Guide to Insulated Garage Doors

Insulated garage doors help maintain your garage’s indoor temperature, which can also help control your home’s overall temperature and reduce your energy consumption. A door’s insulative material and R-value indicate how well it can insulate your indoor space, and the right choice for your home depends on your area’s weather conditions. Frigid winters and scorching summers require a well-insulated door for the greatest comfort and energy savings, so it’s important to understand how to choose the best option for your garage.

Importance of Garage Door Insulation

Your garage door is one of the most important factors that can significantly enhance your property. Upgrading your garage door to a more insulated option offers the following benefits:

Comfort

A well-insulated garage maintains an indoor space’s temperature, making it more comfortable. It allows you to step into a warm space in the winter or a cool space in the summer as you get in your car and start your commute. It can also help maintain your home’s temperature if it’s connected to your garage.

Reduced Energy Bills

Since a well-insulated door helps maintain your garage and home’s indoor temperature, it can help decrease your energy bills. An energy-efficient garage door reduces the heat transfer that takes place between ambient temperatures and internal garage space. Reducing heat transfer at this location is essential to stabilizing the temperature in the garage, no matter what the elements are like outside. Garages typically have more gaps and air leaks than any other part of a home, but you can eliminate air leaks with a quality garage door.

Durability and Longer Door Life Span

Insulative materials increase a door’s durability, helping extend its life span. Garage doors with insulation are denser and more dent-resistant than non-insulated doors, and the most effective insulative materials help doors resist vibration during operation.

Protection for Your Vehicle and Garage’s Contents

Choosing a well-insulated door helps protect your vehicle and other belongings you store in your garage. Keeping your car in a warm garage helps preserve its battery life and tire pressure so it functions properly, giving you peace of mind that your car will start even on the coldest days.

Insulation is especially important if your garage doubles as an extra room, such as a workshop or gathering space. Keeping the space warm helps protect items such as power tools or appliances from extreme temperatures.

Reduced Noise

Insulated doors are typically quieter than non-insulated doors. Since insulation dampens vibrations during a door’s operation, the track system can raise and lower the door without the grinding noise that garage doors typically make. The insulation also quiets outside sounds, making your garage’s indoor space more pleasant.

How to Choose an Insulated Garage Door

Choosing an insulated garage door depends primarily on a door’s insulating material and R-value, but it’s also important to consider style and brand. When you install a garage door that insulates well and looks great, you can enjoy a more comfortable and cost-efficient home.

Considering the Insulation Rating for a Garage Door

The R-value is the most essential factor when choosing a garage door because it indicates how effectively it insulates an indoor space. An insulating material’s R-value measures its thermal resistance, which reveals how well it resists conductive heat flow to prevent temperature fluctuations.

A garage door’s R-value depends on its material, density and thickness. Most doors have an R-value of 10 or above, and doors with higher R-values are ideal because they offer greater insulation. High-quality doors have R-values up to 20.4, offering the best protection.

Before you make a decision, it’s important to consider your home’s construction and your state’s climate. A higher R-value can help your home stay warmer if you have an attached garage, and choosing the highest R-value protects your home from frigid temperatures if you live in a particularly cold area.

Selecting a Garage Door’s Insulation Material

A garage door’s material is one of the main factors determining its R-value. Most manufacturers insulate their garage doors with one of the following materials:

• Polystyrene: Polystyrene is also known as styrofoam and comes in the form of rigid panels that fit between a garage door’s steel panels or inside a single-layer door. Polystyrene-insulated doors offer greater energy efficiency and quieter operation than non-insulated doors, but they have lower R-values than polyurethane-insulated doors.
• Polyurethane: Polyurethane is an insulating foam that offers the greatest insulation and energy efficiency. Manufacturers inject polyurethane foam between a garage door’s steel layers, and the foam expands to fill all of the door’s crevices and bond to its frame. This bonding further strengthens the door, preventing dents and making it more vibration-resistant. Polyurethane-insulated doors offer the highest R-values.

