After years of handling all the ups and downs, your garage door will eventually reach the end of its lifespan. Finding a replacement won’t be easy, sifting through all the options. Still, with some forethought and the support of the professional team at Overhead Door of Portland, we’re positive that together we’ll find the best door to meet your needs, match your tastes, and give your home that “wow” factor.
Choosing a new garage door involves balancing your practical needs of function and security with your style preferences and budget. The best way to start the search is to assess your needs. For instance, if your garage is attached to your home, insulation and low noise likely have greater priority than if your garage is free-standing. In either case, consider how often you use your garage. A busy family with two working parents may need that door to open and close much more than someone who uses the garage for a home gym.
Check in with your HOA. There may be rules about the style and/or color garage door you must use. Similarly, if you’re in a historic home, you will need to check with the city agency that oversees Historic Preservation. The last thing you want is to install a new garage door only to be told later that it has to be removed.
What’s the style of your home—modern, traditional, cottage? Find a garage door that matches the overall design of your house and even your landscape. A glass and steel door on a Mid-Century modern house or a carriage door on a Victorian home will make your garage door stand out. We have an abundance of garage doors to scroll through to give you some ideas, and our team is happy to provide some direction. You can even try our design tool, the DoorView Visualizer, which allows you to see how a door will look on your garage well before you buy it!
Along with style, the choice of materials for your garage door also has practical implications. For strength and low maintenance, steel is a good option. Aluminum and fiberglass are lightweight and come in a multitude of colors. Wood is traditional and is a beautiful addition to both house and landscape, but requires regular maintenance to keep it looking good and functioning properly. We can provide an overview of the pros and cons of each material so you have a full understanding of your choice.
Insulation is another consideration. A garage that sits on a busy city block will not be as impacted by weather as one that sits atop a hill overlooking a valley. Your garage door is the first line of defense against cold air seeping into your home. If your garage is wide open to the elements, consider a higher R-value (greater efficiency rating) for your door. This is especially important if you use your garage as extra living space and have it heated. Many of our product lines offer high performance and density to both insulate and withstand howling winds.
Beyond style, think through how you want your door to operate. Smart garage openers are popular, combining technology with function. A smart garage door opener allows you to open, close, and monitor your garage door remotely using a smartphone, tablet, or smart home system. It typically connects to your Wi-Fi network and works with an app that lets you control the garage door from anywhere, receive alerts, and integrate with other smart home devices like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple HomeKit. While we’re fans of smart garage openers, more basic remotes and wireless keypads remain popular and are just as efficient at opening and closing your garage door. We also encourage battery backup for whatever opener you choose, because power outages and internet crashes do occur.
There’s a lot to think about when choosing a new garage door. Our recommendation is to rely on our expertise to help guide you to what will work best and look great for your unique home. Then, once you choose your door, rely on our skilled installers to install your new garage door. We will get to work ensuring your door fits and works perfectly. To extend the life of your garage door, make sure to schedule regular maintenance, which we make simple through our maintenance program. Contact Overhead Door of Portland to start your journey to a new garage door.