Myth #4: My home is only 10 years old. I don't need to think about replacing my garage doors or entry door yet.

Reality: Just because a home is new doesn't mean that it was built using the most energy efficient doors and windows.

Building technology has changed over the last ten years. For example, a three-layer foamed in place polyurethane insulated garage door with a 17.2 R-value wasn't an option in 2001, like it is today.

Growing interest and awareness of energy efficiency and green building practices has changed the industry. Builders and manufacturers have responded by offering better products.

Homeowners should evaluate their annual utility bills, as well as the appearance, maintenance, and performance of the products installed on their home to determine whether or not an upgrade makes sense.

If you plan to live in your house long-term, replacing an entry door or garage door yields the best return-on-investment at resale, according to the findings of Remodeling magazine’s 2010-11 Cost vs. Value report.

It showed that midrange entry door and garage door replacement projects top the list of home improvements, netting the No. 1 and number 2 spots, respectively, in the national average.

Both projects rank high in their respective categories, for two main reasons: they are among the least expensive projects in the survey, and they improve curb appeal in a way that can affect a potential buyer's first impression and, consequently, a home’s resale value.

Clopay Gallery Collection polyurethane insulated garage door with a Medium Oak Ultra-Grain paint finish shown with a complementing Clopay stained fiberglass entry door. Both models feature Trenton decorative glass.

How Will I Know if I Should Replace My Door?

Its time to consider replacing your garage door or entry door if:

1. The door is poor quality.
2. The door un-insulated or is poorly insulated.
3. The door is warped, dented, sagging, rotting, or it doesn’t open and close smoothly.
4. The garage doors is more than 15 years old.
5. It detracts from the appearance of your home or dates it. This is especially important for a front-facing garage door or prominent entry way.
6. The door is broken and can’t be fixed economically.
7. The door doesn’t have a tight seal resulting in drafts and leaks.

Homeowners can claim up to a $500 tax credit for installing an ENERGY STAR® qualified entry door on their primary residence by December 31, 2011. The credit applies to the product only and does not include installation.

For more information about Clopay entry doors that qualify for the Energy Tax Credit, visit www.clopaydoor.com/publicfiles/43960%20CLO%20ENTDR%20Tax%20Flyer%20R1_1.pdf.

For more information about energy efficient, eco-friendly garage doors, visit www.clopaydoor.com/green.aspx.

Myth #2: Replacing my door will cost more money than it will save.

Reality: Energy efficient garage doors and entry doors are available at a variety of price points.

The savings to your utility bill will add up over time. But there are other factors that make this project an investment worth considering.

Construction materials and insulation technologies have improved significantly over the last five to ten years. Today’s doors require less annual maintenance to maintain smooth operation and provide a tighter seal against the façade to keep out the elements.

Most energy efficient doors are constructed using low-maintenance steel, composite polymer, or fiberglass insulated with either high R-value polyurethane foam or polystyrene. Decorative low-emission and insulated glass also cuts down on heat transfer to maintain a thermal barrier between interior and exterior environments.

Clopay Gallery Collection polyurethane insulated garage door. Short panel with Square Grilles.

Myth #3: It's better to repair my door than to replace it.

Reality: Repairing your garage door or entry door may be a more economical choice if:

1. The door is less than 10 years old
2. It's constructed from quality materials and is well insulated
3. It operates smoothly
4. It complements the style and appearance of your home, and
5. The repair is less expensive than replacing it and will resolve the problem.

Clopay Rustic Collection fiberglass entry door with Hayden sidelights. ENERGY STAR qualified.

Visit our blog tomorrow as we wrap up our series on energy efficient doors and reveal the most common signs that it's time to replace your door.

Here are some tips to help get your garage door ready for the cold.

Keep the Heat In

Keeping the garage warm in the winter doesn’t have to be a challenge. The easiest way to trap heat in and keep cold air out is with a weather seal. If you see a gap between the bottom of the garage door and the driveway when the door is closed, it's time to replace the stop.

Bottom weather seal

If cold living spaces above or next to the garage are an ongoing problem, upgrade to an energy efficient garage door. Replacing an older garage door with a new, insulated model can reduce energy loss through the garage by up to 71%, according to a comparison study conducted by Clopay engineers.

Since attached garages typically share one or two common walls with the house, any hot or cold that travels through a door will ultimately affect the adjacent living areas.

An insulated garage door can help stabilize temperatures in the garage to reduce heat losses or gains and keep an unheated garage 10 to 20 degrees warmer on a cold winter day.

Smooth Operator

Regardless of its age, your garage door should open and close smoothly. If it doesn’t, the spring system may be out of balance.

Visually inspect hardware for wear and tear. Look for bent or loose hinges, broken wheels, bent shafts or worn out bearings on steel rollers, and bent or misaligned track. Tighten or replace loose or missing bolts on the door and track supports.

The bottom brackets, cables, pulleys and springs are under great tension and should ONLY be repaired by a garage door professional.

Clean and Lubricate Hardware to Get Rid of the Noise

Use a clean rag to remove any debris, grease or dirt build-up from the track. Lubricate all moving parts of the door (hinges, metal rollers and track) with 3-in-1oil. Never use heavy oil or grease. DO NOT LUBRICATE nylon rollers, plastic idler bearings or locks. Use graphite to keep locks in operational condition.

Surface Cleaning

Wash steel and aluminum door surfaces with a mild household detergent and rinse with water. In harsh coastal environments, applying car wax to a painted steel door surface will help maintain its finish.

Remove Rust

Visible rust or flaking paint on a steel door indicates that moisture is taking its toll. Sand the rust, apply a zinc-rich primer, and paint with a quality exterior latex.

Need Service?

Use Clopay’s dealer locator to contact a professional garage door service technician in your area.

A monster snow storm barreling through the Midwest promises to bring with it a hodge-podge of brutal winter weather and possible power outages. While you may not want to go out, you certainly don’t want to be locked in. Here’s how to open your garage door manually.

1. Disconnect the garage door opener when the garage door is in the closed position, not when it’s open.
2. Pull the emergency cord to disconnect the door from the garage door opener. The cord usually has a red handle and will hang down from the center rail of the garage door mechanism.
3. Lift the garage door straight up until the door is fully open. Make sure the door will remain fully open before leaving it unattended.
4. If the springs are properly balanced, the door will open easily with the lift handles and stay in place. If it is difficult to open, have a professional garage door service technician check the door as soon as possible to avoid further damage or safety risks.
5. Close the door manually until it reaches the floor.
6. Lock the door. When the automatic opener is disconnected the door is not securely shut until you manually slide the lock bar.
7. Reconnect the opener when the power comes back on. Make sure the door is unlocked when the opener is reconnected. Electrically opening the garage door with the lock bar in place can cause major damage.

One way to avoid the inconvenience of manually operating your garage door is to invest in an automatic garage door opener that includes a battery backup feature. That way, when the power goes out, the garage door will still function using the opener, as will the entry keypad and the safety sensors, and the garage door will be locked and secured. The LiftMaster® Evercharge® is a popular model. Contact your Clopay dealer for details.