If you are currently in the market shopping for a garage door, chances are you have a few questions on your mind – where can I buy a garage door in Vancouver, WA? And, what should I look for in a garage door before buying one? With so many companies offering garage door installation and repair services in Vancouver, you must take your time to consider where you buy the garage door and who you have set it up for you.
To ensure that you make the right decision and pick the right garage door for your home, make sure that you consider all available options by approaching various garage door companies in the city and comparing options. However, you also need to know what to look for in a garage door to ensure you buy a door that suits your budget, style, and needs. To help make things easier for you, here are a few quick tips on things to consider when buying a garage door.
Ten Things You Need to Know Before Purchasing a Garage Door
When looking to buy a door for your garage, consider investing in a high-quality garage door, a door that will last for decades or even a lifetime. While quality doors aren’t that cheap, the extra effort could help ensure that you avoid spending your hard-earned money on a cheap garage door that will end up leaving you susceptible to break-ins and paying for unwarranted repairs in the long run.
Get ‘In-Person’ Quotes
Ordering a door for your garage online or over the phone is asking for trouble. No garage door is similar to another, which is why experienced and professional salespeople check details like shape and size, side clearance, and headroom, and even go the extra mile to help choose a design that best suits your garage.
The good thing about getting an ‘in-person’ quote is that should anything go wrong, there will be no questions about who is responsible for damages sustained. Therefore, ensure that you have the garage door salesperson come to your property and to check out the situation before making your order.
The cost of a brand-new 16-ft. garage door ranges from anywhere between $800 to $8,000. Working with a professional garage door salesperson could prove beneficial when searching for a cheap yet quality garage door.
Be Cautious of Wood Doors
While garage doors made of wood look fantastic when new, they tend not to fare too well over time. Wood garage doors typically require a lot of maintenance to remain in top shape, so if you aren’t willing to devote your money and time to maintain such a door, then avoid it. The problem with these doors is that their natural finishes only last a few years before they need recoating. If you wait too long, restoring the door could mean sanding off the finish and starting over.
Fortunately, there are garage doors in the market that aren’t made of wood but have a wood finish that cost a fraction of the money. And the good thing about such doors is that they don’t need any maintenance. One of the best options, which is also one of the least expensive, is embossed steel that comes with a faux wood-grain finish – it costs less than $1,000.
It can be hard to differentiate between a faux wood garage door and a wooden one from afar. If you have a bit more money to spend (upwards of $2,500), consider going for a wood garage door with a fiberglass skin or a wood composite overlay. Composite overlays offer the unique look of real wood with the stability and longevity of plastic.
Upgrade your Insulation
Thinking of buying an insulated garage door to help keep your garage warm or to save energy? Then consider spending an extra 15 to 20% to upgrade your insulation from extruded polystyrene to polyurethane. To know a garage door’s insulation effectiveness, check its R-value. The higher the number, the better its insulation. According to Clopay, replacing 2-inch polystyrene with polyurethane could help raise the insulating value from a meager R-9 to an impressive R-18. That is a lot of bang for your buck.
Sacrifice a Bit More for Beefier Springs
Springs play an integral part in how a garage door opens and closes. Most garage doors in many homes use torsion springs – the coiled springs you see above a garage door. The problem with these springs (standard) is that they’re rated for no more than 10,000 cycles. While that might sound like much, you need to consider the fact that you open and close your garage door about six times a day.
If you do the math, you’ll see that you will reach the door’s 10,000-cycles rating in five years or less. Why go through all that while you can pay an extra $50 and have a 20,000-cycle rated spring installed on your door? This will allow you to use your garage door for longer without needing to replace the spring and at a fraction of the cost.
Remember to Buy a New Opener
When having your garage door installed, ask the person installing the door to also install a new door opener for you. All garage door openers eventually fail, so if yours is showing signs of aging or you want one that operates silently, this is the best time to have it replaced. Not only will it save you money on labor, but it also presents you the opportunity to negotiate a package deal for both the opener and door.
Think Twice Before Deciding to Install a Garage Door By Yourself
While installing a garage door by yourself could save you a few hundred dollars, this is one DIY project that does not have a major payoff. Here is why. For starters, there are tons of parts that need to be assembled (and that alone could take you a day to accomplish.) Secondly, winding the garage door spring requires a lot of arm strength and special tools. Apart from that, the task itself is quite dangerous.
However, when you have a pro handle the installation for you, they’ll deliver the door to your place, remove the old one, and install the new one within about four hours. And the good thing about working with professionals is that you have someone to contact if there is a problem with your door.
Scour Through Manufacturers’ Websites for Door Designs
When shopping for a garage door, you do not have to guess how a specific color and door style will look on your property – all you need to do is check out how different garage doors for sale online look like to get an idea. Most companies that make these doors have software on their websites that allow users to upload photos of their garages and add any of the company’s garage door designs and styles to the photos.
This allows users to choose from different door styles, including design features, add hardware, pick a color, and even choose windows for the door. The good thing about this software is that it also allows you to play around with a variety of styles until you find something that best suits your taste and needs.
Once done, all you need to do is print out your specifications for an accurate price estimate from the dealer. Remember to request quotes from different manufacturers and compare prices for a chance to find a cheap garage door.
Scour Through Manufacturers’ Websites for Door Designs
The right garage door windows can considerably improve how a garage door looks. Apart from adding a touch of style, the right windows can increase light flowing into the garage. Here are a couple of tips for you to consider when choosing glass for your garage door.
– If your garage is heated, consider having insulated glass installed on the windows.
– For extra security and privacy, have the glass installed on the topmost panel.
– Match the glass you get for your door to that installed on your house windows.
– If your door’s opening has angled corners, do not install panes that go behind the corners as that might make your door look awkward.
Need a Quiet Garage Door? Look Out for These Features
If your garage is attached to your home and you don’t want to deal with the racket your garage door causes as it opens and closes, consider going for a door with nylon rollers and polyurethane insulation. The insulation will dampen any vibrations that’d be amplified by uninsulated steel. Nylon rollers, on the other hand, are a lot quieter than ones made of metal. If you are thinking of having your garage door opener replaced, too, consider having a belt-driven opener installed as they are quieter.
Go For 24-gauge Steel
If you are considering buying an uninsulated steel door, then make sure it is made from 24-gauge steel, at the very least. A majority of economy garage doors are made using 25-gauge steel or thinner. When it comes to steel gauges, the higher the number, the thinner the steel. To ensure the steel doesn’t get dented, manufacturers use insulation as a backer for the metal. If you don’t intend to buy an insulated garage door, then make sure you go for one that’s made of thicker steel to avoid dents.
Where Can I Buy a Garage Door in Vancouver, WA?
If you live in Vancouver, WA, and are wondering where you can go to find a quality garage door for your home, then look no further than Aaron’s Garage Door Company. We are a licensed, bonded, and insured company that offers all types of garage door services and repairs.
Need a garage door installed? Need a broken spring replaced? Are you looking for new garage doors and openers? We’ve got you covered. Give us a call now for a free estimate and same-day services you can trust in Vancouver, Washington State.
