5 Important Questions to Ask When Choosing a Garage Door

Most quality garage doors will last about 15-30 years. So, this is a purchase that you will hopefully only make once or twice in your lifetime.

This means you’re either about to purchase your first garage door, or you haven’t had to pick one out in a decade or two. In either case, you may not be fully aware of the styles and options available today.

To help you pick out the perfect door for your home, here are the 5 most important questions to ask.

1. Can I Fix the Old Door?

Most of the time, an issue with the old door is what drives the decision to get a new one. Or, often times, people will just want to update the look of an old door.

If your garage door is struggling or failing in any way, your first instinct may be, “Can we fix this, or is it time for an upgrade?”

The older your door is, the more likely it is that upgrading is the way to go. The cost of fixing it may be pretty comparable to buying a new one. You might as well buy a new door and a new opener so you can enjoy the modern bells and whistles that go with it.

But, if you’ve only had your door for a few years, you should definitely have a trained professional look at it before you make any big decisions. Sometimes some simple fixes and new parts will really extend the life of your door.

2. How Important is Insulation?

How much time will you be spending in the garage? And how demanding is your climate?

If you regularly use the garage as a workspace or “man cave,” a well-insulated door should be a priority. This is especially true if you have a home office in, or above, the garage.

A new insulated garage door with a high R-value will save you a lot of money in utility bills, as your climate control is not going to have to work nearly as hard to keep it warm in the winter or cool in the summer.

If your home has to stand up to cold Canadian winters, an insulated garage door is almost always the best choice. Even if you’re not spending a lot of time in the garage, it will still save you a lot of money during the cold months.

3. What Style and Aesthetic am I Looking For?

Your garage door is likely going to take up as much as a third of your home’s front façade, so it clearly needs to be in line with the rest of your home. But picking your style and your colour is the fun part!

There are some striking modern style garage doors available to match your home’s chic exterior. Or, if you don’t need something that bold, you can check out these traditional options to find the perfect door.

There are also many colour options available to match any look and feel. You can get something rustic and rugged, or something more classic and contemporary.

If you want to see what’s available right now, take a moment to check out our Platinum Series garage doors to browse what’s possible.

4. Is Security a Priority?

If you have a family with kids and pets, security is massively important.

Nearly all modern garage doors have sensors at the bottom of the door frame to ensure it doesn’t close while anything is in its path. But today’s garage door openers offer a new level of security features.

You may not be too keen on using a remote control to open and close your garage especially if you’ve seen the news stories about thieves using garage door openers. If you leave your remote in your vehicle, a thief can now gain access to your home with the push of a button.

Today’s Wi-Fi enabled garage door openers allow you to open and close your garage door using a mobile app, so you can leave the remote safely inside the house.

Upgrading to one of these openers also means you will be constantly connected. So, you can get real-time notifications when the door is opened or closed.

5. Where Should I Buy it?

You have lots of options. You can drive to your local big box store to try to pick one out, or you can go directly to a garage door manufacturer and work with them.

You’re better off working with a garage door specialist, as opposed to a giant store that sells a little bit of everything. This is for a number of reasons.

First of all, you’re simply going to get better help from a specialty store. Someone who talks about garage doors all day, every day, is obviously going to be more knowledgeable than a big box store employee, who may or may not even know what brands they carry.

You’re also going to get better care after the sale. A big box store isn’t going to install your new garage door. They will more than likely outsource it to a private contractor to avoid being liable if anything goes wrong. But, a garage door store will oversee your entire installation to ensure you’re happy.

Also, don’t be fooled by the myth that you can get a better price at a big box store. Yes, you may see a lower price tag for a “similar” product, but you’re not actually comparing apples to apples. Some manufacturers will actually create a cheaper (and lesser) product for big box stores to keep up with price concession demands.

That door you’re looking at in the big box store isn’t more affordable; it’s cheaper. Trust us when we say it’s not worth it.

Ready to Start Shopping?

Of course, you will have more questions and we’re here to answer them. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff is one of the reasons that we have been the #1 rated garage door company in the GTA for over 60 years!

Feel free to click the chat window below to ask us anything. Or you can call us at 1-877-503-6337.