2016 Remodeling Trends

Home renovations are a popular way to turn your current home into your dream home without having to move. Whether your goal is to improve energy efficiency, make your home feel more luxurious, or increase home value before you sell, pursue one or more of these home remodeling trends in 2016.

Window Replacement

Window Replacement

As more and more homeowners become concerned about energy efficiency, the idea of replacing old windows with efficient models has soared in popularity. The return on investment is about 75% of the total cost if you seek window replacement prior to selling your home. If the goal is to reduce your heating and cooling bills, your savings will vary depending on the quality you choose.

In the end, higher-quality replacement windows deliver the greatest long-term savings. In addition to helping you save money, installing new windows can also help:

  • Improve your home’s curb appeal
  • Increase interior comfort all year round
  • Reduce maintenance and prevent headaches

Entry Door Replacement

The high value of replacing your front door is surprising to many people. Many homeowners recoup more than 100% of their investment, which is incredibly rare among home improvement projects. Even if your goal isn’t to recoup your investment in a sale, a new front door can do wonders for improving your home’s curb appeal and making a good impression on guests who visit.

Kitchen and Bath Remodel

There are two rooms that really sell a house: the kitchen and the master bathroom. As the most high-traffic rooms in the homes, and the ones with built-in appliances that make or break your experience there, it’s clearly worth remodeling an outdated kitchen or bathroom if you want to increase your home’s value. A remodel – even a minor one – could also be enough to make you fall back in love with your home and decide not to sell after all.

Garage Door Replacement

As with entry door replacement, installing a new garage door is bound to provide a great return on investment and make a big difference in your home’s curb appeal. Choosing an insulated garage door also creates the opportunity to use your garage as more than just a place to park your car. By expanding the living space into the garage, you can add more square footage to your home and broaden the possibilities of using this room to the fullest.

These remodeling trends could make a big difference for your home in 2016! If you’re interested in pursuing an entry door, garage door or window replacement, contact Overhead Door Co. of Indianapolis & Muncie today.

Front Doors with Sidelights: Ideas for Your Home

Do you need to replace your front entry door? Looking for ideas to make your entryway a bit more unique? A door with sidelights can make any home more beautiful, regardless of its style.

If you’ve ever seen a front door with side windows, you know how attractive they can be when done right. These side windows are referred to as sidelights, or sidelites. Often, doors with sidelights also have a transom window. If you’re looking for ideas for your home, we have plenty of photos for you to look at from leading manufacturers!

Do You Want to Install a Front Door with Sidelights?

Browse the photos of ProVia and Home Guard steel and fiberglass front doors below for inspiration:

White Front Door with Sidelights
Steel Front Door with Sidelites

Front Door with Side Windows

Front Doors with Sidelights

Door with Sidelights
Front Door with Sidelight

Visit the ProVia website and Home Guard website to learn more about their high-quality products and see more pictures. Overhead Door Co. of Indianapolis & Muncie also installs front entry doors from Masonite.

Front Door Replacement in the Indianapolis Area

If you’re ready to replace your old front door with a beautiful new door from ProVia, Home Guard or Masonite, we can help. Contact Overhead Door Co. of Indianapolis & Muncie today to learn more about our services or to start discussing your project!

Are Sliding Patio Doors Energy-Efficient?

Is your patio door damaged beyond repair? Have you always wished you had a sliding glass patio door? This style of door is aesthetically pleasing and adds to your home’s beauty both inside and out. Then, the large sections of glass give you expansive views to the exterior, allowing you to soak up more of the view from inside.

Speaking of all that glass, you may be wondering: are sliding patio doors energy efficient? It’s true that you can’t stop every bit of air leakage in a sliding glass door and still if you want it to remain operable. However, even fully glass sliding patio doors have a lower glass-to-frame ratio than windows or skylights. This means you can expect a sliding patio door to be more efficient than a window or skylight right off the bat.

