The stunning panorama of a full-view garage door is unmatched by any other type of door. You’re afforded the luxury of a view that you can only receive when you’re seated outdoors within the elements, with all the amenities of remaining comfortable inside of your living space. These doors have become more popular recently, and there are a few important things you need to understand before purchasing one.
The Black aluminum frame of this California full-view double garage door really makes the pale gray stone and the blond wood stand out. This chrome hardware gives this space an almost industrial type of look. Could you picture yourself in your garage with a view like this?
This California all-glass full-view door is perfect for recreating the outdoors when you’re seated inside. If you’ve been planning for an extravagant DIY project, choosing to install a full-view garage door might be the perfect option. However, you need to understand three vital pieces of information first.
1) Full-View Garage Doors Are Crafted from Aluminum
AZO Matering states that there’s good news surrounding this information:
● Aluminum is a much lighter-weight material than any type of steel or wood. What does this mean for your garage project? This means that the torsion springs won’t need as much power because they’re not shouldering such a heavy load. Because of this, aluminum may increase the life of your springs in the long run.
● Aluminum holds its own against corrosion. Most of the time, you’ll find that aluminum creates a coating that protects the metal from any harsh outside elements. Can you guess what environments this would be useful against? If you’re close to the sea and exposed to minerals like salt or any other type of water, choosing a California full-view door or aluminum garage door is probably your best bet.
● Did you know aluminum does a great job of reflecting light and heat? In any other setting, this means that your garage would naturally become a much cooler place. However, because of the large windows involved with a full-view garage door, these two elements likely end up canceling each other out.
However, with any good news always comes some form of bad news. Guess what?
Aluminum acts as a thermal conductor.
What Does This Mean for My Garage?
A thermal conductor attracts the temperatures around it. This means that whatever material acts as the thermal conductor will likely take on any surface temperature the material comes into contact with. Basically, this means that if you live in a cold area, the aluminum has a high chance of taking on the cold air temperatures from the outdoors.
R-value is almost non-existent when it comes to full-view garage doors. You won’t be able to count on high levels of insulation if you make this choice.
This creates a situation where you are choosing your home’s visual appeal as opposed to saving energy and being smart with saving money.
Consider the following:
● For a heated garage with a temperature between 46 and 50℉: R-12 value
● However, R-16 construction likely provides the most benefits.
● Do you realize how much it would cost to heat a full-view garage that was constructed between a living room with a temperature of 72 degrees, with additional influences from the outdoor temperature?
Quebec, Canada can bring some pretty intense winters. That didn’t stop this homeowner from adding a California full-view garage door with a crisp White frame and Clear windows between her cottage’s kitchen and the outdoors. Lots of natural light is allowed in, which could end up boosting the temperatures slightly during the cold months.
The following reasons could influence the need or want of a full-view garage door:
● When you live in an area with higher temperatures than normal
● If you typically don’t experience high energy bills
● When you use alternative heat sources like wood or solar panels .
● Maybe you just really want a full-view garage and will pay any price it takes to have one!
It’s not uncommon for a homeowner to sacrifice elements of energy efficiency and savings to have a full-view garage. After all, this is a small price to pay to have one of the most beautiful garages in your area, right?
2) Full-View Garage Doors Fog Up Under Cold Weather Conditions
Any window in your home fogs up when it gets cold. This is what is known as condensation for the uninitiated.
What creates condensation?
When humid air contacts a cold surface, the subsequent reaction is known as condensation.
Moisture exists in the air that surrounds us at all times. The warmer the air is, the more moisture it ends up holding. Simple indoor activities increase humidity and moisture within your home on a daily basis. Showers, baths, washing dishes, and doing laundry all significantly increase the humidity within your home. Sometimes, we don’t notice this humidity because open windows allow air to circulate and cool the area.
When air cools down, it shrinks, and moisture ends up forming. Once the temperature falls, the first area you notice condensation is on windows and glass surfaces. Believe it or not, the windows in your home are the coldest surfaces inside your home. The bigger the window, the colder and larger the surface. Full-view garage doors end up fogging up just like any large patio door or other huge glass surfaces within your home.
Most people believe that full-view garage doors are only made for modern homes. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth! Look at how beautifully this door blends with this rustic barn look! This is actually a cottage found on Houzz. Don’t be afraid to use these types of elements to draw inspiration!
There are several steps you can take to prevent condensation from building up on large glass surfaces in your home:
● Decrease the temperature of your thermostat from 72℉ to 68℉ > Don’t walk around in your underwear and robe. Learn to dress in layers and keep yourself warm. The weather outside will seem less chilly if you don’t keep the temperature in your house at a jungle level.
● Utilize fans > You need to make sure you have good-quality fans. All of your appliances can generate a decent amount of humidity as well. Your shower will end up doing the same. All of these appliances should be vented with the air running outside of your home. Run a vent fan in your bathroom when you shower or take a bath and use the fan over your range when you’re cooking in the kitchen. This will significantly decrease the humidity in these two locations.
● You can also purchase a dehumidifier and/or air exchanger > What does an air exchanger do? Basically, it blows out internal air and sucks in the external air from outside. This exchange of air will drastically reduce the amount of condensation and moisture on windows and other glass surfaces inside your home.
● Get a wood-burning stove > Do you understand what heating with a wood-burning stove does for your home? It dries the air out inside of your living space. The smell of these stoves is also very appealing, and many homeowners consider it relaxing. There’s nothing like curling up with a nice bottle of wine and enjoying the scent and atmosphere that a wood-burning stove creates.
