How to Consider the Environment When Buying a Garage Door

Since the turn of the century, the global community has been left asking; how we, as ordinary citizens can reverse the detrimental effects of global warming and climate change? The environmental threat to our world is greater than it has ever been in human history. Since 1948, average temperatures in Canada have already increased by 1.7 degrees Celsius and as a result have left those living within the GTA with more volatile temperatures. Like many other places around the world, the Toronto community has begun to take the appropriate steps in combating this very developing climate crisis.

Both the rate and the severity of these changes in climate will depend on our ability to familiarize ourselves with everyday eco-friendly practices that will eventually redress the damage that has been done to our environment. At Dodds, we care about the future of our community, and take it upon ourselves as the #1 rated garage door company across the GTA to do our part. With the world going green, our family here at Dodds is excited about the ways we can provide our customers with seamless eco-friendly home improvements.

As mentioned earlier, at Dodds, we are committed to eco-friendly practises that will help to provide future generations of young Canadian’s with the clean and sustainable eco-system necessary to enjoy the great outdoors. Of course, there is only so much you can change when transitioning to a “green” lifestyle that doesn’t involve taking out another mortgage in order to make it worth your while–perhaps investing in a new eco-friendly sustainable garage door is one of them.

How exactly can a garage door be environmentally friendly?  

When you choose to begin making improvements to your home, it is obvious that you consider both the short and long term effects of your decision. Given the variety of residential doors to choose from, it is important that you are able to seamlessly evaluate the impact that your decision leaves on the environment over time.

At this point, you are probably asking yourself; how can choosing a garage door positively or negatively impact my role in addressing global warming and climate change in my community? Believe it or not, this is a very common question! Here, we will outline basic techniques that will help you look at ways to choose an eco-friendly garage door, and trust us, it’s a lot easier than you would think.

You’ve recently decided that it is time to upgrade your garage door, you are aware of the benefits associated with going “green”, and you want it to be energy efficient, sustainable, eco-friendly, and secure (link to other article).

Some of things that indicate eco-awareness:

• The different materials used to put together the manufactured goods
• The life expectancy of the garage door
• The seal around the garage door
• The durability of the garage door
• The recycling procedure for your old or renovated garage door

Consider the materials

As mentioned earlier, there are a wide variety of different options for residential garage doors to choose from. Given this variety it is crucial that you are able to ask what materials are put into each door and where they come from? Where do they go when they pass their prime? And how long they can last?

In a majority of cases, garage doors are made up of either wood or steel. Coincidentally, steel is one of the most frequently recycled materials in the world. When properly recycled, the steel from your old garage door is melted down and then used in the production of your new modern garage door.

With wood on the other hand, it is very common to see environmentally friendly wood suppliers take the initiative to re-plant trees in the areas in which they harvested given its inability to be properly recycled. Ensuring long-term sustainability is a priority for many of these suppliers. With that being said, it is important that when looking into installing a new wood garage door that you are making sure that the supplier has complied with the specific environmental regulation concerning the harvesting of wood. Given these difficulties associated with recycling the used wood, suppliers have begun to move away from wood, and shifted their focus to develop a variety of steel garage doors.

Think about sustainability and durability

In most scenarios, like any home improvement, you are investing for the long-term. On top of guaranteeing that the materials that go into your new garage door are eco-friendly, you also want to make sure that they are durable and built to last. A garage door should be able to withstand the extreme Canadian elements for years to come.

Despite the harsh conditions that we are subjected to in the GTA (, your garage door should do its job for a long period of time. From an environmental perspective, the less frequently you replace your garage door, the less likely your old garage door ends up in a landfill.

Make your existing garage more energy efficient

In addition to the years of wear and tear that your current garage door has experienced, the more mature your garage door is, the more likely it becomes a prominent source of wasted energy. Your garage door acts as the largest opening to your home and potential cracks or leaks can deregulate your household’s temperature and result in your energy usage and electricity bills to skyrocket.

With household temperature regulation being one of the most common forms of energy waste within a home, investing in a more energy-efficient modern garage door that keeps the hot air in and the cold air out holds more benefits than you would think.

There are 3 main components associated within a modern garage door that are imperative to the garage door, when becoming more energy efficient. With all this being said, it is imperative that a new bottom rubber seal, perimeter weather-stripping, and insulated windows are installed to guarantee an increase in R-value and overall energy efficiency. By saving the planet, and effectively saving some money in the process making the decision to invest in a new eco-friendly garage door has never been easier.

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Help us help you invest in protecting the future of our community. With our team of highly qualified professionals is it no coincidence that for over 60 years we’ve been the #1 rated garage door company in the GTA.

If you have any questions do not hesitate to click the chat window during business hours below to ask us anything. Or you can call us directly at 1-877-503-6337.