Most garage door openers are built to last ten to fifteen years, so if you’ve noticed that the mechanisms are starting to wear out (or you’ve called in a repair technician and they’ve told you it’s time for a new garage door), don’t just get an exact replacement of what you have. Instead, look for new features that have become commonplace on the market for added convenience and safety.
What are three things you should look for in a new garage door?
- Make sure you have safety sensors. New garage doors are designed with safety in mind, and if you have children, then sensors are essential. Look for models that stop closing the door if any motion is detected; these sensors have a beam of light that stretches across the width of the door and, if anything breaks that beam for even a second, the door will halt its descent until you investigate and push the button again.
- Look for a pinch-free design. The panels on a garage door that slide into place as it closes can be dangerous. They can snap into place over fingers, loose clothing, and hair if anyone is standing too close. Find a door that is pinch-free, which has rolled interior edges that push fingers away before they can be pinched.
- Get one with insulation. No matter where in the country you live, your garage has the worst insulation in your house because the thin metal traditional garage doors are made of allow easy heat transfer and often have gaps along the sides and bottom. The cold air that seeps into your garage can easily get into wall interiors and lower the temperature in the rest of your house, so buying a garage door with the right insulation levels for your region can keep your home warmer and energy bill lower.
While having to replace your garage door can be an unexpected hassle, it’s also an opportunity to find a garage door that’s better for your house. Go to Metro Garage Door Repair to look for the right safety, convenience, and insulating features you want.