Then, you can make sure to find quality sliding patio doors with advanced features to improve energy efficiency. Here’s what you should look for:

  • Fusion welding: This adds superior strength and creates a watertight seal. With this feature, your patio door will not easily leak air or water.
  • Heavy-duty weatherstripping: Over time, weatherstripping can wear down. A heavy-duty option ensures the tight seal lasts for many years to come.
  • Insulated glass: A window with multiple panes of glass is thicker, but this isn’t what makes it more efficient. Rather, it’s the pocket of air trapped between the panes that greatly slows heat transfer through the glass. Look for double- or triple-paned insulated windows for improved efficiency from your sliding patio door.
  • Low-conductivity gases: To improve the thermal performance of the air pocket trapped between window panes, some manufacturers fill this space with argon or krypton, which have a higher resistance to heat flow than regular air.
  • Low-e coatings: Low-emissivity coatings can reduce energy loss by as much as 30 to 50 percent by slowing heat transfer through insulated windows. In this way, the microscopically thin coating helps improve efficiency without detracting from the view.
  • Thermal breaks: Metal sliding patio doors typically come with a thermal break, which is a plastic insulator located between the inner and outer parts of the frame. This can reduce conductive heat loss through the metal to improve energy efficiency.

Top-Quality Patio Doors for Your Indianapolis Home

So, are sliding patio doors energy efficient? Now you know. If you’re ready to make this aesthetically pleasing upgrade for your home in central Indiana, contact Overhead Door Co. of Indianapolis & Muncie today.

What Type of Patio Door Is Best?

Now that it’s summer and you’re spending more time outside, you are probably using your patio door a lot more. Is yours in good shape?

Patio Door

Your patio door should not only look good but also function well. Do you need a new door? Having difficulty determining which style and material is right for you? A door replacement company will be able to help. But we’ve put together a short guide for your convenience!

What Type of Patio Door Should I Buy?

It’s a question many homeowners ask—with good reason. Sliding vs. hinged. French doors and other styles. Different materials. You have a lot of options. The two main factors to consider are material and type.

Materials

Steel, vinyl, aluminum and wood are all commonly used building materials. Here at Overhead Door Co. of Indianapolis & Muncie, we recommend vinyl. Vinyl doors are:

  • Energy-efficient
  • Durable
  • Low-maintenance
  • Complementary to any style

Types

The two main types of patio doors are sliding and hinged/swinging.

Hinged, or swinging, patio doors—usually in the French door style— take up more space and aren’t ideal for smaller rooms or tighter floor plans. They are similar to traditional exterior doors.

Sliding patio doors—also called gliding or bypass patio doors—slide open and closed along a track. They work well in any sized room since they don’t take up any interior space, tend to be extremely energy-efficient and offer expansive views.

Sliding doors tend to work better in smaller spaces, but it really comes down to personal preference.

Patio Door Installation in the Indianapolis Area

If you want to replace your old patio door with a new sliding patio one, look to the team at Overhead Door Co. of Indianapolis & Muncie. We install high-quality sliding patio doors from Great Lakes Window. These doors:

  • Are available in 5-, 6- and 8-foot, two-panel width and 9- and 12-foot, three-panel width configurations
  • Are energy-efficient (they have fusion welding, heavy-duty weather stripping and insulated glass)
  • Aren’t as vulnerable to frost and condensation buildup
  • Provide expansive views
  • Have a smooth gliding panel for easy entry and exit
  • Maximize security
  • Are available with optional key lock finishes—brass, oil rubbed brass and satin chrome

Ready to replace your old patio door? Overhead Door Co. of Indianapolis & Muncie’s doors are as beautiful as they are durable and energy-efficient. Contact us to learn more about our services or if you’re ready to schedule a consultation for your door replacement project!

