Outside appearances do count — that is, when you are talking about your home! Did you know that a garage door can account for up to 30% of the visible exterior portion of your home? The garage door of your home can make a major impact on the style and level of beauty of the exterior of your home. With so many colors and types to choose from, replacing a garage door has become a great way to update the exterior of your home within budgeted means! At the same time, you will be increasing the curb appeal of your home and increasing its actual value! Below, you will find tips and factors to consider when replacing your garage door.

Use

The first step in planing for a new garage door is assessing what you use the space in your garage for. Consider: Will you be using it to park your car? Will you use it as a workshop? As a playroom for the kids? As a utility room? If you will be using your garage for anything other than parking your car, then you will want to make sure to get a garage door with good insulation, especially if you are in a colder climate.

Size

Measuring your garage door will help you when shopping around for a garage door. If you are unsure on how to measure your garage door, click here for a measuring guide and worksheet. And don't worry if your door isn't a standard size, as many garage doors can be custom made to fit your needs.

Style

When narrowing down your garage door options, think about what will blend the best with the rest of your home. Make sure the door will complement the rest of your home's exterior and not cause any clash in colors or general style. You wouldn't want to pick a country-style garage door for a modern-looking home! Keep in mind all of the different varieties for styling your garage door, including windows. There are numerous variations of windows too, such as decorative windows, frosted windows, stained glass windows and more.

Material

Garage doors are most commonly made out of the following materials: wood, steel, fiberglass, vinyl, and aluminum.

• Aluminum is the least common, but it is actually worth considering if you want a very specific color. This is because aluminum garage doors can be powder-coated in many different colors, providing you with more options. 
• Wood garage doors provide many varieties and options and come painted or stain graded. Check out Garage Doors Incorporated, one of the largest manufacturers of custom wood garage doors, where you can view a photo gallery and learn more about wood doors.
• Steel garage doors are the most popular garage doors in the United States. They are economically the smartest choice and one of the best perks is that they are very low maintenance.

Safety

It's very important to make sure that your garage door includes safety features to prevent injury to you, your children, your car and anyone else. Nowadays, most garage doors come with safety features, but it is still important to clarify this as you go to purchase your door. Safety features to check include a good springing system. Even more important is the installation of sensors on your garage door. The sensors work to stop the garage door from closing if it comes up against an obstruction. In other words, if the door hits anything, the garage should immediately stop and reverse its direction.

Don't Forget...

• Maintenance: Is the garage door you are considering easy to maintain?
• Durability: You will want to make sure that it won't dent easily.
• Warranties: Make sure your door comes with a reasonable warranty.
• Contractor: Find a garage door contractor to help you choose the best garage door for your home.