Full-View Garage Doors: Information You Need to Know

What do you think of the trend of having beautiful all-glass garage doors as part of your property? These doors can provide a lovely, modern look, but they are more than just aesthetics. They are also functional and versatile. They’ve been used in more than just residential garages, too. You can find them on living rooms that lead to the backyard, cottages near the pool, and even restaurants that open onto a patio. There are plenty of ways to use them.

Check out the black aluminum frame on this door. The California full-view double garage door looks fantastic when paired with the colors and textures in this room. This creates a perfect indoor space that can provide exposure to the outside, allowing in light and the beauty of the outdoors.

If you’ve always wanted an indoor/outdoor space, doors like this are the perfect solution. Of course, you need to know more about these doors before you make your choice.

1) The Frames Are Made from Aluminum

AZO Matering says that aluminum has some great benefits:

• When you compare steel or wood to aluminum, you will find that aluminum is lighter. This means that the springs won’t have to be as powerful with an aluminum garage door.
• No worries about rusting. Because aluminum is corrosion-resistant, it’s a good option for just about any environment. For example, if you live near saltwater, or you want to put the door on your boathouse, you won’t have to worry about corrosion. You could opt for the California full-view garage door or any aluminum garage door.
• Aluminum can work well to reflect heat and light, which has the potential to keep things cooler during the warm months. Of course, with all of the windows, you will still get plenty of light and some heat, so you might still want to have some fans or AC in the space.

While there are certainly plenty of benefits with aluminum, you also have to consider the downside.

Aluminum is a good thermal conductor.

Therefore, if you have cold winters in your area, the cold from the outside will be conducted into the interior of your space. It could get a bit cold in the wintertime, so you will want to have a way to keep the garage warm if you plan to use it.

The R-value of these types of doors tends to be low, so you can’t expect to have much insulation. After all, aside from the aluminum frame, there are just windows. Think about some of the ways you can heat your garage and keep it warm.

Aesthetics take priority over insulation and saving energy in many cases.

Let’s look at an example for a heated attached garage. We’ll say that the thermostat is always somewhere between 8 and 10℃. In those cases, it’s generally a good idea to have a garage door with a minimum R-12 value, with R-16 construction being even better. It could help you reduce your energy costs. If you had one of these doors between your living room and the outside, and you wanted to keep it at 20℃, you can imagine that the energy bill would be higher.

Let’s be honest. The winters in New Brunswick, CA can get rough. However, just because the winters can be cold doesn’t mean that you have to choose a boring garage door. It certainly didn’t stop the homeowner that owns the space in the image above. They have a California full-view garage door with a nice white frame and clear windows. It looks from the kitchen to the outdoors. There’s plenty of natural light and a view that you just can’t beat. Yet, the space is kept nice and cozy.

Of course, if you live in an area where it doesn’t get too cold, the energy bills won’t be a bother. There are always other ways to heat the garage, too, such as with wood or solar panels. The doors certainly look great. If the energy costs in certain areas won’t bother you, go for it. We just felt it was important to point out the energy concerns to you.

2) Cold Weather and Condensation

The windows you have on these garage doors are not any different from the windows in other parts of the home. There is a good chance that condensation will build on the windows when it gets cold outside.

Why Is There Condensation?

When the warmer air from inside the room contacts the windows, and the colder air outside of the space, condensation forms.

In the winter, warm air can hold a lot more moisture than you might think. When we’re inside, our breath, heat from our movements and heaters, make it warmer, which can increase the level of moisture in the air. We notice this more in the winter because of the contrasting indoor and outdoor temperatures.

When the air cools by contacting cooler air, the moisture condenses. The 1^st place you are going to see this condensation form is on your windows. Larger windows will be colder because they have more surface space. This means that the large all-glass garage door that you have will likely see quite a bit of condensation through the winter months.

Full-view garage doors can work well for many types of homes, not just contemporary spaces. Many people think full-view garage doors just suit modern, contemporary houses. Check out how great this door looks on this cottage found on Houzz. The frame color and style work well.

Even though condensation can happen, there are some things you can do to prevent it from happening and fogging up the windows.