The Benefits of Storm Doors

Storm doors are installed on the exterior of front entry doors. While entry doors swing inward, storm doors swing out. They are thin, lightweight and usually made with glass panels. If you’ve been asking yourself, “Do I need a storm door?” and thinking about installing one or replacing your existing one, consider these five benefits:

  • Improved energy efficiency: As long as the storm door is hung tightly, it creates a seal between the main door and the exterior of your home. The air trapped between the doors acts as additional insulation and can help reduce heating and cooling costs.
  • Better home comfort: Many storm doors have a sliding glass panel and built-in screen. This means you can leave the entry door wide open during the summer to enjoy some natural light and a cooling breeze without letting any insects inside.
  • Greater safety and security: At night, you can lock both the storm door and the front entry door for an added layer of security. After all, even though the storm door is made of glass, the strong frame and non-removable pin hinges thwart attempts to get around it. Intruders are deterred by an additional locked door.
  • Enhanced aesthetics: Storm doors come in a variety of colors, though a white frame is the most common. The glass panel or panels may have etched details that can add to the beauty of the installation. Plus, with glass panels protecting your front door from wind and rain, the paint remains in pristine condition for much longer.
  • Increased home value: Because homebuyers recognize these storm door benefits, installing one on your front door increases the value of your home. The cost to install one is quickly recouped when you add it to the asking price of your home, meaning storm doors provide a great return on investment. This is especially beneficial if you’re moving in the near future.

Storm Door Installation in the Indianapolis Area

Overhead Door Co. of Indianapolis & Muncie offers storm doors from two reliable brands: ProVia and Home Guard. Both offer durable, secure storm doors in a variety of colors with several high-performance features to ensure your satisfaction. Storm doors are beautiful, functional, long-lasting and a valuable addition to any home.

With these storm door benefits in mind, contact us to perform the installation for you. Our insured and highly-trained installers have completed countless successful storm door installs. We’re sure you’ll be pleased with yours!

Value of Front Door Replacement

The new year has just started—so you have no excuses to slack on your home improvement to-dos! Have you been meaning to replace your old front door but keep finding ways to put it off? Now is the time to install a new one.

But perhaps you’re on the fence about it, wondering if it’s worth it. Front entry door replacement can be extremely valuable. Keep reading to learn more!

According to Remodeling magazine’s 2014 Cost vs. Value Report, in the region including Indianapolis, a steel front door replacement job that costs $1,167 has a resale value of $963. That’s 83% of the cost recouped! A fiberglass front door replacement job that costs $2,828 has a resale value of $1,888. That’s 67% of the cost recouped.

Other Benefits of Front Door Replacement

A beautiful new front door can help:

  • Enhance the exterior of your home and improve curb appeal and resale value (beneficial for those moving)
  • Increase your home’s energy efficiency (doors manufactured today are more energy-efficient than doors made even a decade ago)
  • Increase the safety and security of your home

A new front door can be necessary in certain situations, such as if your current door:

  • Is difficult to close all the way
  • Has an unreliable lock
  • Allows water to leak in the bottom (when it rains, does the flooring near the door get wet?)
  • Has a buildup of rust or mold

All of these indicate problems that require repair at the very least—possibly full replacement. It’s best to talk to professionals, but as a general rule of thumb, if something doesn’t look or sound normal, it probably isn’t.

Front Door Installers Serving Indianapolis

If you need front door installers in central Indiana, make Overhead Door Co. of Indianapolis & Muncie your first call. We offer a high-quality steel and fiberglass front doors from leading manufacturers in the industry. Contact us today to learn more!

Why Your Doors Are Hard to Operate

Are you having trouble opening or closing one of your doors? Patio doors in particular can be difficult to operate. No matter which door you’re having issues with, don’t just dismiss it as something you have to deal with. Improperly working doors are more than just an inconvenience—they can indicate a problem that needs to be fixed in a timely manner.

While it’s best to talk to a professional and have them determine the source of the problem, it can help to get an idea beforehand. Contact us to schedule door replacement, or keep reading to learn more!

If your door is hard to open and close, there could be a few different reasons why.