● Don’t DRY CLOTHES INDOORS > This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use your dryer. We mean you shouldn’t hang dry clothes inside of your home. The wet clothes will lead to higher levels of moisture, increased humidity, and condensation on your windows and glass. However, we commend you for wanting to go green and reduce your use of electricity by avoiding your dryer.
Condensation doesn’t have to be a huge deal if you plan ahead. Large bay windows and patio doors end up having the same problem as a full-view garage door. You didn’t let these issues stop you from getting patio doors, did you? We didn’t think so.
3) There Are A TON of Windows on a Full-View Garage Door
You’re probably saying, well, that’s pretty obvious, genius. However, you have several choices when it comes to the window selection of a full-view garage door. Some of them are based on style, while some are more focused on security and other important elements. Energy efficiency may also play a role in your decision for windows on your full-view door.
This California all-glass garage door belongs to the More layout and consists of a black frame with clear windows. If you’re not concerned about privacy, clear windows without tempered glass can be a great way to let in natural light and additional heat.
Number One > Do You Want to Feel Exposed Or Do You Need Privacy?
When you live in the city, sometimes it’s like your neighbors are right on top of you. This is especially true if you don’t have some type of trees or privacy fencing. Maybe you feel too exposed to clear windows. When the lights are on at night, and the neighbors can see EVERYTHING, this could be a problem.
Don’t expect to get much private time if you have clear windows in a crowded area. If you’re into putting all of your business on display, go right ahead! Some people are into that type of thing, after all.
This is a great room from Houzz! This open-concept living room with white brick comes together nicely to complete this space. The light the windows allow to enter complements the overall theme of this room beautifully.
Choosing Sandblasted windows can be a great option if you prefer your privacy. You’ll still get elements of natural lighting without letting the whole world see what’s going on inside of your garage or home.
However, if you’re not into letting the whole world know your business, you may want to consider adding elements of privacy using different glass options. The following section outlines different choices you have for increasing your privacy levels.
It’s a good thing there are many types of glass when it comes to your full-view garage door. These glass types range from 0/5 to 5/5 for privacy. Clear glass allows more light to transfer to the inside of the space so you can enjoy higher levels of nature while you’re inside. However, tinted, frosted, and translucent glass allow light to enter but give you higher levels of privacy.
Using fences and trees can be a great way to supplement your space with additional privacy. How does the old saying go? Do good fences make good neighbors? This beautiful modern kitchen from Jeannette Architects on Houzz proves it.
When you have a lake or a mountain view, you are an excellent candidate for a full-view garage door. There isn’t one element of stunning visual beauty you’d want to miss about living in this area!
Number Two > Do You Want Better Energy Efficiency? Do You Want to Save Money?
If you said yes, you can select an energy-efficient thermopane window that has Low-E Argon.
When the weather is colder, this form of window will let the sun’s natural rays enter the space. This lets in a high amount of heat and light simultaneously. This also stops the escape of outward heat, increasing your home’s retention of precious energy. When it’s warmer, these windows limit the hot air from entering produced from numerous sources like a tar driveway, hot vehicles, and other elements. However, light is still allowed to enter the space through this glass.
This chart compares the performances of the 2 clear panes with space and 1 clear pane + 1 Low-E pane with argon. Learn more about LOW-E Argon thermopane windows.
Number Three > Are You Concerned About Safety and Resistance?
Do you live in the following areas:
● Vandalism is high throughout your area
● Glass is broken by kids playing soccer or other types of horseplay
● Baseballs commonly knock out windows in your house and the surrounding homes
If you answered yes to any of these, your full-view garage door scenario could turn into a real nightmare. We’re certain you didn’t have dreams of becoming the neighbor that always yells at innocent kids having a good time.
Oh well, maybe you should just scrap your dreams of having a full-view garage.
Just kidding, we’ve got you covered.
All You Need is Tempered Glass, and Your Problems Are Solved!
What the Heck is Tempered Glass??
When extreme heating and cooling increase the strength of a standard piece of glass, the resulting piece of glass is known as tempered glass. However, if it does break, it shatters into smaller, more dull pieces that aren’t as dangerous. This is very similar to how car windows break. You should know that a thermopane window can have ONLY HAVE TEMPERED GLASS ON ONE SIDE. For an all-glass garage door like the California, you should request thermopane glass that is tempered on both sides.
Maybe having a full-view garage door in your kitchen or your living room is finally not for you. But California full-view garage doors are also perfect for your garage! Think of your garage door as another accessory.
Want to Replace Your Garage Door With a Project that Adds Extreme Value to Your Property?
We all know that starting DIY projects means you want to make everything top-notch. Once you begin replacing certain things, you end up wanting to remodel and renovate everything. The floor, the siding, the roof, and next thing you know, you have an entirely different house.
MAKE SURE YOU CHANGE THE GARAGE DOOR. Otherwise, you’ll have all these upgrades with a boring 9’ x 7’ blank canvas.
You Should Contact Us At 978-741-1600.
Are you ready for that new garage door opener or a new overhead door?
At DSI North Door Systems, we can’t wait to assist you. When you’re preparing that special DIY project, we have years of expertise that allow us to guide you toward the right decision for any home improvement project. Over the years, we’ve helped countless amounts of homeowners achieve the garage of their dreams. Hopefully, we can count on you to be next!
Already know what garage door you want? Great!
We can provide you with a quotation by email.
Need more inspiration via online shopping?
Check out our residential photo gallery. These are real photos of some of our handywork. Or you can grab your smartphone and check out our Design Centre. This allows you to build your garage door around a real picture of your home, giving you a firsthand look at what the finished product looks like. Using it is easy. You upload a picture of your home, and the program allows you to toggle between different garage doors and how they’d actually look! Pretty cool, huh?
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