Steel garage doors are among the most common on the residential garage door market – and with good reason! They are sturdy, easily maintained, and affordable. Steel garage doors offer a variety of finishes and options, making them highly customizable and an easy way to enhance your home’s curb appeal.
There are three main types of steel garage doors – single, double, or triple layer.
Single layer steel doors, as their name implies, consist of a single layer of steel. They are durable; however, they do not provide much insulation and are less sturdy than their double or triple layered counterparts.
Double layer steel doors consist of a layer of steel glued to a layer of polystyrene insulation. This makes double layered garage doors more energy efficient, while upping their soundproofing quality.
Finally, triple layer steel doors consist of polystyrene or polyethylene insulation sandwiched between two layers of steel. These doors are the most soundproof and insulated – making them a wise choice for homeowners looking to reduce their energy bill.
Thicker doors tend to have a higher R-value – that is, their insulation level is much higher. R-value, in the world of construction, is a measure of a material’s ability to resist thermal change per unit area. Additionally, the insulation provides a soundproofing barrier. In hurricane-prone areas, wind-load reinforcements are added to garage doors.
These garage doors are made of steel galvanized in zinc, to prevent rust. Due to this process, steel doors hold their shape well over the years, and resist harsh weather conditions. This makes them extremely durable while remaining lightweight, an advantage of this garage door material over the likes of wood or vinyl. Protected from cracking and mold, steel garage doors also boast an incredible variety of colors and styles – usually making them the most technologically sound type to consider when buying a new door. They are primed and painted, followed up by a tough weatherproof finish.
Insulated steel garage doors also protect your garage from excess moisture – preventing or at the very least mitigating rust of the rest of the mechanical components of your garage door. This extends their lifespan tremendously, saving you a fortune in untimely repairs. As most of the hardware in a garage door system is metallic, it is prone to rust and damage in moist conditions. Prevention is the key when it comes to your home, and avoiding the need for early garage door repair!
