Upgrading your garage door is like giving your residence a
facelift. Since garage doors take up a lot of the front of your home, a new
garage door updates a large section of architecture with very little
disruption. Here are a few features to look for when selecting garage doors for
your California residence.
Appropriate Style
California homes often have unique curb appeal compared to
homes in the rest of the nation. Architects have designed (and continue to
design) California residences with Southwestern adobe, Mediterranean, ranch, or
other modern architectural elements. Some California residential structures
combine all of the above architectural features.
Choose a new garage door that matches your residence but
also balances modern aesthetics with vintage charm. For example, order a
mid-century style garage door with retro geometric patterns for your plain 50s
ranch. Your home looks fresh and authentic at the same time.
For adobe- and Mediterranean-style homes, use rustic
carriage doors or richly stained wood doors with ornate Spanish-style hardware.
Plain, clean-lined garage doors in wood, aluminum, or steel add a serene,
minimalist look to homes with architectural character like adobe and
contemporary homes.
Resistance to Local Elements
Choose a garage door that can withstand the local conditions
around your California home. Keep out hot or cold outdoor temperatures by
selecting a garage door with adequate insulation for your area's weather
extremes. You significantly cut energy costs when you install an insulated
garage door.
If your home is in an area subject to high winds, select a
garage door with wind and impact resistance. High winds often carry debris that
can dent flimsy garage doors, so order a stronger steel door where you need
more wind-resistant garage-door material.
Californians living in coastal areas may want to rethink authentic
wood garage doors. Salt spray and humid conditions can create problems for
wood-stained or -painted doors. Select garage doors that are finished to look
like wood but are actually weather- and moisture-resistant metal if your home
is subject to extreme coastal conditions.
Wildfire Safety Features
Homes located in areas at high risk of exposure to wildfires
should have features that keep embers out of the garage bays. The first
consideration for a fire-safe garage door is a perfect fit, since gaps at the
top or bottom of your garage door can allow embers to enter your garage bay.
Hire experienced garage door installers to put your new
garage door in place. The experts have the tools and know-how to thermally seal
your new garage door and balance the door so the bottom is flush with the floor
of your garage.
Single-pane windows are not recommendable for garage doors
in fire-prone areas. The glass can break under heat and allow flames into your
garage door. Either select a garage door without windows, or install a garage
door with double-pane, tempered glass windows to ensure the glass is fire
resistant.
Your garage-door-opener bypass is another vital fire-safety
feature. Your garage-door installer will show you how to override the garage
door controls to open your garage door in the event that a fire, power outage,
or battery failure renders the remote control or electronic garage-door
switches inoperable.
Acceptable Maintenance
All garage doors require some routine maintenance. Depending
on the type of garage door you order, you'll need to ensure that the door
components are lubricated, the safety features are calibrated, and the springs
are in good shape. Schedule garage door professionals to check these details
for you.
The finish of your garage door also needs maintenance to
keep the door from rotting or corroding. You may need to periodically wash,
sand, repaint, or re-stain your garage door depending on its material type.
Choose a garage door with maintenance requirements you can
tolerate. Your garage-door supplier can point you toward garage doors with
minimal maintenance needs if you want a no-fuss garage door.
Reliable Safety Components
Modern garage-door openers have safety features including
automatic reverse mechanisms that automatically lift doors when objects are in
their path. If you have young children, people with mobility issues, or pets in
your home, order a new garage door with the best safety features available.
Modern garage doors go beyond standard safety to include
capacity for home-automation hookups. You can now control your garage door from
the office or your vacation spot, and you can receive updates when anyone
accesses your garage.
As noted above, all California residents should know how to
open their garage doors to escape their homes in the event that their automatic
garage door openers fail to function. Make sure to install handles on the
inside and outside of your new garage door to make lifting and closing the door
easier to do during a power failure or other disruption with your garage door
opener.
Schedule installation of your
brand-new, beautiful
garage door
in
Long Beach, California, by contacting Edgemont Garage Doors today. We offer
sales, repair services, and installation of quality garage doors, garage-door
openers, and garage-door accessories for California homeowners located
throughout Los Angeles and Orange Counties.
