Repair or Replace?

Before you make a decision to purchase a new garage door, you may want to evaluate whether your door may be repairable. Here are some repairs to common garage door problems, that may improve the operation or appearance of your door:

• Cleaning and lubricating the tracks.
• Align the tracks.
• Adjust or replace the spring.
• Paint the door (this is only a cosmetic improvement).

Here are some indications that you need a new garage door:

• The rollers and tracks need frequent alignment.
• The roller or tracks or worn or rusted.
• Light, dust, or material from outside (for example, leaves) are coming in under your door.
• There is water damage or wood rot on your wood door.
• The outside appearance can no longer be improved through basic repair and paint.
• Your garage door does not meet current safety standards.

Brand

Some brands, like Craftsman and Stanley, manufacture many types of products. Others like Wayne Dalton and Raynor specialize in garage doors. The brands that specialize often manufacture the higher end garage doors.

Click here to see  our selection of our Top Garage Door Brands

Get Help or Do It Yourself?

Replacing a garage door is an 8 to 16 hour job for two people. The work is straightforward if you have basic carpentry skills and are good at measuring. However, if you incorrectly install the door, you may be setting yourself up for ongoing repairs and adjustments in the future. Most people have their garage doors professionally installed, often by an installer provided or recommended by the company that sold the door.

Safety

Garage doors have become safer through the advent of three safety features:

Automatic garage door reverse: In 1993, the United States federal government mandated that all new garage doors have this safety feature. If your garage door comes in contact with an object (other than your garage floor) while it is closing, it automatically reverses direction and will return to the open position. People, pets, and cars cannot be crushed when doors have this feature.

Electric Eye System: Also part of the 1993 legislation, all doors have an electric eye light beam that goes from one side of the garage door opening to the other. When something passing across the garage door opening while the door is closing interrupts the beam, the garage door reverses direction and returns to the open position.

Finger Protection: On many garage doors, the joints between door sections now come with shaped edges that push fingers out of the cracks as they close. This feature is available on many new metal and plastic doors, and is not available on garage doors constructed of wood. This is an excellent feature to have, particularly if you have children. Since it is an optional feature, you will need to inquire about it while you are shopping.

Materials

You have three general choices of materials, as well as a number of alternatives within each material:

Steel: Steel has replaced wood as the most popular garage door, largely because of its durability, low maintenance, and competitive price. Steel doors come in 24, 26, and 28-gauge steel – 24-gauge is the heaviest and sturdiest. Most garage doors have a smooth finish or a wood grain embossed finish. Garage doors either come in plain steel, steel backed by insulation, or the top of the line with two sheets of steel sandwiching a layer of insulation. If you live in a cold climate, if your garage is attached to your home, and/or if you have a room above your garage you should consider getting an insulated garage door. Another benefit of insulation is that it insulates against noise as well as weather, so factor that into your decision if you live in a noisy area.

Wood: Wood is fading in popularity because wood garage doors need to be painted more frequently. However, if you have a high-end home, you are already using natural construction materials throughout your home (for instance, cedar shingles), then you may well want to invest in a garage door made of natural wood.

Plastic: Plastic is the newest material used to make garage doors. It is tends to be durable and inexpensive. It is a light material, so plastic garage doors tend to be the quietest when being raised and lowered. If you are shopping for plastic garage doors, make sure you know if the door you are looking at can be painted (an issue with some of the doors). Most homeowners do not want to change garage doors every time they paint their house in a new color.

Style

There are many styles available in garage doors, and you should take the time to find a door that matches the style of your home. If you need help, bring a picture of you home when you shop for a new garage door. A garage door can reflect an overall design (modern, Victorian, art deco), it can reflect the design elements from your doors or windows, or it can reflect a material used in your home's facade, like wood or brick. If your home has a distinctive architecture and you can't find a garage door that matches, you can have a garage door custom made. While this is the most expensive option for purchasing a garage door, it may pay for itself by maintaining the architectural integrity of your home and improving your home's value.

Garage Windows

Garage door windows are a nice design element, particularly if they reflect the design of your home's windows. They can be a very functional addition because they let in light, particularly if you garage has no other windows (which is common in condominiums and attached homes). Most garage doors today enable you to install a range of windows into any garage door, by snapping or screwing the windows you have selected into the door you are buying.

Price

Garage doors are available in a range of prices. Plastic and steel are less expensive. Wood is more expensive. Insulation, windows, and other features will also add to the cost of the door.