New Design and Technology Trends for Garage Doors and OpenersWhen it comes to home improvements and increasing curb appeal, homeowners look for the biggest return on each residential investment. Previously ignored, for the most part, today’s owners now recognize garage doors as a large part of the canvas that makes up the portrait of their home. Modern Colors and DesignsPreviously, garage doors were different shades of white, gray, and beige. Painting one a dark shade of brown or black was considered a bold move and might generate complaints from the neighbors. The only exception was red for a garage the was converted from an old carriage house. Fortunately, that attitude has changed, and homeowners use almost every color available on the market, sometimes even painting designs onto the door panels. They look like a carriage house or a set of barn doors, just to use two examples. The retro look and other styles don’t stop there. With new materials like vinyl, manufacturers can ‘press’ a design into each panel that looks like carriage or barn doors. Add the right color to a custom design, and homeowners can even make their garage doors look like a well-known British police box. New TechnologyWhile, the basic design of the garage door opener hasn’t changed too much recently, the abilities have improved. The signal is stronger, and the range of the opener in most cars is now more effective at longer distances, sometimes even up to 1500 feet. With the keypad on the garage wall, owners can program their doors to open or close at critical times. They can also set the door to close at a minute, five minutes, or longer after it begins in the morning. That eliminates one more concern to a homeowner trying to get to work or drop family members off at school. Using a garage door app on their Smartphone, owners can do even more. Programming their opener becomes a simple task they can accomplish anywhere. With an app and a good Wi-Fi connection, they can also open and close the garage door to let in family members or allow pets to exercise with a walker.
With our current medical crisis, owners can also open the garage door for contact-less delivery with large items like furniture or exercise equipment. Insulated and Eco-Friendly DoorsNo matter how large a home is, there always seems to be a need for an extra closet or another room. A garage can be cleaned out for office space or to make a temporary room when someone needs to self-isolate from the rest of their family. The problem is keeping down the increased cost for air or heat needed to keep it comfortable. Homeowners can buy new panels that are
Insulated at the time of manufacture, or they can buy DIY kits at a big box store or other retailers to do the job themselves. A growing trend is the use of recycled and repurposed materials. Homeowners use doors from demolished residences to keep a classic look in a newer home. In some homes with detached, one-car garages, owners use wood, vinyl, aluminum, and other materials to create a look unique to their homes. Many neighborhoods now have a local style once again, rejecting a cookie-cutter appearance. Natural light to add to the efficiency ofa remote office or home gym, owners are also improving the garage door top row or lightbox. There are now larger windows offered, with some door styles designed with the second row of windows. Looking ForwardThe coming year will no doubt continue to offer homeowners more options when it comes to both design and security. From openers that reach from three houses away to door styles that look like a century-old home, owners can customize their residence and truly make it their home.