Now that we are into the New Year, many people use this time of year to plan ahead which types of projects they want to do in the coming twelve months.

Home improvement projects are a great way to improve the value and comfort of your home, and planning ahead is the best approach for any kind of project.

The garage door on your home is a large part of your home’s curb appeal and can make a beautiful home look run down and unkempt if it is dirty, peeling, or damaged.

There are many reasons to upgrade a garage door going into the New Year:

• Old age. If your garage door is old and was installed several years ago, it is way behind the times as far as technology and function. This puts the safety of your home and family at risk if you don’t keep the pedestrian door into your home locked at all times. Also, if you have any items in your garage, they are at risk of being damaged or stolen if your garage door is very old. Not to mention how unattractive an older garage door looks. It will make your home look run down and old as well.
• There are a variety of ways that a garage door can become damaged. A slippery driveway might cause a car to careen out of control and dent the garage door, a fallen tree branch could puncture the door, or even a game of driveway basketball that gets out of hand. If your garage door has been damaged beyond repair, you might consider simply replacing the entire garage door to avoid the eye sore.
• Utility bills. If you notice that your power bill is creeping up into a range that is unusual and uncomfortable to your monthly budget, consider replacing your garage door to improve the insulation of your home. This is especially important if your garage is not finished and insulated. A significant amount of cold air can come inside of your home from the garage, and if your garage door does not seal tightly then this is an even greater risk.

As you are planning your home improvement projects for 2016, consider upgrading your garage door. This is especially true if any of the above situations are true for you. Before the winter weather comes back around and your heating bill spikes, consider upgrading your garage door with one that betters seals off the cold and keeps it out of your home.