A garage is the largest entrance in your home and consequently, it contributes significantly to heat loss. This has an impact on the overall energy efficiency and carbon footprint of your home. Although garages are not technically part of your regular living spaces, they should always be kept as a sealed indoor environment.
Improperly sealed garage doors may cause heat to escape through holes and cracks, making the temperature noticeably colder than the rest of your house.
There are two different types of garage door materials found in the market. Polystyrene insulation is sold as aftermarket kits in various major retailers. It is available as rigid panels that can be inserted inside the garage door or between steel layers, which effectively block energy transfer. Polyurethane is more energy-efficient than polystyrene and is injected as foam. When injected between steel layers of the garage doors, polyurethane foam expands and closes all gaps. Because polyurethane foam is attached to the frame, it will strengthen the door and it can resist dents better.
Why It Is Beneficial to Use Garage Door Insulation
Insulating your garage can improve energy efficiency, comfort, and even soundproofing. Whether you’re using the garage as a workspace, a home gym, or just for storage, proper insulation can make a big difference. Here’s a guide to insulating a garage effectively:
- Temperature Control: Insulation helps keep your garage warmer in winter and cooler in summer, reducing energy costs if it’s attached to your home.
- Moisture Control: It reduces condensation, protecting tools, equipment, and stored items from rust and damage.
- Noise Reduction: Insulation dampens noise, especially useful if you use power tools or if the garage is near living spaces.
- Increased Home Value: A well-insulated garage can boost your property’s appeal and energy efficiency.
While many homeowners still think that garage door insulation isn’t a necessity, it brings a lot of benefits.
Insulate the Garage Door
- Use a garage door insulation kit with foam panels or reflective insulation.
- Ensure the door’s seals are tight to block drafts.
Better comfort
If you let hot or cold air enters the garage, it may affect your overall comfort. With proper insulation, your family won’t suffer from the extreme cold of winter or the heat of summer. Things can be so bad that indoor areas adjacent to the poorly insulated garage are unbearably cold during the worst nights of the winter. A sturdy and well-insulated garage door will keep the temperature of your home manageable and comfortable.
Better protection for items
Car and other items in your garage may degrade slowly if exposed to extreme temperatures. In some cases, cars have trouble starting if your garage is too cold during winter. Lubricants and coolants may get thicker and won’t work properly at very low temperatures.
Insulating pipes in a garage
Also, consider insulating pipes in a garage and outdoor pipes also. There are specially made insulations for the purpose. Find insulation that is made with the highest quality standards. Frozen pipes can cause extensive damage and repairs can be costly. Pipe warmers protect your pipes from severe weather; including snow, rain, wind, and even intense heat. Insulation covers are industrial grade for the home user and fully water-resistant, water-proof, and fit like a glove.
You’ve probably heard that outdoor pipes freeze up in the winter. There so, you may want to consider water pipe insulation. Choose the pipe insulation before damage occurs. These pipe insulation covers are designed for easy setup and effortless maintenance. They slide easily over outside valves.
It is not necessary to use anti-freeze additives if your garage door is properly insulated. If summer in your area is wet and warm, high humidity may cause your cardboard boxes to rot and wilt over time. With good insulation for your garage door, you will have better control over the humidity level in your home.
Healthier family
A high level of humidity may cause condensation each morning, making the walls of your garage feel noticeably damp. Humid, warm air can’t flow through the well-insulated garage door and the interior of your home will be much drier, although it’s very wet outside. Insulation may prevent the uncontrolled growth of mold and mildew, which harm the health of family members. An insulated garage door also guards your home against pest infestation. It’s less likely for insects and rodents to find their way through if there are no small cracks and holes in a garage door. If critters continue to infest your indoor space, your family’s health will be affected.
Improved durability
Garage doors endure much abuse due to daily usage. Constant lowering and raising of the door will cause gradual wear and tear. During stormy weather, small projectiles may cause scratches and dents. Adding good insulation materials will add rigidity and thickness to the garage door. Well-controlled temperature and humidity inside the garage will also protect the metal and electronic components. This will vastly prolong the lifespan of the garage door.
Better curb appeal
Homeowners should consider a long-term investment to improve resell value of their properties. If your garage door is made of aesthetic materials, the enhanced durability will prolong its beautifying effects. Minimizing the dings and dents of the garage door, will look brand new for much longer and contribute to the curb appeal of your home.
