The United States Census Bureau found out in 2015 that more than 118,000 housing units across America have a garage. The garage first appeared in homes only less than a century ago, and since then it has become a staple part of the typical American home.
Every garage ever built has to have a door to protect any vehicles and other items stored inside it from the elements as well as from burglars. But did you know that aside from that, a garage door can significantly impact the market value of your home? Here’s how:
- 1. A garage door that’s free from blemishes and dents despite years of constant use can increase the market value of your home.
Your garage door’s exterior is one of the most exposed parts of your home. Changing weather conditions, some kid who accidentally threw a basketball at it and dented it, vandals spraying graffiti all over it – these are some of the things that can drastically affect the appearance of your garage door and subsequently the entire market value of your home.
The minute you see that something terrible has happened to the exterior portion of your garage door, you should check if any damage can be undone, such as hammering it back into its former flatness if dented or a paint job if worn out or vandalized. But if your garage door is already beyond repair, you shouldn’t hesitate to replace it immediately.
- 2. A noisy garage door can decrease the market value of your home.
The door of your garage isn’t immune from wear and tear. Thus, there will come a time when any of its moving parts would suddenly start squeaking and screeching as if a group of monkeys had suddenly turned up in your garage.
If you don’t get rid of the noise that your garage door generates, your neighbors might file a noise complaint against you. In the event that you decide to sell your home, they may also tell the potential buyers to find another house instead that doesn’t have a garage door as noisy as yours. You should, therefore, do periodic lubrication of every moving part of your garage door by either spraying silicone or applying white lithium grease until you can open and close it without any unwanted noises.
- 3. A garage door that doesn’t match with the appearance of your home can decrease your entire house’s market value.
Say that your house is of the rustic type and you plan to sell it as your work requires you to move somewhere else, but the door to its garage is either aluminum or steel. A potential buyer who takes a look at your house’s exterior can see that your garage door doesn’t fit with how the rest of your home looks; they may reconsider or look for another house with a less disjointed appearance.
So, when installing a garage door, make sure that it matches the appearance of your home. Rustic-type houses should ideally have a wooden or wood composite garage door, while suburban homes should have either an aluminum or steel one.
- 4. A garage door that isn’t secure enough can decrease the market value of your home.
Your garage door naturally seals itself shut whenever you close it. But if it doesn’t have a security system in place, a burglar can easily break into your garage and steal your car as well as any other valuables you’ve stored there. All they’ll need is a crowbar and a bit of elbow grease to pry your garage door open. They can then easily force themselves inside your home, especially if your garage is of the attached type.
If you decide to sell your house to someone and they find out that it has already been broken into by a burglar, they might back out from buying it or you may be forced to drop your asking price just to close the deal.
To prevent your house’s market value from sliding downwards, you should have a rolling code security system installed in your garage door. Without going into the technicalities of how it works, a rolling code security system transmits a heavily encrypted signal that’s unique to your garage door and changes to a different one after each unlocking and locking operation. That way, even the most determined burglar would have a tough time forcing their way into your garage.
Conclusion
The door of your home’s garage provides an enclosed space where you can safely store your vehicles and other belongings. However, your garage door is also one of the most exposed parts of your home, and it can greatly impact its value as discussed above. That’s why if you need to replace it or have some other form of maintenance done to it, you should hire a garage door repair service. But before letting them into your garage, you should check all the reviews posted about them by their previous clients on Yelp so that you can decide better whether to hire them or not.
