When you're looking for new garage doors, there are several things to take into account, both for the new doors you're looking for and your existing setup. While most of the work will be done by your garage door technician, there are several important things to do before the day of installation that can make things easier and more convenient for you.

Make Sure Your Garage Door Opener Will Work

If you already have a garage door opener installed that seems to work perfectly fine, you'll still need to consider it when having your new garage doors installed. This is because garage door openers will be designed with different weight capabilities, and if you're having a new door installed that's significantly heavier than your old doors, your current garage door may simply not be strong enough to move them without damaging itself. The difference in weight between different materials can be up to several hundred pounds, so it's good to have this figured out before the day of your installation.

If you aren't sure what your garage door opener is capable of or how much your new doors will weigh, contact your installer to see what they recommend. Garage door openers themselves are generally less expensive than the doors themselves, so it may be easier to buy a new garage door opener if necessary rather than changing the whole order for your doors. 

Pick the Right Material For You

If you haven't decided what kind of doors you want yet, one of the most important factors beyond aesthetics is the material your doors are made of. There are several factors that can affect what material you end up choosing:

• How much you want the garage doors to weigh
• The climate of your area, such as wind, humidity, and rain
• What regular maintenance and repairs are like and how much they cost

Garage doors come in many different materials, like steel, aluminum, wood, wood composite, vinyl, and fiberglass. Each has its own pros and cons to consider. For example, aluminum doors are light and don't rust easily, but they can be easily dented and require more frequent repairs. Solid wood, on the other hand, can be very heavy and more susceptible to expensive water damage if not continuously cared for, but they are very sturdy and beautiful.

Whatever you choose, you should have plenty of customization options available, as garage doors are flexible in terms of designs. If any particular material works well for you, you'll likely be able to find a design that suits your home.

Review Setup and Maintenance Needs

Your garage door technician will do the bulk of the work to get your new doors installed and hooked up to your garage door opener, so everything should be functional by the time the installer leaves. However, you can make things a little easier by reviewing some information about your new doors, how to maintain them, and how to operate certain things yourself.

Start with reviewing how to pair your garage door opener remotes. Your technician can help you do this with any remotes you have on hand, but if you want to buy any extras, or if you have a remote built in to your car, this will be helpful information to have on hand.

Next, review maintenance and upkeep needs for your new doors. This is especially important if your doors will be of a different material and design than you're used to. Some doors may be solid while others are made of panels with several hinges, which will all need to be lubricated. Materials that are susceptible to warping would need to be regularly checked to make sure the seals are still effective and that the weatherstripping is in good shape, and materials like steel that do less well in coastal environments need to be monitored for signs of corrosion.

Learning this information ahead of time lets you take better care of your doors from the start and helps you recognize any potential problems early on. With all this in mind, taking care of your new doors will be easy and more enjoyable. Contact a company like Edgemont Garage Door Service to learn more.

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