Whether the old door is beyond repair or you are tired of a garage that hits 125 degrees, a new insulated door is one of the few upgrades you feel every single summer.
In cold markets insulated doors keep heat in. In Tucson they keep heat out, and the effect is larger than most people expect. An uninsulated steel door absorbs full afternoon sun and re-radiates it into the garage, which is why a closed garage routinely runs 15 to 25 degrees hotter than the outside air. If the garage shares a wall with living space — and in Tucson's tract housing it almost always does — your air conditioning is fighting that all afternoon.
Insulated doors are rated in R-value. Roughly: R-6 to R-9 is entry-level insulated steel, R-12 to R-13 is the sensible middle for an attached garage here, and R-16 to R-18 is worth it if the garage is cooled, used as a workshop or gym, or has a room above it. The step from a bare single-skin door to sandwich construction is the biggest single difference you will feel, and it makes the door quieter and more rigid at the same time.
Insulated steel is the default and the right answer for most Tucson houses: best value, minimal maintenance, and modern finishes hold up to UV far better than they used to. Real wood looks superb on Foothills and territorial-style homes but it is the highest-maintenance choice available in this climate — our UV and dryness will check and split an unmaintained wood door, and refinishing every two to three years on a sun-facing elevation is realistic, not pessimistic. Composite and fiberglass-faced doors give the wood look without that schedule and are worth serious consideration here. We will quote whatever you want and tell you the maintenance truth about each.
Removal and disposal of the old door and hardware, new track, and correctly sized springs for the new door's actual weight — not reused springs balanced for the old one, which is the most common corner cut in this trade and a guaranteed early failure. Plus new rollers and hinges, bottom and jamb weather seal rated for UV, opener reconnection with travel and force limits reset, safety reversal tested, and a walkthrough of the maintenance the door actually needs in this climate.
Yes, and more than people expect. An uninsulated door absorbs afternoon sun and re-radiates it inside, which is why closed garages run 15 to 25 degrees above outside air. If the garage shares a wall with living space, your AC is fighting that.
R-12 to R-13 for a standard attached garage. R-16 to R-18 if the garage is cooled, used as a shop or gym, or has a room above. Below about R-6 you are not really getting the benefit.
A standard single or double door replacement is typically four to six hours including hauling the old door away. Custom sizes, carriage-house hardware or framing repairs can push into a second visit.
Yes, sized for the new door's actual weight. Reusing springs balanced for the old lighter door is the commonest shortcut in this trade and it causes an early failure. We do not do it.
Related: Panel Repair · Opener Repair · Repair Cost Guide
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