Who thinks about the climate when it’s time to choose a garage door? Everyone is tremendously busy with measurements, checking out garage door designs, and arguing on whether or not they will be any windows. But believe it or not, the climate is one of the first things that should shape your decision. When it comes to garage door styles and colors, there are options for everybody. But if you don’t think about matters that will affect your home energy efficiency and the longevity of your garage door and its parts, you might regret today’s decision tomorrow.

A few things about the climate that play a role in garage door shopping

The weather is not nice everywhere. But then again, too much sun is not very good either. And then, the climate is not only different from one region to the next, but also in different locations in the same area. Residences found in an urban location are not as exposed to the elements as residences built by the ocean or in a mountain. The levels of moisture, the effects of the sea-salt, the exposure to the sun and the winds, all affect the longevity and performance of the garage door and so shape your decision. So, let’s get to the point.

Here are the 3 main reasons why you should consider the climate before you select new residential garage doors.

Not all garage door materials are the same

aluminum garage doorIt doesn’t come as a surprise that aluminum garage doors sell a lot for years, and especially to those living in areas highly exposed to moisture. And it’s no wonder that despite most people’s preference in wood garage doors, the sales of composite ones have gone up. Not all garage door materials have the same resistance to the elements. Wood is elegant but ideal for dry regions away from the ocean that don’t experience too much cold either. Wood cracks, rots, and needs constant care, whereas composite garage doors are highly resistant.

Before you choose the garage door material, think of the climate in your location. The material should be strong to withstand the weather in your area so that you won’t need garage door maintenance frequently.

Your home’s energy efficiency is affected by the garage door

The truth is that energy efficient garage doors are excellent choices for all locations, regardless of how cold or warm it gets. After all, their job is not to warm up the garage but to keep the internal temps unaffected by the outside temps. And so, an insulated steel garage door will be good during the summer and during the winter. But if it gets really cold in your area, you need a garage door that will do a very good job when it comes to insulation. Not all insulated garage doors have the same R-value – that’s the way the thermal resistance is measured.

The colder locations will need high insulation and thus high R-values (R-18.4). If it gets cold but not freezing, you will do okay with an R-10 garage door. If it’s rather warm most months in the year in your location, you can do fine with low R-6 or 8 thermal resistance.

The resistance of the garage door & its parts is affected by the climate

Garage-Door-TrackClimates, where moisture dominates, take a toll on the garage door tracks, rollers, springs – all parts made of steel. It’s no wonder that nylon garage door rollers thrive in some areas. Plastic materials are very resistant and not affected by the moisture, whereas steel is susceptible to damage. Of course, most parts are made of steel. What you can do is to make sure they are made of stainless steel. Another step you can take is to clean and lubricate the parts frequently. Moisture causes corrosion. With regular lubrication, you keep the parts free of rust and thus in good shape to last for years.