While not new, sliding or folding garage doors are coming back in vogue. This style has a distinct appearance, and most homeowners tend to love them or hate them. Read on for the pros and cons of folding garage doors.
Pros of Folding Garage Doors
The top advantages for these doors include:
- Controlled Opening – Most garage doors either open or close. There’s no halfway with a door that opens vertically. Folding garage doors move horizontally, which means you can control the amount the doors open. This is ideal if you want to limit access to the garage or when space is limited.
- Curb Appeal – The right garage door can make your home look unique, capturing a desired vibe or mood. Folding stainless steel garage doors add modern flair to contemporary homes, while wooden folding doors enhance the classic appeal of older homes. No matter what style home you have, you can find a unique folding garage door to complement it.
- Improved security – Some homeowners feel that folding garage doors offer greater security. These doors cannot be lifted out of their hinges, like a typical garage door. If you store valuable automobiles in your garage or are concerned about theft, you would do well to consider a folding garage door.
- Easy to automate – You might worry these doors would be impractical, since you would need to manually push them back to access the garage. This is a myth, as folding garage doors automate easily, so you don’t have to lift a finger (except to touch the remote)!
Cons of Folding Garage Doors
Not everyone likes these garage doors. Common complaints include:
- Poor Weatherproofing – Due to the structure, folding garage doors do not offer great weatherproofing. If you frequently experience snow and rain, or if your garage floods due to slope these doors will only make your problems worse. You would be better off considering a traditional garage door, which provides superior weatherproofing.
- Heavy – Folding garage doors tend to be heavier than their rolling counterparts. The downside of this is that they can be tricky to operate, notably in bad weather.
- Level Ground – Is the driveway in front of your garage level? If it is not perfectly level, then folding garage doors will not operate well. Thus, you will have to invest in paving services to level the grade before you install this style door. For many homeowners, it’s not a worthwhile expense.
- Cost – Folding garage doors tend to cost more than standard garage doors, and budget is a concern for some customers. While homeowners replacing their garage doors do tend to recoup their costs at the time of sale, making garage doors a great investment, that folding doors may be cost-prohibitive for some homeowners.
Replacing your garage door is a high-value home upgrade. You’ll see and feel the difference immediately. Whether you’d like to add folding garage doors or another style, look to us to get the job done right.
