Tips for Choosing a Garage Door
It’s amazing how invisible your garage door can seem when you go through it multiple times a day. That being said, finding the perfect type of garage door can help set your home apart and give your home an upgraded look, more pleasing curb appeal, and more security/safety. These days, garage doors can be found in a wide variety of materials and styles, and with numerous special features that affect the safety, security, and energy efficiency of your home. Taking a couple of minutes to familiarize yourself with all the options will make help your decision the right one for your needs.
Safety: Sectional garage doors operated with automated door openers are safer than obsolete “tilt-up” doors, and are made even safer with sensors that detect obstacles when the door is closing, and other child-protective features.
Security: Remote operation of your garage door can be managed either with the manufacturer’s remote control or, with some brands, a smartphone. Entry codes can be programmed to reset every time the door is used, making it virtually impossible for another remote to open your door. Your opener can be integrated with whole-home monitoring systems, so you can check on your home’s security from a distance.
Energy Efficiency and Livability: Even in temperate San Antonio the weather can be a little bit wild. We’re typically dry and hot, but we also get spells of heavy rain, massive hail, intense cold, and even the occasional snowstorm… all of which are conditions that affect garage doors and the garages they protect. When choosing a new garage door, consider the value of a quality weatherproofing seal and foam insulation for keeping the climate inside your garage safe from the climate on the outside.
Many San Antonians convert their garages to multiple uses or even use them as additional rooms for home offices, workshops, casual recreation areas or other family uses. An insulated garage door will make a big difference in the comfort and quietness of the living space. Garage doors not only make a statement about your home from the outside, but they can also help keep your heating and cooling bills low, and protect your home from water damage.
Garage Door Sizes
Though there are standard door sizes (16’ x 7’ is typical for two-car garages in San Antonio) garage doors can be customized to virtually any garage. Just measure your opening, both the height and width. They also measure the space between the top of the opening and the ceiling of the garage and the space from the opening to the garage walls. The later measurements will be needed to determine what kind of automatic door opener, plus the rails or tracks, will work best for your garage.
Types of Garage Doors
Garage doors are made in a range of materials and with a variety of designs that may be surprising if you haven’t shopped for them in the last few years. The process of choosing a garage door is more open-ended and versatile now than it’s ever been. They can be customized with windows, and are available in a wide range of finishes and colors, including embossed steel with a plastic veneer that looks convincingly like wood, or natural wood panels inset with copper stripping, to name just two beautiful options. Most are constructed with one or more of three basic materials: wood, steel, and glass. All have their uses for San Antonio homes or businesses.
Wood Garage Doors
Wood garage doors remain a highly popular choice, for excellent reasons. Wood has a timeless attraction, is highly functional, and can be crafted and finished in a nearly limitless range of styles… anything from standard, raised-panel designs to doors with motifs that follow the classic detailing of traditional carriage house doors. Custom woods, from cedar to oak to imported mahogany, each provide texture and grain that can be matched to the look of the house. If you live in or near the coastal zones of San Antonio, within the reach of moist marine air layers, ask about how that might affect the finishes and materials best suited for your garage door.
Here are just some of the many wood garage door types available. Almost all can be customized:
- Mahogany Wood Garage Doors – Or other custom woods
- Carriage-Style Wood Garage Doors – Traditional or contemporary
- Copper and Wood Garage Doors – A striking combination of classic materials
- Wood Sectional Garage Doors – Can be crafted to appear nearly seamless
- Arched Wood Garage Doors – Fitted to your garage door frame with precision
- Rustic “Fatigued” Wood Garage Doors – With an aged texture and patina
- Wood and Glass Garage Doors – A very popular alternative to glass and steel
- Matching Garage Doors and Side or Entry Gates – For a truly sophisticated look
Steel Garage Doors
The most common type in San Antonio (and nationwide, for that matter), and are generally more economical than wood. You can select from a range of popular colors or have the garage door painted in the factory to match your home’s color plan. When you’re choosing a garage door, steel is the standard. The three basic types of steel garage doors are:
Single-layer steel garage doors have a single sheet of galvanized steel. Normally, these are the most economical garage doors and are a good choice for simply enclosed carports.
Double-layer steel garage doors have a galvanized steel skin on the outside with a layer of either polystyrene or polyurethane sandwiched between (polyurethane is the better insulator). The thickness and insulating effectiveness (or R-Value) will vary by model and manufacturer. We carry premium brands such as Raynor and Clopay with excellent R Values. In addition to providing protection against wide temperature fluctuations, insulation provides excellent soundproofing.
Triple-layer garage doors are made of the same materials as double-layer doors, with the addition of a galvanized skin on the inside to protect the backer layer of polystyrene/polyurethane from damage. Triple-layer doors are easily the strongest, most secure and most soundproof of the three types of steel garage doors. They are also available with thicker insulation for greater thermal resistance.
Here are just some of the many types of steel garage doors available. Almost all can be customized:
- Residential Steel Sectional Garage Doors – The most popular in San Antonio
- Commercial Steel Sectional Garage Doors – Combine utility with security
- Painted Steel Sectional Garage Doors – Standard colors, or customize to your home
- Two-tone Steel Garage Doors – For added “curb appeal”
- Wood-texture Steel Garage Doors – Stunningly realistic. See to believe!
Glass garage doors
These are a fast-growing segment of the market, with a wide array of uses. The glass garage door frames can be either wood or metal, of varying thickness, and the glass insets come in a full selection from custom frosted and tinted to commercial-grade glass. San Antonio is a great place to have glass garage doors – they take in much more light than the typical garage door window, and create a unique interface between inside and outside. The applications are as creative as they are far-reaching – residential or commercial, interior or exterior. These doors are often used as partitions in offices or personal gyms, and are increasingly popular for bars and restaurants, converting a secure wall to an open-air café in just moments.
Here are just some of the many types of the glass garage doors. Almost all can be customized:
- Residential Glass Garage Doors – Clean, contemporary and classy
- Frosted Glass Garage Doors – Lets light in while maintaining the privacy
- Commercial-Grade Glass Garage Doors – Rugged, secure, and versatile
- Glass & Aluminum Garage Doors – An elegant solution with a lighter touch
- Interior Glass Garage Doors – Easily convert spaces for privacy or ventilation
- Custom-Designed Glass Garage Doors – Materials, colors and styles matched to your needs
For all your garage door installation needs, contact the professionals at Helotes Overhead Garage Doors. Our team offers high quality doors from suppliers like CHI, and can help you create the perfect look for your home’s needs. Let our team help with choosing a garage door today!
