Yes, Even a Garage Door Can be "Green" and Energy Efficient
Making eco-friendly improvements around the home can be done in many ways. One easy way to improve the energy efficiency of your home is to install an eco-friendly garage door. As the largest moving component of a home, your garage door plays an important role in maintaining its structural integrity and energy efficiency - two important criteria in green building and sustainable design.
What Is an Eco-Friendly Garage Door?
A green or eco-friendly garage door is one that is designed and constructed with minimal environmental impact
- The product's lifecycle
- The garage door's ability to withstand extreme high winds, helping to protect the home's envelope
- Efficiency of the garage door manufacturing process and the use of recycled materials
If a garage door meets these important factors, then it is considered a green and sustainable garage door and can help protect the environment.
Green garage doors help protect the environment in the following ways:
• Use of recycled and/or sustainable materials
• Built with quality components to improve garage door lifespan
• Improved energy efficiency by weatherproofing and insulating
• Increased manufacturing efficiency
1. Use of Recycled and/or Sustainable Material:
Some eco-friendly garage doors make use of recycled materials. Steel used in the production of garage doors is a good example of recycled content.
If the garage door is made from wood, the wood used should be sourced from suppliers that comply with environmental regulations regarding wood harvesting. These suppliers should follow environmentally-friendly techniques and practices for harvesting wood. Environmentally-friendly wood suppliers will re-plant trees in place of the harvested timber in order to ensure long-term sustainability.
2. Built with quality components to improve garage door lifespan:
In addition to the eco-friendliness of the materials used, green garage doors should also be made from materials that are very durable. Whether the garage door is made of metal or wood, it should be able to withstand the elements over time such as wind, rain and snow. This means that the door will last longer despite exposure to weather as well as wear and tear from use.
From an environmental standpoint, more durable doors need replaced less frequently, which means fewer of them end up in a landfill. It reduces the amount of our natural resources to product more doors.
3. Improved energy efficiency by weatherproofing and insulating:
The garage door is the largest opening to your home, which means it has the most potential to let in cold or hot air. This can lead to an increase in energy use and costs over time. For this reason, it’s
In addition to having a properly insulated garage door, you’ll also want to ensure the garage door has energy-efficient window. Perimeter weather-stripping is also essential to ensuring a green garage door is energy efficient.
4. Increased manufacturing efficiency:
With green and sustainable garage doors, not only should the end-result be an eco-friendly product, but the entire sourcing, manufacturing and transportation process should be as well. Green garage door manufacturers remain conscious of the amount of material they consume during production. They also follow specialized recycling protocols to ensure any scrap metals, woods or plastics can be reused.
Preventing product loss is another component of manufacturing green doors. During transportation, green garage doors are properly protected to reduce the risk of any possible damage being done to them in transit. When products get damaged, they may be wasted or require additional resources to make repairs.
Transportation itself is another way garage doors can be eco-friendly. By improving transportation efficiency, fuel consumption and carbon emissions can be reduced.
Benefits of Eco-Friendly Garage Doors
Green garage doors offer a number of different benefits for your home. Here are some of the most important benefits your green garage door can offer:
1.Energy savings
2. Lower replacement, repair & maintenance costs
3. Enhanced curb appeal
1. Energy savings:
A well installed green garage door will prevent heat loss and gain, thereby eliminating unnecessary energy consumption. Of course, using less energy also means a smaller energy bill, so there are financial benefits to a green garage door as well.
2. Lower replacement, repair and maintenance costs:
Because green garage doors are designed with durable materials, they can provide a longer lifespan than their less-eco-friendly counterparts. When pairing this with the potential for a lower energy bill, savings in money and resources will accumulate even more over time.
3. Enhanced curb appeal:
All Clopay® garage doors have character and beautiful style. Eco-friendly garage doors come in many different styles, so you can find one to match your home’s design. Additionally, having a solid and energy-efficient green door may also help improve your home’s resale value when working with potential buyers who are also eco-conscious.
Extending The Lifespan of Your Eco-Friendly Garage Door
While a green garage door is designed to be durable and long-lasting, it will still require ongoing maintenance. As with all things, properly caring for your green garage door will help extend its life expectancy.
Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your green garage door:
• Schedule routine maintenance for your garage door.
• Wash your garage door inside and out with a light detergent and water mixture.
• Keep the garage door sensor eye clean from dirt and cobwebs so it continues to work properly.
• Ensure the metal springs
• Perform regular inspections to look for any worn or loose parts and have them repaired as needed.
By following these regular maintenance tips, you’ll ensure you get the most out of your garage door investment.
Disposing of Your Old Garage Door
When considering making your green garage door purchase, you’ll need to keep in mind what to do with your old garage door. Some installers will remove your old garage door for you, and some may not. Your old garage door may be able to be recycled, or it may be disposed of at your local landfill. If you are disposing of the old door on your own, contact your local waste authority to ensure that you are disposing of it properly.
Choosing An Eco-Friendly Garage Door
If you’re looking to purchase a garage door, remember to take into consideration the manufacturing and transportation processes as well as the product itself. Green garage doors are an important way to do your part in protecting the environment, while saving you money in the long-run.
Keep in mind that you don’t need to compromise style and design to be eco-friendly. Your garage door can reap all the environmental and money-saving benefits while still being high-end and coordinated with your overall home’s design. Eco-friendly garage doors come in a variety of styles to suit the look and feel of your home and enhance curb appeal.
Choose Clopay®