Most new homes are designed to incorporate double garage doors in their construction. In many cases contractors and builders will install contractor grade garage doors to save money and reduce the cost to the homeowner. An Orlando double garage door is designed to close a 16 foot wide hole in your home. Choosing a cheap door is probably not a very good decision. Using garage door pricing to judge the quality of a garage door does to some degree make sense.
Deciding what garage door you will need will depend on where you live and what weather conditions your home will have to endure. If you live in an area that has long cold winters with heavy snow then you should be looking for a double garage door with a high R-value and that is relatively maintenance free. We suggest you look for a steel garage door that is constructed using at least two sheets of at least 25 gauge steel with 2 inches of polyurethane foam sandwich in between. In most cases a door of this quality will allow you to heat or cool your garage without breaking the bank. A well insulated garage will allow you to climb into your warm vehicle on the coldest morning. In addition you will be able to use your garage based workshop year around. Many people are interested in double garage doors that are constructed of wood. Wooden garage doors are very beautiful to look at and depending on the type of panel construction will be very secure. Double garage doors constructed entirely of wood are possible but do not have the strength and durability of a steel frame panel garage door.
However, you can achieve all the beauty of a wood door by using a steel framed Orlando door that has plywood face that is over laid with Cedar, Hemlock or Oak. This type of door also gives you the option of using polystyrene or polyurethane insulation to provide energy efficiency. Wooden garage doors will require a regular routine of intensive maintenance that includes staining and/or painting. In terms of long term garage doors cost a wood garage door can be expensive.
Orlando Double garage doors do pose additional problems if you live in areas that are considered high wind risk. If you live in Florida or one of other Gulf Coast States you probably should consider purchasing a high wind door that meets the Miami-Dade wind codes. Research following Hurricane Andrew shows that once you lose your garage door especially if it is a double garage door you will lose the roof of your home. A quality high wind double garage door will withstand the force of 140 mile per hour plus winds. A properly installed garage door will make the difference between losing shingles and losing your entire home.
The bottom line is when building a new home it really is penny wise and pound foolish to purchase and install a relatively inexpensive Orlando garage door. A quality double garage door will make your home more secure and energy efficient.
