Many people look at garage doors and do not consider the impact your garage door has on your home. In a recent study posted at www.costvsvalue.com, they reported that adding an upscale garage door returned the largest percentage on investment at 85% of any of the 10 remodel projects they studied. The study cited that 10 of the top 13 projects were on the exterior of the home, leading to the conclusion that drive up appeal makes a difference in recouping project costs when you sale your home.
When considering an upscale garage door, it is important to consider insulation as well as design and color of the garage door. The color and style of the garage door will help with the curb appeal of the home, but having an insulated garage door will address the more practical energy efficiency of the home.
Design and color options on a garage door are almost limitless. You can chose a basic garage door in short or long panel design in the basic colors of white, almond, sandstone, desert tan and chocolate. This is just the basic plain garage door. You can have this door with or without insulation and even in a steel back or three layer design. You can chose to add windows and window inserts which add to the drive up appeal, but may not suit your needs or desires. These are just basic designs and while they are very fine doors and perform the garage doors designed task, they may not add that architectural feature you want, and may not provide the return on investment that an upscale garage door will.
When considering upscale garage door designs it is important to match it to the design of your home. You may want a very modern look with straight lines and smooth panels and you may want a custom color that enhances the other design elements of your home. You may want a door with windows on every panel these are all available. If you want a classic look we have many options as well. There are many classic window designs and many colors including wood and wood look options. You may want the carriage house look with handles and hinges. There are a vast number of options available to you.
When considering a new garage door you should also consider an insulated garage door as an option. Insulation can be a simple two layer design that provides a small amount of R value or you can choose a steel back or three layer design that offers greater R values. Steel back doors start at 1 ⅜ inches thick and go up from there. The steel back/three layer design utilizes a layer of steel on the outside then a layer of styrofoam or polystyrene and then another layer of steel on the inside. These steel back/ three layer garage doors offer greater R value than non-insulated or two layer garage door. Steel back/ three layer garage doors are also stronger and more durable than 1 or 2 layer garage doors.
Garages with insulated garage doors still get cold, but not as cold as garages without insulated garage doors. Some estimates suggest that if it is 20 degrees outside and you have an uninsulated garage door the temperature in the garage would be around 30 degrees, but with and insulated garage door the temperature would be around 42 degrees. This can make a huge difference, especially in colder climates. Insulated doors also help to create a barrier from the cold outside and the warm inside of your home, it creates a vestibule effect. This can be important if there is living space above the garage.
Your garage door is probably the largest opening in your home, so spending a little extra for the garage door can save you money on your energy bill for years to come.
Upscale garage doors, that net a greater return at resale, are not basic single layer garage doors. Upscale garage doors are generally insulated and design wise they enhance the curb appeal of your home.