Broken Parts

Faulty door operation could indicate broken hardware, but sometimes a full replacement may be necessary. If the door doesn’t work the way it should, it’s possible that hardware is broken or the frame (or another part) is deteriorating. For sliding patio doors, the rollers are often the source of the problem.

Sagging Frame

Do you see scrape marks on the top of the frame or unequal gaps when the sliding door is closed? It’s possible that the frame rough opening has moved due to settling. Sagging frames need to be fixed right away, as they can wear the rollers out quickly.

Rust or Debris Buildup

It’s natural for dirt, dust and other debris to build up on your doors, on the frame or along the track of a sliding door. But over time, this can make the doors more difficult to open and close. Excessive rust is especially important to take care of—it can compromise the integrity of the door and potentially cause damage.

Most of the issues above apply to patio doors but if any of your doors are experiencing problems, be sure to take care of it right away. This is especially important if the lock isn’t working properly or there is another issue that comprises the security of your home.

Do You Need a New Door for Your Indianapolis Area Home?

If you need to replace your central Indiana home’s patio, front or storm door, look to the experienced team at Overhead Door Co. of Indianapolis & Muncie. We offer high-quality:

  • Vinyl sliding patio doors
  • Steel and fiberglass front doors
  • Steel and aluminum storm (security) doors

Contact our professionals to learn more about our services and how we can help you improve the energy efficiency, comfort and aesthetic of your home with a new door!

Choosing a Front Door

What shape is your front door in? Does it look dull and faded? Is the paint peeling? Do you need a new front door? Choosing a new door can seem overwhelming—but when you narrow it down and choose the right company to help, it’s not difficult!

Because your entry door is a major part of your home’s façade, there are several factors you should consider before making a final decision.

How to Choose a Front Door: Factors to Consider

You’ll need to talk to a door installation company, but in general, when you’re in the market for a new front door, the factors to keep in mind include:

Material

Wood is the traditional door material. In fact, many years ago, it was just about the only option available. Today, there are a variety of materials to choose from besides wood—steel and fiberglass are two popular ones. Fiberglass doors may be a bit more costly than steel doors, but their energy efficiency and durability is almost unparalleled.

Location

Where is your front door located? If it’s south-facing, it will absorb more heat, so it may be a good idea to choose a lighter color finish. This can help keep your door’s surface from getting uncomfortably hot and also help you save on your energy bills. Of course, a storm door (to protect the front door) can also help with any energy issues.

Size

The size of your front door can be limiting. You can’t get double doors if your space doesn’t allow for it. This can be changed, but keep in mind that it will most likely cost more and take more time for the installation to be completed.

Extras

Do you want any extra or special features for your front door? For example, sidelites may be useful if your front hall/foyer is dim and doesn’t get a lot of natural light. Other options are available (depending on the manufacturer), such as:

  • Custom glass
  • Rounded or arched tops
  • Custom knobs or handles

Front Doors from Overhead Door Co. of Indianapolis & Muncie

Overhead Door Co. of Indianapolis & Muncie offers a variety of front doors to meet every need and aesthetic taste. We can install both steel and fiberglass front entry doors from ProVia, Masonite and Home Guard.

If you need a new front door for your home in the central Indiana area, contact us today to learn more!

Do You Need Front Door Replacement?

Your front door not only is the first thing guests see when they visit your home, but it also plays a significant role in the security of your home. Whether for aesthetic reasons or something else, timely door replacement is important.

Do you need a new front door for your home in central Indiana? Contact Overhead Door Co. of Indianapolis & Muncie today or keep reading to learn more about signs you need to replace your door!

Door Problems

Talking to a professional is the best way to determine if you need a new front door, but there are some signs you can look out for on your own. You may need front door replacement if your door:

  • Is hard to open or close
  • Doesn’t operate the way it should (sticks, doesn’t latch properly, etc.)
  • Doesn’t lock the right way
  • Has moisture around the frame and/or by the bottom of the door
  • Is cracking, warping, rotting or rusting
  • Has a lot of dents and dings

You may also need a new door if your energy bills have been increasing and you’re not sure why. A door that is old and drafty can be a big source of air leaks so if your utility bill has significantly increased, the front door could be the reason for it!

