With today's high energy costs, garage door insulation is just as valuable as anywhere else in your house. The number of uninsulated garage doors sold continues to decrease as consumers demand energy efficiency for cost savings and comfort, which is actually more significant than ever as more folks use their garage as a work place or social gathering area, rather than just storage.

Garage doors made from aluminum and glass provide a contemporary, sophisticated appearance. The aluminum frames are available in several colours and finishes and you will choose from a wide variety of glass options including clear, obscure, and tinted. Aluminum garage doors are relatively care-free, however they may not have as much insulation as other doors, so they may not be ideal for areas with extreme temperatures.

Can the biggest moving item in my house be dangerous? Make sure it's not.

Safety is a concern with any product, and garage doors are no distinct. Since it is a big moving object that many family members interact with, it will have as many safety features as possible.

Crunch-resistant garage doors feature a design that pushes fingers out of harm's way should they accidentally be set too close to a closing door.

Tamper resistant bottom brackets cut down the chance of injury from garage door components under tension. The polyurethane insulation even provides better fire safety because this type of insulation reduces the amount of smoke and fires in the event of a fire.

The thermal property of insulation is expressed as an R-value. A higher R-value reduces outside noise and aids the door work more gently. Many insulated doors are constructed using polystyrene or polyurethane foam.

Most polystyrene insulated door could be thicker but have a lower R-Value than polyurethane. In case you are seeking thermal efficiency along with a high R-Value, do not be tricked by the thickness of the door!

A polyurethane insulated door might seem thinner but actually offers a much higher insulation R-value. That's because of how the insulating material expands throughout the manufacturing process to tightly fill the cavity between both steel panels as it bonds to the skins of the doorway.

Not only does this make the door better insulated, in addition, it makes the door amazingly powerful and helps reduce noise while the door works.

How long your door will survive, what type of punishment it might take, or even how much yearly maintenance it'll demand is firmly influenced by the material used to make the door.

The Classic Steel garage doors and Carriage House Steel garage doors are durable with just occasional need for cleaning or touch-up. Vinyl garage doors can last even longer, particularly in environments with harsh weather conditions, and are more resistant to dents, are rust free and not must be painted.

Counterbalance springs are how your door is really lifted and closed. It is not the opener that really lifts and closes your door. That just provides the push to really get the door going. It is really the springs, which are wound tightly when your door is closed. As the doorway moves up, the springs unwind, which provide the force required to lift the doorway. As the door closes, the weight of the door really winds the springs back up until it closes fully. At this point the springs have their total tension again. These springs are generally exposed and when they are under full tension, can be extremely dangerous.

Everyone has a budget. Well, most of us anyway. However, many of us are surprised by how affordable garage doors can be. Most guess two times as much as what it truly comes out to be.

Typically, premium wood doors are the priciest, then fiberglass doors, steel doors with and without vinyl or PVC overlays, and then uninsulated, single sheet steel doors and lower grade wood doors.

When considering what to spend though, consider that this purchase will never be made again for many, many years, if ever. And what you put in your garage now will have a large impact in the garage itself and maybe even more significantly, for the rest of your home. A couple additional dollars now could provide a benefit of a life, and increase the value of your home to a brand-new degree.