Tips for Choosing a New Garage Door

When it's time to replace a garage door, or if you're having a new garage built, you want to take the time needed to find the perfect choice. Doors will vary in their appearance but also in their durability and even the security they offer. Note a few tips for choosing a new garage door for your property.

1. Weight

Metal doors may offer the most security against a break-in, but consider if the automatic opener were to break for your overhead door. Would you be able to lift the garage door safely while waiting for repairs? You may be forced to park in the driveway or may not even be able to get your car out of the garage for a few days if you choose a material that you could not lift on your own. Keep this in mind when deciding between heavy steel, thinner steel, aluminium and wood.

2. Insulation of steel

If you decide on a steel garage door, you may note that there are single layers, double layers and triple layers offered. This refers to how many 'skins' of steel are used to create the door. The single layer is often the most economical and the thinnest. Double layer doors may have a foam backing, over which this second layer is applied, for soundproofing and added security. Triple layer is obviously the thickest, heaviest and most secure. Triple layer doors also typically offer more thermal protection, meaning more insulation. If you tend to work in the garage during summer or winter or store anything that needs to be protected from the elements, triple layer may be the right option for you.

3. Safety

A garage door accident can be very dangerous, so note if the bottom has tamper-resistant metal brackets. These brackets are a safety feature if the door should get damaged when under tension so that it begins to fall, and if they're tamper-resistant, this will ensure they stay in place. For doors with panels, look for something pinch-resistant. This pushes fingers out of the way as the door closes and the panels become straight; without this guide, your fingers could get crushed between panels if you're touching the door as it closed for any reason. 

Fire-resistant doors can help to cut off a fire if it should start in the garage; unlike a wood door, which might feed a fire, a fire-resistant metal door can stop the fire from spreading and even cause it to simply burn out. If you do welding or work on your car in the garage, consider a fire-resistant door.

Talk with a garage door installer from a company like Best Doors to learn more about the types of garage doors that could suit your needs.