Garage doors have become an important part of most homes and businesses. This is because they add value to the property, increase its chances of selling, boost insulation, and overall improve the property’s security and aesthetics. With the plethora of advantages offered, one can easily understand why garage doors are available in different types to suit different needs.
If you already have an old one that’s costing you a lot of money on garage door repair at Lewis River Doors, maybe it’s time for an upgrade or replacement. But what are the types of garage doors on the market, and what’s likely to be the best pick for your home or business? Find out below.
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Types of Garage Doors
Sectional Garage Doors
Sectional garage doors are perhaps the most popular option in the United States and across the northern American plane. This type of door is made up of foldable sectional panels connected with hinges. The hinge connection makes it easy for the door to glide in and out of its retractable section as it opens and closes during operation.
Sectional garage doors are stowed away in an overhead chamber when open and glide down in sections through its vertical tracks when closed. To improve safety, they are designed with a pair of high-tension springs and cables to keep the door functional and safe.
The low-maintenance sectional garage doors can be made from various materials, including steel, wood, and aluminum. They are also available in different colors and textures.
Roller Doors
Roller garage doors are also called roll-up garage doors. Their application is mostly for commercial buildings with minimal ceiling space. The roll-up garage doors are made from about 2 to 3 inches of thin steel slats that roll and unroll from a drum-like header when closed or opened.
The header or drum is built to withstand the weight and can hold the slats together perfectly when the door is opened.
Side-Hinged Garage Doors
The side-hinged garage doors are similar to the double-door refrigerator. They are like old-fashioned doors that are hinged to a frame on both sides. They offer great convenience, especially as they can be opened wide to allow for any size of vehicle – depending on the garage door frame.
However, this type of garage door is often space-consuming, especially because each side of the door requires a few feet to open and close properly.
Aside from this obvious setback, the garage door is popular among some homeowners for its traditional style. It is often made from wood, steel, or aluminum.
Tilt-Up Garage Doors
These garage doors are also called Over Canopy garage doors because of their style and operation mode. The operation is similar to the sectional garage doors but without the section.
The tilt-up garage doors are hinged to the top frame of the garage space and fitted with a pivoting hinge mechanism that lifts the door up and slides the sheet inside an overhead section.
This design and style is among the newly introduced options that have been widely adopted for residential use. It is commonly made from wood or steel and is simple yet low maintenance.
Sliding Garage Doors
Sliding garage doors are also known as slide-to-side doors. They are among the first garage door styles and are similar to the sectional doors, except for the orientation. The door has sectional panels which sit parallel to a sliding mechanism that reels the door material in during the opening operation and slides it back out to close.
These doors are perfect for residential and commercial applications, especially in buildings with little or no headroom to support sectional, roll-up, or tilt-up garage doors.
Sliding garage doors are commonly made of wood or aluminum.
Insulated Garage Doors
Insulated garage doors are a worthy investment in improving a property’s energy use efficiency. This type of garage door has become more common in homes and businesses, especially due to the increasing rise in energy costs and inflation.
Insulated garage doors complement a property’s energy efficiency, helping it to trap temperature in and preventing exchanges with the surrounding environment. The use of insulated garage doors has helped several property owners reduce their energy costs by as much as 20% per annum.
Insulated garage doors can be made from any material, including steel, with a middle insulation layer to protect temperature exchange between the indoor and outdoor space.
Choosing an insulated garage door is largely down to preference and budget. It is important to note that they can be expensive, especially because of the added value they offer.
