Going Green With Garage Doors

Fortunately for the environment, “going green” in all aspects of life has become a bit of a trend in recent years. Though it may not be first in people’s minds when it comes to protecting the earth, garage doors can play an important role in keeping your home environmentally friendly. Whether you are thinking of replacing your garage doors, building a new house, or just trying to be environmentally trendy, this article gives good tips for “going green” with garage doors. Lots of different factors affect the level of environmental friendliness that a door holds. Different materials, levels of cost efficiency and insulation, and garage door prices are all very important when it comes to saving the world (and money for you!)

It’s All About the Material.

Okay, maybe not all about it… but the material garage doors are made of is very important to how environmentally friendly it will be. The most obvious step you can take in making garage doors environmentally friendlier is to buy one made of recyclable or renewable materials. The best example of this is wooden garage doors made of sustainably sourced timber, because wood is found in nature. Other materials are a toss-up. Some man-made materials can be recycled and some cannot. For example, some steel garage doors are made from recyclable materials, but some are not. A good way to make sure that your door is made of recycled material or will be eligible to be recycled in the future is to simply ask the company who makes it.

…And Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency is determined by several different factors with garage doors. The most important one is how insulated the garage door is. This depends on what you use your garage door for. If you have a room above the garage that is heated or cooled in different seasons, it is much more important to conserve energy by making sure that the garage doors are properly insulated. Before you choose between garage doors, check their U-value. U-values indicate how good of an insulator garage doors will be. The lower the U-value, the better insulator it will be.

Beyond Choosing Garage Doors…

Make sure that the company that manufactures garage doors is being environmentally friendly in the processes that occur before you buy. The materials that companies use to coat garage doors and the way they dispose of waste will make a big difference in the eventual efficiency of the garage door. The most powerful statement to a business is your money—you can get started on your environmental friendliness by some simple research and choosing carefully where to spend your money.

Obviously, other factors beside environmental friendliness will come into play as you choose, such as garage door prices and sizes and curb appeal. However, if you are looking for a simple way to help the environment, think carefully about choosing garage doors. After all, after it’s installed, you will be helping the future of the earth without even thinking about it.

Insulated Garage Doors to Reduce Your Heating Bills

A drafty, un-insulated garage door may not be an obvious culprit in rising utility bills, but it’s worth a second look if you have an attached garage or one with accommodation above it. Replacing your older garage door with a new, energy-efficient model can reduce energy loss through the garage door by up to 71 percent, according to a comparison study conducted by American Manufacturer Clopay’s engineers. Garages that are attached to your home typically share one or two common walls with the house and any hot or cold air that travels through a door will ultimately affect the adjacent living areas.

An insulated sectional garage door can help stabilize temperatures in the garage to reduce heat losses or gains from common house walls. Depending on the specifics of your home and attached garage construction, a well-insulated door can help keep your unheated garage 10 to 20 degrees Farenheit warmer on a cold winter day.  That can have a significant impact on the comfort of family rooms or bedrooms located above or next to the garage. Helpful tips More than 40 percent of the current housing stock was built prior to the era of energy efficiency, according to a report by The Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.  If your garage door is a throw back from the dark ages, here are some things to look for when making an upgrade:

• 42mm thick, three-layer ’sandwich’ construction including environmentally safe, chlorofluorocarbon-free insulation layered between two sheets of heavy-duty galvanized steel.

• U-Values – these are measurements of the thermal efficiency of a garage door’s insulation. The higher the lower the U-value, the more energy-efficient the insulation.

• Design – Get the most out of your garage door upgrade. Choose a model that complements your home’s architectural style to maximise its value.

Hormann Garage Doors are Greener?

As Europe’s largest supplier of garage doors including a range of energy efficient insulated sectional doors, Hormann has underlined its green credentials by enlisting the help of  a carbon and sustainability consultancy to help reduce its carbon footprint.

Hormann are the UK’s first garage door manufacturer to make this bold move to demonstrate its eco-friendly approach.  As part of its work with the National Home Improvement Council, Hormann are committed to providing energy efficient products and their range already includes insulated sectional garage doors with CFC free PU foam offering  values as low as 1.30w/m2k to help reduce heat loss from your garage. Hormann also pride themselves on electric garage door openers with low power consumption in stand-by mode as well as solar powered versions.