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What You Need to Know About Replacing Your Garage Door

By U.S. News & World Report

Your garage door may be one of your home’s most prominent, visible elements, depending upon the garage’s size and orientation. Because of this, the garage door has an opportunity to boost your home’s style and beauty or, if it’s in shoddy shape, significantly detract from the house’s appearance.

If your home’s garage door has seen better days, consider replacing it. Few home improvements can increase a home’s curb appeal as quickly and affordably as a new garage door.

Garage Door Materials

Garage doors have come a long way in recent years. Taking advantage of modern technologies, today’s doors are built of materials that look great and withstand the elements for many years with little maintenance.

Garage doors are manufactured from steel, fiberglass composites, wood and aluminum. A door’s main material and construction determine its durability and the maintenance needed to keep it in good shape.

[See: 9 Easy Ways to Boost Your Home’s Curb Appeal.]

Steel garage doors. Major home improvement centers sell steel garage doors more than other types. Steel is strong, secure, easy to maintain and relatively affordable. And a steel garage door can look great — some steel doors have exterior surfaces embossed with wood-grain patterns and finishes that mimic the look of wood surprisingly well.

Unlike wood, steel doesn’t crack, warp or degrade from weather exposure. High-tech, baked-on finishes protect steel surfaces from rust and eliminate the need for painting.

Single-layer steel doors, the least expensive type, are stamped from a sheet of galvanized steel. Moderately priced double-layer steel doors have a layer of polyurethane or polystyrene foam for thermal insulation, rigidity and soundproofing (polyurethane has a higher insulating value than polystyrene).

Premium triple-layer “double-skin” steel doors sandwich the foam insulation between steel layers. With these, an interior sheet of galvanized steel strengthens the door, protects the insulation and dresses up the door’s interior face.

The best steel doors are made of 24-gauge steel. Lower quality garage doors utilize thinner 28-gauge steel. Steel door warranties typically protect against rust — in some cases for 20 years or more — but not against fading.

Most steel doors are the sectional, roll-up variety. Sections may have flush, recessed, raised or ribbed panels and may or may not contain windows.

Wood garage doors. Wood doors can be exceptionally handsome. They have the warm, natural look that most other garage doors try to imitate. But wood is vulnerable to weathering, a considerable problem. Because of this, wood doors need to be repainted or stained every few years. Most manufactured wood doors have only one-year warranties.

Most wood doors are sectional roll-up doors, though a swing-up wood door that’s meant to be painted can be affordably built in the driveway from a wood framework and plywood. Custom wood doors are typically made of durable softwoods such as Douglas fir, cedar, redwood or cypress, or from hardwoods such as oak or mahogany. Appearance-grade hardwoods are relatively expensive.

Cladwood composites, with resin-impregnated layers, last longer than real wood. In fact, some types are protected by 20-year warranties.

Fiberglass and aluminum doors. Though these materials have the benefit of being lightweight, they’re best reserved for special conditions because fiberglass is easily broken and aluminum is vulnerable to bending and dents. Fiberglass can be the right choice in a salt-air climate because it doesn’t corrode.

[See: Current Design Trends That Will Date Your Home.]

Garage Door Styles

If you browse online through major manufacturers’ websites, you’ll discover a staggering variety of garage doors and options — from sleek, flush-panel contemporary doors to matched pairs of classic carriage-house doors complete with crossbucks, or X-shaped detailing.

All types of garage doors may include windows that are arched or rectangular, frosted or clear and located at eye level or high enough to allow light without views.

The key is to do your homework and find the style that will complement your home.

Most garage doors are made by major garage door manufacturers, including Amarr Garage Doors, C.H.I. Overhead Doors, Clopay Building Products, Overhead Door Corporation, Raynor Garage Doors and Wayne Dalton. These doors are sold through home improvement centers or by local garage door dealers.

If you visit a dealer or a home improvement center, be sure to take along your existing garage door’s height, width and thickness measurements. Most dealers happily offer free estimates.

Garage Door Costs

Prices, like the garage doors themselves, run the gamut. You can pay as little as $400 for a door that you install yourself, or several thousand dollars for a high-end premium door that includes all the bells and whistles, including installation. A mid-range, 16-by-7-foot door will typically cost from $750 to $1,500, installed. Premium insulated steel doors run from $750 to $3,500. According to Remodeling Magazine’s 2017 Cost vs. Value report, the average national cost of a garage door replacement is $3,304.

The best way to get an accurate fix on cost is to ask for bids from several dealers. Be sure their prices include hauling away your old garage door and hardware. If you’re considering an automatic door opener, plan to order it at the same time.

[See: 12 Home Improvement Shortcuts That Are a Bad Idea.]

Return on Investment

Without a doubt, a new garage door can add to your home’s beauty, value and functionality. It can improve security, reduce energy costs, minimize maintenance, quicken the sale of your property and make the neighbors happy. But will it return your investment when you sell your home? This may depend on how much you spend and where you live.

Current data from real estate firms throughout the country show that replacing the garage door raises the value of a home by an average of $2,810, according to Remodeling Magazine’s report. Based on the average cost of $3,304, this means that replacing a garage door is expected to return 85 percent of the job’s cost, nationally. When replacing a garage door in the Western U.S., however, the return is predicted to be 110.8 percent of your investment.

If return on investment is a priority and you don’t live in the West, your best strategy may be to buy a low- to moderately-priced door that significantly improves the look of your home. Consider adding an automatic garage door opener at the same time. The beauty of a new door and the convenience of an automatic opener are sure to be a winning combination.

Don Vandervort offers more information on buying garage doors at HomeTips.com.

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What You Need to Know About Replacing Your Garage Door originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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