popularity, but you can now also use fingerprint recognition technology to open garage doors. No need to memorize codes, and no more worries about security of ever your password would be leaked. Also, smart home technology enables smartphones to access your garage opener remotely. In fact, a national consumer survey revealed that more than 71% of homeowners use garage door openers to enter their houses every day.

3. A garage door increases home value and helps sell your home.

You probably already know that a quality garage door increases the value of your home. But you may not know that by replacing your standard garage door with an upscale garage door, you can increase the home’s entire appraised value by 1 to 4%. This is why installing the right garage door should be included in your plans in garage organization. The increase might not sound much, but a 4% would mean thousands of dollars going back to you once you made a sale. A nationwide online survey says 73% of homeowners believe that replacing their garage door increased the chances of selling their home and getting a higher price for it.

4. Your home could look unique by just picking the right garage door design.

In garage planning, one of the most important things people consider is whether to pick a carriage house door, a contemporary one of a raised panel door, but the design is usually given just a little thought. Every homes in your street could perhaps have the same boring gray garage door, but you are not left with no choice. Why look like everyone else if your house can stand out with a unique design?

Just like for any other parts of the house, there are distinct varieties of styles and colors you can choose from, which were not available even in the past decade. Most garage door manufacturers even have an online door designer available on their website to make it easy to visualize how to style or pick a color scheme that will suit your home’s current appearance.

5. A garage door takes up huge space of your home’s front view.

Another reason to pick a perfect design for the garage door is because on average, it takes up six times more space than a typical front door. The eye is automatically drawn to the largest item that occupies a scene – garages actually occupy about 30% of your home’s front view – so if you want your house to look nice, don’t overlook the garage door and choose a design carefully.

Fun fact: garage doors are steadily getting bigger in America. The US Census Characteristics of New Housing reveals that roughly 23% of new one-family houses built in 2014 had a garage big enough for 3 or more cars. This compares to only 11% in 1992.

6. A garage door must be installed by professionals.

If you’re a DIYer, you might be tempted to embark on a challenge of installing your own garage door. But let us warn you – don’t do it. Garage door installation can be dangerous because of their high spring tension, which creates a risk for serious injury or even death. Always call in a professional team to install your garage door since they have the skills and the right tools to do that.

7. A garage door can protect your home from strong winds.

We all know that your home could be safe and secure with a garage door, but do you know that it can make a difference during powerful storms? If you chose a non-reinforced, non-insulated double wide garage door, it could be the first to go when high winds strike your home. To protect your home, install code-approved, wind-resistant garage doors. These are widely available, and are mandated by the building code in areas prone to strong winds.

8. There are garage doors can remind you when they are open.

You know that it is dangerous to forget to close your garage door, but sometimes it happens. An open garage is an invitation to criminals, especially at night. Today’s garage door openers come equipped with in-house monitors that alert you when you left your door open.

9. There are garage doors that can withstand power outages.

Since the garage door is usually used as the entrance (and most of them are now automated), what happens when power goes out? How will you get in your home? Manufacturers of newer garage door models know this could happen, so today, garage doors are equipped with backup batteries so that your door can keep operating in the event of a power outage. No need to worry during blackouts!

10.There are garage doors that can save energy.

Some garage doors, especially those offered nowadays, come with insulation options that can save energy in both summer and winter. The federal government offers tax credits to homeowners who would replace their garage door with a qualified insulated door. This can help you save you money!