Garage Door Accent Images and Decals

The idea of customizing a garage door may seem strange, but it’s becoming increasingly popular. Homeowners are looking for ways to personalize their homes and make them stand out from the rest of their neighbors. Whether you want to showcase your favorite sports team logo in your garage man-cave or add a pop of color to the exterior of your garage, an accent image is a perfect way to customize your garage door – read on for ideas and inspiration!

Interior Decals

One fun way to customize your garage door is to add an accent image to the interior. Popular options include a sports team logo, favorite photo, or any other idea you want to display in your garage prominently. Placing the decal on the interior of your garage is an excellent option for homeowners whose exterior aesthetics are governed by HOAs or other restrictions.

Pro Tip: Check your city ordinances and HOA bylaws before altering the exterior of your home with a decal or accent image!

Exterior Decals

If you want to add a little personality and style to the exterior of your garage door, consider getting some exterior garage door decals. Many different designs are available, from funny phrases like “Dad’s Garage” or “The Man Cave,” to more sophisticated decals with graphics or numbers. Exterior garage door decals can be a great way to show off your personal style while also adding a bit of protection and insulation to your garage door.

Practical Benefits

Aside from showcasing your unique style and personality, there are some practical benefits to utilizing garage door decals. Garage door decals or stickers can be an inexpensive way to make a cosmetic change or improvement. Some garage decals may provide insulative benefits. Decals made with high-quality vinyl or insulating materials can improve your garage’s energy efficiency. Also, garage doors make up a portion of your home’s exterior surface, so adding decorative or insulating garage door decals can help protect your garage from the elements. And many garage door decal designs feature bright colors or graphic patterns that can reflect heat away from the garage and keep your garage at a more comfortable temperature.

DIY vs. Professional Installation

One option is to simply have a custom graphic printed and then apply it directly to the garage door. This is a relatively straightforward process but can be pretty expensive depending on the size and complexity of your design. Another option for adding an accent image to your garage door is to use vinyl decals or stencils. These are typically much more affordable than having a custom graphic printed, and they are also still a great way to make your garage door stand out. Professional installation is a fool-proof way to get a high-quality result and is recommended for any exterior-facing accent image work. The application is quick and professional work often comes with a warranty, giving your peace of mind that your investment is protected.

Final Thoughts

Whether you have a custom graphic printed, use vinyl decals or stencils for a DIY project, or call in the professionals, adding an accent image to your garage door is a fun and unique way to add some personality and style to this often-overlooked part of your home. Garage decals are a great way to update the look of your garage, and some decals even offer practical benefits. So if you’re looking to update your garage doors but don’t know where to start, the experts at Champion Overhead door are here to help – contact us today!

Should You Heat Your Garage this Winter?

Not sure about you, but the team here at Champion Overhead Door feels like winter made up for its late arrival in New England by finally landing with an extra punch of frigid temperatures. The current cold snap has many homeowners asking the same question, “Should I be heating my garage this winter?”. In the article below, the experts at Champion will explore this question in more detail.

Benefits of Heating Your Garage

Heating your garage and ensuring proper insulation offers numerous benefits during the winter. Not only does it prevent damage to your vehicle and stored items from freezing temperatures, but proper garage door insulation ensures that the warmth stays in, and the cold stays out. This can increase the value of your home and make the garage more comfortable and usable during the frigid winter months.

Pro Tip: If you opt to extend existing ductwork to an attached garage, don’t forget your air filters! Properly installed filters will prevent garage fumes from enetering your home via the ductwork.

Heating Methods

Various methods are available to heat your garage. Extending your home’s current HVAC ductwork to include the garage space is possible for attached garages. A mini-split unit, efficient for both attached and detached garages, provides heat without requiring ductwork. However, electric or kerosene heaters, while excellent at temporarily heating a space, are not recommended as a permanent solution due to fire hazards (please – do not leave propane or kerosene heaters unattended!).

Things to Consider

Still deciding if heating your garage is the right move for your space? Consider how you plan to use your garage – do you use it primarily to park your vehicle or do you spend more time there, using the space as a workshop, home gym or man cave? Heat certainly makes a garage more comfortable and functional and may be a worthwhile investment if it greatly enhances the usability of your home. But it can be expensive, with initial HVAC installation costing thousands of dollars. Coupled with the ever-rising cost of electricity and natural gas, your heating bill this winter will likely be higher than in years past, so it’s important to consider your budget before heating additional space.

Winterize Without Heat

If a heated garage isn’t feasible this year, don’t worry! There are still things you can do to prepare your garage for winter and protect any items you store in the space. Simply insulating an attached garage can retain a significant amount of heat from the shared walls of your home. Removing temperature-sensitive small items and appliances from your garage can also protect your things during the coldest months. Ensuring your garage floor is properly sealed keeps moisture and ice out in the cold. And having your garage door inspected and repaired in the event of any gaps, leaks or issues is another important step and should be included in your annual home maintenance routine.

Garage Door Insulation

Insulating your garage door is a critical step in preparing for winter. Different insulation materials, such as fiberglass, foam board, or reflective barriers, offer various levels of effectiveness. Champion Overhead Door can assist in selecting and installing the right insulation for your garage door, making your heating efforts more efficient. Ensuring your garage door is well-insulated in New England’s climate can make a significant difference in maintaining a comfortable temperature.