Noise Insulation Benefit of Garage Door Insulation
Noise dampening is usually not the most important factor when installing garage door insulation. Soundproofing is an added benefit that many homeowners don’t expect after installing garage door insulation. Loud low frequency noise penetrates solid material easily and creates noticeable vibrations.
Garage door insulation
If you’re looking to retain the heat in your garage, garage door insulation is the way to go. Exterior insulation helps reduce heat loss, protecting your car and other items from extreme temperatures. There are a variety of different products available, each with its own R-values, so it’s critical to understand which products provide you with the best results. Choose your garage door insulation based on your budget and needs.
Appropriate garage door insulation greatly improves energy efficiency, air quality, and sound reduction inside your home. The R-value determines the degree of difference between your garage and outside weather.
R-value is one of the most important things to consider when purchasing garage door insulation. This number helps determine how well-insulated your garage door is. An R-value of 2 or 3 can mean the difference between keeping your cool in the summer and losing money on your energy bill all winter long.
High-quality insulation material helps to absorb the vibration and only a minimum amount is transferred to the inner layer of the garage door. If soundproofing is one of your top priorities, choose polyurethane foam insulation, because it fills all nooks and crannies inside the garage door. The foam structure of polyurethane insulation also works effectively for trapping sound waves. In comparison, polystyrene insulation panels still transfer some amount of noise and vibration to the inner part of your garage. If you have older garage doors, the track mechanism is usually the primary offender of loud noises. Worn rollers may squeak and grumble, while loose track chains tend to have to make loud noises. Be sure to regularly lubricate the springs and hinges.
How Garage Door Insulations Make Your Home More Energy-Efficient?
It is important to keep your home energy-efficient and you should insulate the garage door. You will see a noticeable difference in the overall energy bills. Insulation creates a thermal boundary and a strong buffer against extreme outdoor temperatures. Instead of waging a losing war against Mother Nature, you need to insulate the garage door effectively. Choose an insulation product with a higher R-value, which slows the heat transmission down. R-value depends on the type and thickness of the insulation material.
If the garage is detached from the main building, you may choose insulation with a rating higher than R-10, so you can still start the car during winter. If the garage is a part of the main building, choose at least R-16 for adequate insulation against cold air, high humidity, and heat. The U-factor is another component to consider, which measures the flow of heat through the insulation material.
Choose insulation products with a lower U-factor for better performance. Make sure your garage door has a U-factor value of lower than 0.30. With the right R-value and U-factor, your heaters and air conditioners won’t work as hard as before. This has a direct contribution to the overall energy efficiency of your home. Depending on the layout of your home, energy costs can be up to 20 percent lower after installing optimum insulation for the garage door.
R-Values: An insulating material’s resistance to conductive heat flow is measured or rated in terms of its thermal resistance or R-value – the higher the R-value, the greater the insulating effectiveness. The R-value depends on the type of insulation, its thickness, and its density.
Costs and Considerations
- DIY vs. Professional Installation: DIY can save costs but may require more time and effort. Spray foam usually needs a professional.
- Ventilation: Ensure proper ventilation to avoid trapping moisture, especially if using vapor barriers.
- Heating or Cooling: If you plan to add HVAC, insulation is essential to maintain efficiency.
Conclusion
No matter if you’re living in a warm area, or in a northern country (North America or Canada) – it is important to have good insulation. A garage door is where efficiency takes a place. Don’t let your bills go high because of poor insulation. Furthermore, keep all the noise out of your home with appropriate insulation installed on your garage door.
Getting in and out of a garage can be a pain. When you forget to close the door, or are loading something heavy, that swinging door snags your foot and stops you cold. It’s just irritating when you leave it open too long, and your car is freezing while you’re at work inside. But even if you remember to close it every time, you might be losing heat through those gaps around the edges of the door. We’ve shown some easy ways you can insulate your garage from cold winter drafts.
Thermally insulating garage doors can help keep that space warm. Garage door insulation is an easy do-it-yourself project. Anyone can save on heating costs by insulating the garage door.
Most garage doors pop or bang back open once they’ve been closed. This is because they were made to seal out the weather, not heat or cool. The closed door helps to prevent the elements from getting into the garage. It was not intended to be energy efficient. Garage insulation in Canada gets focuses on keeping the garage warm in cold winters. On the other hand, in warm areas (U.S.) we want to keep all the hot air out of our garages.