Dear Jim: Our old garage door looks terrible and is so noisy, it wakes us when my son comes in late. I want an insulated one with secure, yet decorative windows for natural lighting. What options do I have? — Ken H.

Dear Ken: Since a double-car garage door constitutes 40 percent of the front of most houses, more people are selecting a garage door based on its appearance and efficiency, not just initial cost. Windows, colors, surface textures, panel contours, etc. all affect the overall appearance of the door.

Garage door options are nearly endless. Some of the most expensive ones, with lifetime warranties, actually have the lowest overall life-cycle cost. Better doors also have sound-reduction features such as quiet rollers and hinges.

Decorative, leaded-look or beveled windows are most attractive. Most of these windows are made of durable clear acrylic plastic. Snap-in, changeable tinted inserts are also available.

For the highest efficiency, choose thermal pane glass windows or special privacy glass. Another option is a completely translucent fiberglass door. These doors are durable and natural light comes through the entire door.

The amount of insulation has the greatest effect on efficiency. If your garage is also your workshop or if it has two or more walls or a ceiling in common with your living area, select a door with high insulation value. Also, a thermal break, between the inner and outer steel skins, is best.

Insulation values can range from R-6 up to R-17. Keep in mind that as you add more windows, the overall effective R-value drops. In general, polyurethane foam has the greatest insulation value. The foam insulation is either foamed inside the door or a piece is glued inside it.

Check out the materials used. Most of these high-quality insulated doors are made of steel skins. Look for ones with 24-gauge to 26-gauge steel thickness. The lower the gauge number, the thicker the steel. Heavier steel holds up longer and it also resists dents much better.

Two other unique door skin materials are polyethylene (HDPE) and a special composite board. HDPE is extremely durable. You can whack it with a bat and not damage it. The textured composite board is stainable and attractive. Composite doors have a wood frame so they can be trimmed for a perfect fit.

The newest safety designs have pinch-resistant panels. These will push a child’s finger out of the joint as the door closes. If you plan to install the door yourself, select one with a safe drill-adjustable counterbalance spring. Many arms have been broken adjusting the standard springs.

Write for (or instant download — www.dulley.com) Update Bulletin No. 564 – buyer’s guide of 12 highest-quality garage doors, insulation levels, colors, glass options, seals, panel contours and features. Please include $3.00 and a business-size SAE. to James Dulley, Bangor Daily News, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45244

Dear Jim: Soon it will be fireplace season again. I always have a problem getting the wood to start burning in our fireplace. Do you have any good ideas for making fire starters? — Wendy O.

Dear Wendy: About a year ago, Howard S. e-mailed me with this great fire starter idea. All you need are candle stubs, old lint from your clothes dryer, an empty cardboard egg carton and a clean tin can.

At very low heat for safety, slowly melt the candle stubs. Put a wad of the dryer lint in each of the egg carton spaces and pour enough of the wax over the lint. When cool, store them in a fire-safe container until use.