Both polystyrene and polyurethane are moisture-resistant and versatile, but choosing the right one depends on how much insulation you need. Polyurethane is the best option if you live in an area with harsh winters.

The Importance of Thermal Breaks

Thermal breaks sit between garage door panes to prevent heat transfer between the door’s internal and external panes. They prevent the external and internal panes from touching, so the colder ones transfer less heat from the warmer ones. Choosing a door with thermal breaks increases its ability to resist heat transfer.

Choosing the Right Style and Brand

While a garage door’s insulation is essential for temperature control and longevity, it’s also important to choose a door that matches your home’s style and comes from a reputable company. Purchasing a garage door from a company that offers various colors and design options enables you to choose the option that best complements your home’s style.

Clopay® Intellicore® Insulation Technology

Clopay offers garage doors enhanced with Intellicore insulation technology, providing you with quality insulation that can withstand the most frigid climates. Intellicore doors use polyurethane foam insulation for greater strength, quieter operation and the highest R-values. Clopay Intellicore garage door R-values reach up to 20.4, helping you keep your garage and adjacent rooms comfortable all year.

Upgrade to a Clopay Insulated Garage Door

Your garage door’s insulation is incredibly important for your home’s comfort, energy savings and protection. Clopay offers a wide variety of insulated garage doors to maintain your garage’s temperature and protect your belongings from harsh weather. Whether you need a polystyrene-insulated door or an advanced polyurethane-insulated door with a high R-value, you can trust Clopay to deliver the highest quality.

Our garage doors have R-values between 6.3 and above, and our Intellicore doors offer industry-leading R-values up to 20.4. Browse our residential insulated garage doors and locate a Clopay dealer near you to find the perfect option for your home.

How to Program a Garage Door Remote and Change the Batteries

How to Program a Garage Door Remote and Change the Batteries

When it comes to opening your garage door, garage door opener remotes make life a lot easier. However, just like with a TV remote, it’s useless if it’s not programmed correctly or the batteries are dead. In the sections below, we’ll break down the general process of how to program your remote, along with some more specific methods for LiftMaster products. Along with looking at the step-by-step process for programming, we’ll also walk you through how to change the batteries in your remote.

How to Program Your Garage Door Remote

While programming a garage door remote, you first want to understand what the buttons mean — knowing the layout of your remote will make reprogramming easier. Be sure to examine your remote to ensure you know the location of each button. Then, you should check that your remote is the same brand as your garage door opener. Otherwise, it may not work, as they won’t be compatible.

With that knowledge, you can begin the general garage door remote programming process.

General Programming Process

1. Get to an area where you can reach and examine your garage door opener – specifically the motorhead hanging from the ceiling.
2. Inspect the garage door opener, looking for a button labeled “learn.” If you can’t find the button, take off the opener’s light cover and look inside, as it may not be located on the exterior.
3. Press and release the button – normally there will be a light next to that button that illuminates to indicate you are ready to program the remote.  While the program light is on, press the button on the remote you wish to program. There is typically a 30-second window to program the remote between pressing the “learn” button and pressing the remote button.  Once programmed, the light next to the learn button that illuminated will be off.
4. Once you confirm the program light is off, press the button programmed to check the programming. If the door opens, you’ve successfully programmed your remote.

How to Program a Standard LiftMaster Garage Door Remote

LiftMaster remote controls can be used for many devices including gates, garage doors, commercial door openers and external wired-in receivers. Using the steps below, you can reprogram your LiftMaster garage door remote:

1. Locate the “learn” button on the garage door opener or receiver. This button will be on the same side as the antenna. The button may be green, orange, yellow, red or purple with a small LED light next to it.
2. Depending on the model of your garage door opener, you may have to remove the lens to access the learn button.
3. Press and release the “learn” button; be careful NOT to hold the “learn” button down too long or that may erase all programming.
4. Within 30 seconds of pressing the “learn” button, press and hold for about three seconds the button on your new remote that you wish to use when controlling the garage door opener.
5. The LED indicator on the garage door opener will turn off and/or the garage door operator lights will blink.
6. Now, test the button on the door opener remote to ensure it operates the garage door opener.

