Learning About Garage Doors

A garage door is more than just a way to cover up a messy garage. It's also a gateway to your home that also has a story of its own. There are plenty of interesting things you probably don't know about your garage door and the following goes in-depth about 3 of these little-known facts.

For Most Americans, the Garage Door Is the Front Door

Many Americans value convenience, so it's no surprise that garage doors come out on top when it comes to simplifying home entry. Recent statistics show that over 70 percent of U.S. homeowners use their garage doors as the primary entrance to their home. Thanks to the automatic garage door opener, coming home from a hard day's work takes little more than the push of a button.

Unfortunately, burglars value convenience just as much as homeowners do. It only takes seconds for a burglar to break through your garage door, which is why you should always take measures to safeguard your garage door against break-ins. Contact a team of professionals that focus on garage door installation for more safety tips. 

Garage Doors Can Be Surprisingly Heavy

If you're wondering how come your garage door is surprisingly easy to open, that's because it has plenty of help. In most cases, the garage door opener does all of the heavy lifting. Even when manually opening and closing your doors, the garage door relies on heavy-duty springs to help balance and support the full weight of the garage door.

Speaking of weight, you're probably asking yourself how heavy a garage door can get. According to certified inspector C. Dwight Barnett, the average 16-feet-wide by 7-feet-high door can weigh in at approximately 280 pounds. Given the wide variety of materials a typical garage door can be made from, average weights can vary greatly. It's not out of the ordinary for a garage door to weigh 400 pounds or more.

You Can Save Energy by Adding Insulation

When it comes to insulating your home, it's easy to overlook your garage door in favor of other measures that seem to make more sense, such as adding more insulation to your home's walls, attics and crawlspaces. However, an insulated garage door can not only help you save energy and reduce your heating and cooling costs over time, but it can also reduce outdoor noise. A garage door preassembled with a double outer layer and a polystyrene or polyurethane center offers greater strength and durability than an uninsulated garage door.

If you spend a lot of time in your garage, whether you use it as gym space or like spending time tinkering with your car, the comfort benefits of insulating your garage door could be worth the time and cost.