3 Factors to Consider for Your Pennsylvania Home Garage Doors
Living in Pennsylvania is a lifetime chance to enjoy good food, excellent sports, and the breathtaking view. Think lobsters for dinner while watching a Steelers’ game with the Appalachians peeking right through the window. But its tempestuous Northeastern weather is a critical factor that you must consider for your home plans, including your garage door.
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The Keystone State lies in a region characterized by warm, humid summers and biting cold winters. It’s also prone to heavy rainfall and occasional storms of high intensity. Thus, you would want nothing less than the most durable garage doors possible to keep the elements in check. Of course, there are services that can help you with the garage door installation PA.
Insulation Rating
Your garage doors would be facing and must withstand extreme weather variances typical to Pennsylvania and its region. During summers, it would be the sun and humidity, and then it would be snow and ice during winters. In addition to that is a mix of frequent and generous amount of rainfall throughout the year.
With that in mind, you must account for the thermal efficiency of your garage doors. In other words, they must keep the garage cool during the summer and warm during the winter. That is particularly essential, especially if the garage is below or adjacent to a living space. You would not want the HVAC to work extra hard and increase your monthly energy consumption.
So, to ensure that your garage doors are an ideal match to Penn State weather, select the type with the highest possible R-value or insulation rating. There are four insulation ratings, with the lowest suitable only for detached or non-heated garages. On the other hand, the highest or 4-star R-value of 16 and up would be best for your garage doors.
Garage Door Type
After considering the R-value of your garage doors for your Pennsylvania home, you can now move on to selecting the material.
Wood provides better insulation than steel and remains appealing to those who want traditional styles. However, wooden garage doors hold up poorly against natural elements and require higher maintenance costs compared to other materials.
A cheaper option is the wood composite, especially if you want to capture that beautiful wood-grain look. This material is a more durable alternative to wood against rot, splitting, and warping, and is also more energy-efficient.
Aluminum and fiberglass garage doors are lightweight and more affordable than other materials. They are both resistant to weather and corrosion but have poor insulating qualities. Also, aluminum is not as durable as fiberglass when it comes to impact and dents.
Steel remains to be the most popular choice because the material is a balance between price and durability. It requires minimal maintenance and available in styles that mimic wood. Higher gauges with higher R-value ratings ensure longer lifespans and better thermal efficiency of your garage doors.
Installation Service or DIY
A typical garage door installation in PA easily costs $1,500. That is a hefty investment for something that opens and closes for your car to get in and out.
The good news is that a garage door installation in Pennsylvania yields up to 95% ROI. So, whether you’re looking to renovate your house or are planning to sell it, you will be adding more value to your home.
Therefore, it’s too much of a risk to go DIY when installing your home’s garage doors. Unless you’re a seasoned expert, the best move yet is to seek professional assistance. The right technician will be able to assist you in installing the best material for your garage doors and ensuring that the mechanical structure is accurate.
Whether you’re in residential Philadelphia or live along Lake Erie, your Pennsylvania dream home wins when you level up your garage doors. You will be hitting not just two but three birds with one stone: energy efficiency, home value, and quality of life.
