El Dorado Hills Garage Door Repair

Tag: insulated garage doors

  • The Pros & Cons of Steel Garage Door Installation

    Want an affordable option for garage door installation that’s highly durable and low maintenance? Then you can’t go wrong with a steel garage door. Though the exact price can vary depending on the gauge of steel door you choose, these doors are budget friendly. If you buy one with a thick gauge, they’re pretty tough too. And you can buy fortified doors, which can be especially handy during hurricane season.

    So here’s everything you need to know about steel garage doors, the pros and cons and everything in between.

    Technically it’s possible to dent steel, but they are certainly stronger than wooden doors and even aluminum doors. Unlike vinyl, steel is highly puncture resistant.

    Minor dents are easily repairable. More substantial dents may require the expertise of a garage door professional, however.

    Visual Aesthetics

    Steel may not have the natural beauty of wood, but it’s not necessarily an eyesore either. It’s visual appeal is entirely dependent on its paint job. These doors are highly versatile. With the right color combination, you can have a new garage door that delivers curbside appeal.

    The catch is the paint on steel doors is surface only, so it can be prone to scratches. Weather and sun exposure can cause the paint to fade. Steel doors will need to be repainted more often than your typical wooden garage door.

    Energy Efficiency

    Steel doors tend not to be energy efficient. Steel is naturally conducive to heat. You can help mitigate this by choosing an insulated door. Keep in mind you might want to go for a higher R-value for a steel door because of its natural heat transmission properties.

    Environmentally Friendly Steel Garage Doors

    Steel tends to be a green friendly option. You aren’t chopping down trees to make your door after all, nor are you introducing plastic like vinyl. The beauty of steel is its easily recyclable. In fact, you can even install a new steel garage door that’s made from recycled materials. And decades now when you are done with the door, you can recycle it instead of sending it to a landfill.

    Pest Free

    The other advantage of steel doors is they are pest free — unlike wooden doors that can be feasts for termites or other insects. Steel doors won’t fall apart, so you don’t have to worry about pests getting into your garage.

    Rust Concerns

    The main drawback to steel is rust. While steel tends to be fairly maintenance free, you’ll need to watch out for rust. This includes updating the paint job, looking for rust patches and removing it as soon as it begins.

    Questions? Call Us!

    Think steel might be the garage door material for you? Call us! We’d be happy to help. We install all sorts of garage doors in the Eldorado Hills area.

  • The Often Overlooked Danger of Leaving Your Garage Door Open at Night

    You know you locked the front door, but did you remember to close your garage door? For most people, it’s not a big concern. But you’ve got a deadbolt, right? What’s the big deal? Actually, an open garage door is a bigger risk than you think. Here are 4 reasons why you should never leave your garage door open when you aren’t using it.

    It’s an Invitation to Thieves

    Think about the contents of your garage — lawn mowers, bikes and other exercise equipment, tools. Add it all up and you’ve got thousands of dollars of valuable possessions just sitting out in the open. An open garage door might as well be a garage sale for thieves. They look to open doors as opportunities.

    Raccoons, Squirrels, Rats, Etc. Might Move In

    Thieves aren’t the only ones who see an open garage door as an chance to improve their luck. Pests and critters will invite themselves in as well. Animals may be looking for food or shelter. And once they’re in, they might curl in and nest. It might be time to call an exterminator.

    Storm, Wind & Other Weather

    Sure, the weather’s beautiful when you tuck in for the night – but California weather can turn on a dime. Calm skies at bedtime can become a hurricane overnight. And when that weather blows in, your garage – not to mention tools, sports equipment, and vehicles are left in the open. Don’t turn your back on the weather. Always closes your garage door.

    It Runs Up Your Heating Bill

    Leaving your garage door open at night on cool nights in El Dorado Hills can increase your heating bill. If your garage is connected to the house, it can actually affect the temperature of the rest of the home. This can cause the furnace to work harder because you pay more to heat the house when an open garage door cools it off. Because a garage’s temperature plays such a big role in house temperature, we always recommend installing insulated garage doors, even in California. Keeping your garage door closed makes it easier to control the inside temperature of the house.

  • Green Thumb? How to Grow Starter Plants in Your Garage Space

    Green Thumb? How to Grow Starter Plants in Your Garage Space

    Green Thum How to Grow Starter Plants in Your Garage Space

    It’s springtime — the time of year to break out your green thumb and start gardening. Wouldn’t it be great to take what’s likely the largest covered room in your home and turn it into your own functional plant nursery? It doesn’t have to be a dream. Here’s how to make this a reality and have beautiful starts to begin your garden — grown right in your garage.

    Plan It Out

    It helps to start early. Sit down with that seed catalog in January and plan out your garden. Dream a little, get excited. This is where the fun part comes in — where you conceptualize your growing space.

    Decide which plants you want to grow. Map out where you’ll set them up in the garage. Card tables, shelves, bookcases work great. Plan to lay out plants side by side that take similar nutrients, have similar light needs, and similar growing patterns.

    Basil, for example, is great to grow with tomatoes because it will protect them from insects. Cabbages, however, will stunt tomatoes and shouldn’t be grown close together.

    Plan out what you’ll transplant when.

    Arranging Space in Your Garage

    Decide how much space you’ll need for your starts. Unless you are planning on only starting a few plants, you’ll likely need to dedicate at least half if not the full garage to your growing area. It may be a good idea to park your car outside for the time being.

    Arrange card tables or shelving to hold the starts. 2x4s are great are a great use of space. Arrange for space to transplant so you have room to work. Plastic on the ground and around the growing area can keep the space clean and avoid any contaminants from compromising the starts. You’ll want to keep all the plants elevated for ideal growing temperatures.

    Pay attention to drafts from open windows. Is your garage insulated? Do you have an insulated garage door? You might consider it as an option. Consider installing electric heaters for cold days.

    How much natural light does your garage get? Garage door window slats are helpful, but might not provide enough light. Growing lights may be used to supplement natural light.

    Pay attention to soil and humidity. These things can make or break an indoor plant space. Open the garage on nice sunny days to give the plants plenty of sunlight.

    And of course the garage is just where you get the starting plants off and running. When the plants are the right size, you’ll transplant them to an outdoor garden area when the season is right.