Whether you just purchased a home or realized that you hate how dark your garage is after living in your home for years, the idea of adding windows to a garage door is one that comes up for a lot of people. Most garages are not well lit and when the door is shut it resembles a cave. This makes it hard to work in the office if you have converted it into an office space, gym, additional room, workshop, or place to work on your cars.
You can add windows to an existing garage door! This is usually more cost-effective than replacing the entire door and will allow more natural light to enter your garage, making it much more usable. It may also improve your curb appeal and ultimately help you sell your house for a higher price.
How Much Does It Cost To Install Windows To a Garage Door?
The average window installation on garage doors ranges from $25 to $55 per window, including labor. The price will range depending on where you live, the total number of windows that you are installing, and the adjustments that need to be made to the spring system. You will also need to factor in the total cost of the actual windows, which can vary from dozens to hundreds of dollars per window.
How To Decide The Type of Window To Add To Your Garage Door
The easiest way to get inspiration for the design of the window is to take a walk around your neighborhood and see what style of windows your neighbors currently have on their garage doors. You can also look online at the different types of garage doors that are currently on the market and see if any are a similar dimension to your existing door.
You want to make sure that the design that you choose matches the rest of the garage door and the entire facade of the house. If you pick one that does not match, the house will not look right and it will decrease your overall curb appeal.
If you care more about the aesthetic than the functionality of the windows, you can look into the Sanfurney Faux Window Panes, which are extremely easy to install and are relatively inexpensive. You can see them below:
Where To Place The Windows
While looking for inspiration you are going to need to decide where you are going to be placing the windows. Most homeowners have their windows at the top or eye-level sections of the door to allow for natural light to reach the entire garage. If you are worried about privacy it is best to place them as high as you can on the door, but this will eliminate your chances of seeing outside.
You can install a film over the windows to make it so that it is harder for people to see in, but you will also be decreasing the total amount of light that can pass through the window. You can also look into frosted glass if you want to avoid using a film or tint on the windows.
Installation Issues That You May Run Into
Installing these windows is usually not going to be a do-it-yourself project. You should get quotes from multiple garage door installation companies in your area as well as get references from family, friends, and local groups that you trust.
Installing these windows is going to make a difference on the door’s spring system because of the weight change that is happening when you switch out the pieces. The springs are very delicate and if the door is not balanced correctly, you may find yourself in a very dangerous situation. You are going to want to adjust the spring system as the windows are installed. If you can find a company that will do this for you and get them to guarantee their work, you will be protecting yourself for the term of the guarantee.
Potential Issues That Come With Adding Windows
There are a few things that you need to think about before installing windows on your garage door. The first one is that these windows are usually made out of glass, which breaks. This can be caused by the garage door being closed too hard or by outside objects, such as bad weather or kids playing too close. If you do break one of these windows you are going to have to bring in an expert to repair the window, which is an additional expense that you probably did not budget for.
Windows are one of the top things that burglars look for when they are deciding which house to break into. If you put your windows at eye-level they may be able to look in and if you have valuable items in the garage, they will be enticed to try to break it. You are going to want to have a top-notch security system in place to make sure that you are deterring these criminals and have evidence that can help you stop them if they do attempt to break in.
The final piece is the potential for your insurance rates to rise slightly. If your house is less secure because of the windows your homeowners insurance might be bumped up to cover the risk. This is something that you can work out with your insurance agent and should be done before installation.