• Keep indoor temps lower. Instead of having it hot in the house, drop that thermostat from 22℃ to 20-19℃. Even though it will be a little cooler in the house, it will keep your energy bills down and reduce condensation. Wear a snuggly sweater instead of a t-shirt.
• Fans can help. Of course, you do need to be sure that you have good-quality fans. Many elements in your home could be causing the heat to rise, such as the dishwasher, washing machine, and stove. Make sure they are properly vented to the outside. Turn on the fan on your range hood when cooking and use a vent fan when taking hot showers.
• Put in a dehumidifier and / or air exchanger. When you have an air exchanger, it will bring in air from the outside and push out air from the inside of the house. This could help to help with the condensation problem.
• Put in a wood burning stove. When you use a wood stove, it will dry out the air, so you will not have to worry as much about condensation. However, it does a lot more for the space than just reducing condensation. It’s also a fantastic addition to the space. It will make the area nice and cozy. You’ll get a nice scent, it will heat the room in the winter, including your floor, and make it the perfect place to relax for a while.
• Don’t Air Dry Clothes Inside in the Winter. You can still use the dryer, but don’t hang and drip-dry clothes in the winter. This is going to put far too much moisture into the air, which will increase the condensation problem.

Condensation doesn’t have to be quite such a large problem when you have some plans in place. After all, your full-view garage door will have the same issues as the other windows in the house, so it shouldn’t be too much of a difference. And you can fix the issues before they even become a problem.

3) Windows Galore

Naturally, full-view garage doors are going to have a lot of windows. However, you have to realize that there are many different types and styles of door and window combinations you will have to consider. You want to have windows that look great, that are safe, etc. You have a lot of choices you will have to make.

Here is a California all-glass garage door with the More layout featuring a Black frame and Clear windows. In other images, you saw these doors being used in the backyard and for cottages. Here’s it’s right in the kitchen, and it looks great. Just keep in mind that you don’t get as much privacy with these windows. Some might want to choose frosted windows instead.

First > A Cozy Private Feeling or Looking into the Great Outdoors?

If you live in an urban or suburban locale, your neighbors and passersby might be close to your home. If you don’t have anything blocking the area where you want to put the door, such as trees or a hedge, people will be able to see inside when you have clear windows. This is especially true after dark when the interior is lit. People can see everything that’s going on in your home.

Check out the image below from Houzz. It’s a nice and open plan with a fireplace, white walls, and two full-view garage doors. It brings the outside inside. And provides a lot of natural light during the day.

Here’s another good option, especially for those who want some more privacy. Sandblasted windows are frosted glass, and they can look great with the California all-glass garage door. You still get light during the day, but no one can see inside.

You can choose from many types of glass to go with your full-view garage door. They range from 0/5 to 5/5 when it comes to the level of privacy. If privacy isn’t a concern, clear glass is a great choice that will allow for more natural light. If you want more privacy, though, you can opt for tinted or frosted glass, for example.

In this image, you can see that they have some trees and a fence in their yard, which already offers some privacy. In this case, clear windows could still work well. This kitchen is from Jeannette Architects on Houzz.

How wonderful would it be to live here? Having a view of the lake and mountains just begs for a California all-glass garage door.

Second > How Important Is Energy Efficiency

If having energy-efficient windows is essential, consider a thermopane window with LOW-E Argon.

During the cold months of the year, these windows will let the sunlight get into the home to provide both light and heat. They will also reduce the amount of heat that transfers out of the home. During the warm months of the year, they can limit the amount of heat that gets into the space, while still letting in the light. These types of windows and be a great solution.

Check out the chart above. It shows how different windows compare with one another: One has two clear panes and space for air in the middle, and the other has one clear pane and one Low-E pane with argon. You can get more information on LOW-E Argon thermopane windowshere.

Third > Are Safety and Resistance Important?

The answer to this question will often depend on where you live. If you are in an area that has break-ins and vandalism, you want to have more security rather than less. If you live in a safe area where there is not much crime, it may not be as important to you. Of course, if you have kids that play ball in the driveway or backyard, you might also want to rethink just how much resistance you need for your garage door.

To keep your windows safer, make sure you get tempered glass.

Why Get Tempered Glass?

Tempered glass is made by using a special technique that introduced extreme heating and cooling of the glass. This creates glass that is up to five times stronger than normal glass. If it breaks, it will become small pieces that aren’t too sharp, so there is less danger. This type of glass is often used for car windows. Even a thermopane window can have tempered glass. You can have it added to just one or both sides of the window. When you choose something like the California, it’s a good idea to get this type of glass on both sides.

Keep in mind that these garage doors don’t have to just be used for the living room, kitchen, or cottage. After all, they are garage doors. You can just use them in the garage for a great look!

Time to Get a New Garage Door

Now is a good time to start thinking about getting a new garage door. It can give your space a brand new look.

Get in touch by calling 506-375-4105.

Need a new garage door opener or an overhead door?

The professionals working at Mclaughlin Roof Trusses Ltd. are standing by and are ready to help. Get in touch, answer some simple questions, and we can start helping you to figure out what will work best for your style and budget.

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Need a little inspiration?

Check out the photo gallery. You can also use the Design Centre to see what a door will look like on your garage virtually! Build the perfect setup and then make it a reality.