How to Program a LiftMaster MAX Garage Door Remote

The LiftMaster MAX remote works with all 315MHz or 390Mhz LiftMaster garage door openers produced after January 1993. This includes all Chamberlain and Sears Craftsman openers that contain a green, orange, red, purple or yellow “learn” button. Note that each color indicates a different number of times you must press the “program” button — yellow is one, purple is two, red/orange is three and green is four.

1. Close your garage door.
2. Locate the “program” button on your garage door opener remote. This will be a bit different for each model — the 890MAX model has a small hole with a button inside that can be activated with a straighten paper clip while the 893MAX has a button on the back of the remote under the visor clip that can be activated by using the removed visor clip.
3. Activate the remote “program” button as noted above until the indicator light illuminates on the front of the remote.
4. Press and release the button you wish to program on the remote as many times as your colored “learn” button indicates then press one of the other two buttons on the remote; the indicator light on the front of the remote should be out.
5. Press and release the garage door opener “learn” button then press and hold the remote button programmed in step 4 until the garage door opener light bulb blinks.
6. Once the light bulb flashes, programming should be complete.
7. Press the newly programmed remote button to operate your garage door.

If the above process doesn’t work, it may be best to review your manual or contact an expert for help.

How to Change Your Garage Door Remote Battery

Do you find yourself pressing the button on your garage door remote multiple times before it opens? The odds are that it’s time to replace the battery in your remote. While it’s a fairly easy process, it’s important to keep in mind that the remote may need to be reprogrammed after the battery is replaced.

Here are some general instructions to change your garage door opener remote battery:

1. Locate and access the battery compartment of the remote – there may be a “battery compartment cover” that slides off or pops open; for “newer” LiftMaster and Chamberlain remotes you will need to use the visor clip to separate the remote case – following along the seam between the front and back part of the remote case to find a “carve out” in which to put the visor clip and with a twist of the clip the front and back parts of the cover will pop apart.  **NOTE – it is best to do this with remote at room temperature (70 degrees or higher) as the remote case is plastic and will crack in cold conditions.
2. After opening the case, locate and remove the battery.  Most newer LiftMaster and Chamberlain remotes us a CR2032 battery.  Install the new battery making sure it has been placed in the battery compartment correctly.
3. With the new battery installed, carefully put the remote case back together.  Test the remote to confirm it activates the automatic opener; if not, follow the steps above to program your remote.

Choose Hunter Door for Your Garage Needs

With over 50 years of experience providing homeowners and builders with long-lasting garage doors and prompt, professional services and repairs, Hunter Door is your trusted partner in New Jersey. At Hunter Door, we carry quality products from Clopay, ProVia, LiftMaster and Genie, and our experienced staff is ready to help.

In addition, as an added benefit – Hunter Door will change the battery in your remote for FREE; simply bring the remote to our showroom and we’ll change the battery for FREE …. it’s our way of saying thank you to past, present and future customers!!

Are you looking to update your current garage door opener? Hunter Door carries LiftMaster garage door openers that include top of the line features with time-tested durability. Today’s most innovative garage door openers offer enhanced safety features and easy-to-use controls. Let us help you upgrade your garage door with a new garage door opener!

If you’re having problems with your garage door or garage door opener, give us a call or fill out our contact form today to request a service appointment.

Pros and Cons of Wood Garage Doors

Homeowners have many decisions to make when it comes to garage doors. One of the most basic choices is the material of the door. If you’re considering a wood garage door, we’re here to help. Wood is a time-tested material for garage doors and can certainly add value to your home. We’ve compiled a list of the pros and cons of wood garage doors to help you determine if it’s right for your home.

