Your garage door has had a good run but it’s starting to make strange noises and last night you could barely get it to open. It’s time for you to upgrade to a new garage door.
If it’s been a while since you last bought a garage door we’re here to tell you that technology has probably changed. Doors come with higher security and better safety features than ever before.
Security and safety aren’t the only things you need to worry about when buying a new door. Check out this guide for a full list of things that you should consider before you start talking to contractors.
1. Security and Safety Features
A dedicated hacker can figure out the codes on older model garage doors and break into your home. With advances in technology, this worry is a thing of the past. Many newer doors use rolling codes for the ultimate in security.
What this means is the code to get into your door changes every single time you use the remote. It makes it almost impossible to figure out how to break in.
If you have children and pets, you should also invest in a door with a safety sensor. These sensors will detect when something (or someone) is under the door and stop it from closing.
2. Spring for Sturdier Materials
A majority of garage doors are installed with torsion springs but they aren’t that sturdy. If you open and close your garage door ten times a day, you’ll have a broken spring on your hands in about five years or so.
It will cost you a little extra but go ahead and upgrade to beefier materials now to save yourself the trouble later. The same goes for the door itself.
Wooden doors are nice but they break down under harsh weather conditions if you don’t give them the proper maintenance. Steel is a much more durable (and cheaper) material.
3. Pay Attention to Motor Power
Pay attention to the horsepower of your motor. A heavy door needs a lot of power to open it. If you try to use the same amount of horsepower to open a lighter door, you might end up breaking something.
4. Don’t Attempt the Installation Yourself
It’s not a good idea to attempt the new garage door installation yourself. It could save you a lot of money but it’s not worth the risk involved. Not only is it dangerous but it’s not an easy job.
There are tons of parts that you have to put together and a lot of special tools you need to do it properly. It also takes a hefty amount of manpower. Trust us when we say, it’s better to leave this to the professionals.
Everything to Consider Before Buying a New Garage Door
If you want your new garage door to last for years to come, you’re going to need to consider a lot of things before making a purchase. If you skimp out on buying strong materials or try to install the door yourself to save a bit of money, you may run into more problems than you were prepared to run into.
Just because you can’t save money on your garage door doesn’t mean you can’t save on other aspects of your home. Check out the money saving section of our blog daily for more articles like this one.