So you’ve decided it’s time for a new garage door. It probably wasn’t first on the list of things you want to spend money on, but every couple decades or so, it’s time. The good news is, garage door replacement can be one of the best ways to improve the resale value of your home. It can also improve the aesthetics, security and energy efficiency, which benefits not only the garage but the entire home itself. Don’t be surprised if your heating and cooling bills are lower this year because you made the move to take care of that drafty old garage door.
Since a new garage door is an investment, it’s one that should be done carefully. There are a number of designs and materials to consider. Some are more affordable than others. Some require more regular maintenance, and some have a more aesthetic appeal. Choosing the right door depends upon your own needs, and your budget.
Common Garage Door Materials
While you should definitely consider style trends when deciding on your new garage door, you shouldn’t go too unique. Take a trend and bring it to a more neutral zone. You don’t want to choose a material and a look that will look like we look at ‘70s carpet once society’s preferences have moved on.
Besides what the garage door looks like, which today can be almost anything you want – full-view aluminum and glass panes, heritage-style wooden carriage doors, retro tilt-up overhead doors – the materials you choose will largely determine the cost of the new garage door:
- Steel garage doors are very durable and do not require much regular maintenance or touchup. Steel doors are also good noise breaks. However, they are prone to corrosion and susceptible to denting.
- Vinyl garage doors have lasting power, are not prone to rust, and don’t need to be repainted. They are ideal for areas that experience harsh weather conditions. However, they fade with UV damage and are difficult to repaint.
- Aluminum doors are inexpensive and maintenance-free, but are not very insulated and not the most ideal for places that experience an actual winter. But they are ideal for the weather of Sacramento, plus, they’re resistant to rust and corrosion during those rainy seasons.
- Wood doors have a beautiful, traditional appeal, but require a good deal of annual varnishing to maintain their beauty. Painted wood doors also need to be resurfaced every few years.
Let’s Talk About Garage Door Insulation
The other thing to consider in a garage door is insulation. If your garage door is connected to the house, you’ll likely want to get an insulated door, especially if you have an office, gym or living quarters within the garage. Even if you do not use your garage for living space, you may want to consider an insulated garage as it can dramatically affect the cost of your heating and cooling bills for the rest of the house.
Depending on the material you chose for your new door, you may already have some insulative value there, like with wood and steel. Or you won’t have almost any, like with aluminum or fiberglass. To choose what’s best on this sliding scale of insulation, we use R-value to determine how effective the garage door + insulation is at stopping the transfer of heat. Low-end panels often rate at an R-8, which is 90% heat flow reduction, but you can get up to an R-32, which is a 97% heat flow reduction.
There are a few different ways you might choose to insulate your new garage door:
- Cellulose: Fire-resistant, natural and recyclable material with high efficacy.
- Fiberglass: Easy-to-install, fireproof thick sheets of insulation with high R-value.
- Radiant Barrier: Two-layered interior application with a reflective surface to block heat.
- Rigid Foam: Lightweight and extremely effective but relies on proper sealing to work.
- Spray Foam: Inexpensive and easy to apply, but more susceptible to failure.
Discuss with your door installer the pros and cons of each insulation option and compare costs vs use to determine which is right for your garage door project.
Garage Door Battery Backups
A new garage door installation means a new garage door opener installation right along with it. And while it’s technically an extra expense, it pays out just as well as the garage door itself in features alone. Plus, you low-key just have to get a code-compliant battery backup garage door opener with all new overhead door installations. So here we are.
SB 969, which went into effect in 2019, mandates battery backups for new garage doors:
- All new garage door openers sold in the state must include a battery backup.
- All garage door opener installations must include a battery backup.
- All new garage door installations must be accompanied by an opener with a battery backup.
This bill was passed as a public safety measure after the horrific wildfire season the year before, where some of the death toll was directly attributed to people and/or their cars being stuck in their garages during emergency evacuations, as power was already lost. So it’s not only a potentially life-saving feature to have on your garage door opener, but it’s also convenient in times of non-emergency power outages; so that’s cool, too.
But newer garage door openers have other useful features to offer in addition to backups for power outages. Smart technology has made it possible to:
- Operate your garage door from anywhere using your smartphone.
- Control approved access to the garage door.
- Monitor the garage door’s operations from anywhere.
- Schedule temporary access for deliveries remotely.
- Integrate the garage door’s security system with your home’s security system.
Modern garage door openers are also quieter, more energy-efficient, and less prone to malfunctions than older models. So while this one’s not exactly a choice, per say, it’s still among the list of pros to installing a new garage door, not cons.
New Garage Door Costs to Consider
While getting that old, janky garage door replaced costs a chunk of money, it’s something you’ll get right back out in home equity. People think kitchens have the best ROI of home improvements at 75-ish%, but a new garage door installation blows that out of the water at well above 90-95%. So unlike that septic-to-city upgrade you were forced into last year, this home improvement project is decidedly not a money pit.
Obviously, the costs of a new garage door are going to go up as you scale up in size and number of doors. But the materials you choose are also at play in the cost factor, not just for their expense but also their weight; a super-heavy door means a more expensive garage door opener.
For a typical 16’x7’ garage door, you’re looking at the following price ranges. But don’t worry – we can narrow these right down when we collaborate on design with you. We’ll provide free, accurate quotes before billing you for anything.
- Aluminum garage doors: $1500-$2000
- Composite wood doors: $1200-$2000
- Steel garage doors: $800-$3500
- Wooden garage doors: $2000-$4000
Another thing to think about with a new garage door is that since you’ve upgraded your home’s curb appeal, it will likely motivate others on the block to make similar upgrades like planting gardens, painting front doors, or giving their garage door a makeover, too. And that helps the whole neighborhood’s home values.
100% Guaranteed Quality Garage Door Installation
Call SACS GARAGE DOOR REPAIR to discuss your options for garage door replacement. In addition to maintenance, we perform garage door installation in Sacramento. All of our work is 100% guaranteed to your satisfaction.