Pros of Wooden Garage Doors

The advantages of a wood garage door make this style popular for many homeowners. With this classic door, you can enjoy a lasting investment in your home’s exterior. The following are pros of wooden garage doors:

• Sophistication: One of the first things you will notice about a wood door is its stunning appearance. This door can complement your home with a classy and stylish look.
• Environmental friendliness: Since wood is a renewable resource, these doors may be a more eco-friendly choice. If you’re worried about your footprint, this may be the best door for you.
• Aesthetic compatibility: A wood door complements many aesthetics – traditional, carriage house, modern, craftsman or completely custom. You can choose the style that fits your home’s design.
• Property value: As with any home improvement, your return on investment is in property value. A wood garage door can enhance curb appeal and be an attractive selling point.

Cons of Wooden Garage Doors

Though these will depend on your preferences or style, there are some disadvantages to wooden garage doors. Here are some reasons people may not choose this material:

• Maintenance: Because of wood’s natural qualities, you will need to perform upkeep on your door. Most homeowners do this by staining or painting their wooden doors.
• Insulation: In many cases, a wood door may not be insulated and, as a result, may not be the most energy-efficient choice
• Cost: Most of the time, and especially for a stain-grade quality door, wood will be more expensive than a steel option both in initial price as well as routine maintenance

Learn More About Hunter Door Today

Hunter Door offers a wide selection of high-quality garage doors in wood and steel from trusted manufacturers. We offer many styles of residential garage doors complemented with thorough, professional installation to complete the job.

Visit our showroom to see our doors for yourself or connect with us online for more information.

The Importance of Garage Door Weatherstripping

Importance Of Garage Door Weatherstripping

If you’re looking for ways to better guard the inside of your garage against the elements, weatherstripping could be the solution you need. Sealing your garage door helps protect your home and garage from temperature fluctuations. It can also help block rain, snow and ice from getting inside. If you want to use weatherstripping effectively, you should understand how it works and how to install it properly.

What Is Weatherstripping?

Weatherstripping involves sealing the gaps between your garage doors and the door frames, or the ground. The long strips of weatherstripping come in several different materials, such as rubber or vinyl. 

Even the most well-fitted garage doors have a few natural gaps that let in outside air, rain or other elements. Door sealing solutions will help prevent these outdoor elements from getting inside. You’ll better protect your assets and keep your garage comfortable year-round.  

Does Your Garage Need Weatherstripping?

If you’re wondering whether you need weatherstripping for your garage, consider a few main benefits you’ll gain from sealing your garage doors:

• Better temperature regulation: With weatherstripping, you can fill gaps, keeping your garage warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.
• Improved protection from the elements: When you properly seal your garage doors, you’ll help prevent flooding and moisture-related rusting of your door components or stored equipment.
• More secure storage: Better sealing can also keep unwanted critters out of your garage, so you won’t have to worry about rodents or insects invading a car, toolbox or other items you keep inside.

How to Install Weatherstripping

The weatherstripping process involves three main steps:

1. Selecting the right material for the door type and insulation needs.
2. Cutting the weatherstripping to the precise door size with a saw.
3. Attaching the weatherstripping: On the sides and top, the perimeter seal is usually nailed to the door frame or side jambs.  The seal on the bottom, sometimes called astragal, usually slides into a groove formed on the bottom of the door or a groove in a retainer secured to the bottom of the door.  The bottom seal is sometimes specific to a door manufacturer – so it’s important to select the correct astragal

Professional Installation

If you want to get weatherstripping, it might be best to seek out a professional to install your weatherstripping instead of doing it yourself. The weatherstripping must be properly aligned with the door or else it won’t be any better than having no seal at all. Also, if the weatherstripping isn’t cut to the proper size or installed correctly, it can cause operational issues or even throw the door off its track.

If you want the most effective weatherproofing, you should hire a professional you trust to seal your garage doors.

Keep Your Garage Door in Top Condition With Hunter Door

At Hunter Door, we offer trusted services to handle your garage door maintenance needs. If you want the right team to provide weatherstripping installation and other garage door and garage door opener services for you, contact Hunter Door today.