A new front door not only looks good, but it also can improve the energy efficiency, security and comfort of your home.

Front Door Installation in Indianapolis

Overhead Door Co. of Indianapolis & Muncie offers entry doors from:

  • ProVia: The steel and fiberglass entry doors from ProVia complement any home style and excel in beauty, durability, security and energy efficiency—everything you’d expect in a front door.

 

  • Masonite: Masonite steel and fiberglass front doors can add value to any home. Their entry door products come in a range of panel designs and glass configurations that are sure to enhance any architectural style or design need. Every Masonite door reflects the company’s principles—value, quality, support and innovation.

 

  • Home Guard: As beautiful as they are durable, Home Guard’s front doors could be exactly what you need for your home. Whether you want a fiberglass or steel door, Home Guard has it.

 

If you need a new entry door for your home in the Indianapolis area, we have all your needs covered.

Contact Overhead Door Co. of Indianapolis & Muncie today by filling out the form on the right or calling 317-489-0825 for our Indianapolis location and 765-215-2932 for our Muncie location!

What Makes a Door Energy-Efficient?

Many people think of windows when it comes to improving their home’s energy efficiency, but doors also hold a lot of potential! Replacing your old entry, security storm and patio doors with new ones can help you save energy every month—and can help improve the aesthetic of your home!

If you want to install a new energy-efficient door for your home in central Indiana, Overhead Door Co. of Indianapolis & Muncie can help! Contact us today or keep reading to learn more about what makes a door energy-efficient.

Door Energy Efficiency

Factors that affect a door’s energy efficiency (and make a door ENERGY STAR rated) are similar to those of a window but are also different. They include:

Material: Some materials have better thermal efficiency. Vinyl and fiberglass doors (which we offer) are extremely energy-efficient.

Glass: Some doors have glass, a transom window above or sidelites. Certain types of glass are more energy-efficient than others. Double- or triple-paned glass and low-E glass have some of the highest thermal efficiency.

Sealing: Frames on more modern doors often have magnetic strips to create a tighter seal that helps reduce air leakage. The better the weatherstripping of the door, the more energy-efficient it is.

Insulation: Some doors, especially newer ones, are insulated—and this provides even higher energy efficiency and better savings for homeowners.

ENERGY STAR & Testing

You may have heard the term “ENERGY STAR” when it comes to door replacement, but what exactly does it mean? How does a product get an ENERGY STAR label? ENERGY STAR qualified replacement doors:

  • Are manufactured by an ENERGY STAR partner
  • Are independently tested and certified by the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC)
  • Have NFRC ratings that meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

Qualified products must be 40 percent more efficient than common building codes and reduce energy bills by at least 15 percent. ENERGY STAR qualification is based on NFRC certified product ratings.

The ratings provide information about the door’s:

  • U-factor (measures how well a door prevents heat from escaping a home)
  • Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (measures how much heat from the sun is blocked)
  • Visible Transmittance (measures how much light comes through a door if it has glass)
  • Air leakage (measures how much outside air comes into a home through a door)
  • Condensation resistance (measures how well a door resists the formation of condensation)

Learn more»

The ENERGY STAR label was initially created to:

  • Make it simple for consumers to buy energy-efficient products that offer great savings but are just as convenient and reliable as conventional products
  • Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful pollutants caused by inefficient energy use

Energy-Efficient Doors in Indianapolis

If you live in central Indiana and are in the market for a new energy-efficient door, Overhead Door Co. of Indianapolis & Muncie can help. We offer front, storm and patio doors from manufacturers—like ProVia, Masonite and Great Lakes Window—that are ENERGY STAR qualified.

Get in touch with us to learn more—fill out the short contact form on the right or call us at 317-489-0825 for our Indianapolis location and 765-215-2932 for our Muncie location!