Conclusion

Whether you’re considering heating your garage or seeking effective insulation solutions, Champion Overhead Door is your expert partner in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. Our professional team is ready to assist with all your garage needs as you prepare for the winter months. Contact Champion Overhead Door for expert advice and professional services. We offer tailored solutions for residential and commercial customers in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.

Should You Repair Your Garage Door Yourself?

It’s always tempting to try and fix things around the house before calling in a professional, especially if you tend to be a handy person! There is a lot of money to be saved by putting in some sweat equity of your own instead of hiring someone. But should you attempt to do your own repairs when it comes to your garage door?

There are some fairly simple repairs that it’s probably ok to try yourself, such as lubricating the tracks, tightening bolts and screws, or replacing the weatherstripping. However, many repairs that are needed on garage doors are either not safe to do on your own or quite complicated. To avoid injury or making the problem worse and more expensive in the long run, here is a list of potential hazards that can be avoided by hiring a professional garage door technician:

Extension springs (torsion springs) unloading

These are the heavy-duty springs that help raise and lower electric garage doors. They are under very high tension and can cause extreme damage if they were to accidentally unload with a large amount of force. This can happen when the springs become corroded, or loose, or if there is a glitch during an attempted repair and could cause severe injuries.

Falling garage doors

Garage doors typically weigh between 200 and 500 pounds. This amount of weight freefalling could crush a person, pet, or car. Additionally, a broken garage door could crash down at any time, cracking your cement floor and creating costly damage. Garage door technicians have the proper tools to keep a garage door stable while they are working on the repair.

Incorrect diagnosis or using the wrong parts

Garage door manufacturers create specific parts for their doors. Sometimes these parts aren’t easily available to the public, causing some to improvise or purchase generic parts. Doors are made of many complex parts that can be complicated to install. Using incorrect pieces will lead to more damage, more costs, and increased danger.

Detached garage doors

Overuse or inclement weather can cause your garage door to detach from the tracks, rendering it useless. It may look like an easy fix of just lifting the door back into the correct position, but don’t be tempted! Garage doors are extremely heavy and you could find yourself in a dangerous situation – also performing this fix yourself will likely only be temporary and the door will detach again without professional expertise.

Voided warranty

Like all expensive, mechanical home items, your garage door will likely have some kind of warranty. If you try a DIY repair to your door, the warranty will automatically be void because they don’t cover “modifications” by the homeowner. An attempt at fixing your garage door falls under this category and you will no longer be able to claim the warranty.

There are plenty of things that you CAN do to keep your garage in good shape so that your calls to a repair technician will be few and far between. It’s always important to wash the door and keep it free from dirt and debris. Painting garage doors every few years is also highly recommended to preserve the material. But for anything beyond simple lubrication, tightening hardware, or cosmetic maintenance, please practice safety and call a professional garage door technician!

Spring Cleaning Your Garage Door

Everyone does some form of spring cleaning at their home, but has it occurred to you that the doors of your garage could also use some sprucing up each year? Garage door maintenance is important because it keeps the doors in working order and prevents major safety and repair issues. And let’s not forget about the curb appeal of a clean and attractive garage door!

Inspection

The first and most important part of garage door maintenance is inspecting all the separate and moving parts of the door. You should be looking for any damage, but also for signs of wear and tear that you can remedy before they become a bigger problem.

Checklist for inspection:

1. Door – look for any damage and listen for unusual sounds when opening. Check weatherstripping

2. Hardware – closely inspect the hinges, rollers, cables, and tracks to see if lubrication is needed or parts have to be replaced

3. Belt or chain – this is the heart and soul of your electric garage door. Tighten the chain, if there seems to be some slack, and lubricate using lithium grease (or a similar product)

Maintenance Servicing

After your careful inspection, it’s time to do the general yearly maintenance as part of your garage door upkeep.

1. Replace the batteries and bulbs in the main door unit. Replace batteries in all garage door remotes.

2. Add lubrication to any moving part that wasn’t greased during inspection

3. Check all safety features of the garage door. This includes all sensors and the auto reverse feature, if your door has it. It’s also important to check the balance of the door to prevent unnecessary accidents

Clean and Wash

It may seem obvious, but many people don’t wash their garage doors regularly. Grime and dirt can build up and even mildew will appear if you have bushes, grass, and sprinklers nearby. Even if you use a power washer on your house, it’s best to wash the garage door by hand because it is much thinner than the walls of a house and can easily be damaged. Soap and a soft scrubbing brush will work fine on any wooden door, then rinse gently with a hose. If your garage door is made of steel or fiberglass, use whatever cleaner is recommended.

Repaint or refinish

This certainly won’t be needed every year, but during spring cleaning you should inspect the door closely, looking for stains or small signs of damage. Small holes can be fixed with wood filler, then painted. Stains should be scrubbed, and a stain remover used if necessary.

Inspection

Cleaning and maintaining your garage door can be done any time of the year but including this task in your spring cleaning list is great because you can effectively get rid of the dirt and salt damage that has accumulated over the winter (especially in colder climates). Performing these simple techniques yearly will lengthen the life of your garage door and boost the curb appeal of your home. Happy spring cleaning!!!