Energy rates are rising and people are trying to save money. Although house insulation has seen an increase in popularity, the garage door is often overlooked. If you use your garage regularly, you will know that it’s usually the coldest place in the house. Unfortunately, this is because heat escapes through an uninsulated garage door. Protecting your garage door against the elements can help keep your entire house warmer, especially if there’s a bedroom above the garage. Garage door insulation needs to be lightweight to allow for a full range of motion, which leaves you with several choices. Continue reading to find out which garage door insulation is the best.
If you use your garage door regularly or you’re looking to convert the space, you will need to ensure you stay warm. As well as keeping you warm, garage door insulation raises the temperature throughout the entire house and reduces energy costs. Even if you’ve insulated your garage walls, there’s no point if you’ve left out the door. Further, garage door insulation will make for a more secure door, which may help keep burglars out. For less than $1000, you can install garage door insulation yourself.
Keeping in mind that garage door insulations need to be lightweight, we are left with three different types.
Reflective insulation, made from aluminum foil, is great for hot weather conditions because it will hold the garage at the correct temperature. If you have leaks in your garage door, the foil face acts as an extra defense against water. Installing reflective foil yourself is perfectly safe because it’s non-carcinogenic and non-toxic. Also, reflective foil won’t lose shape and disintegrate over time.
Being an aluminum product, reflective insulation does come with a higher cost than some other options. However, the cost is worth it when measured against effectiveness. Despite being fantastic in hot weather conditions, it may need combining with other materials in cold climates. Given that aluminum is a metal, you need to be mindful to maintain your garage door wiring to avoid any electrical hazards and potential fires.
Foam board insulation comes made of polystyrene, polyisocyanurate, or polyurethane and can be used throughout the entire household. The boards will come in sheets that will need cutting down to fit. If you have a metal door, this is a great option because it can be fairly weighted. However, ensure you check your springs before you begin the insulation process.
This option can be expensive, but will typically be cheaper than reflective foil options. When cutting down the boards to the current size, you will need to ensure precision, otherwise you will end up losing money.
Fiberglass comes in rolls and can vary considerably in weight and size. Again, ensure you check your garage door springs before installing fiberglass insulation. Fiberglass is excellent at keeping the internal space warm thanks to millions of tiny air pockets that make up the protective wall. The cost of fiberglass is cheaper than the majority of foam board options. The material is flexible, which means there is little wastage.
If you choose fiberglass, you need to be mindful of the moisture levels because it can encourage mold to grow. When you install fiberglass garage door insulation, you will need to ensure you use proper PPE to avoid the harsh irritants that can attack the throat, lungs, eyes, and skin.
Metallic plastic is a cheap option for insulation, which excellently mimics the quality of the reflective foil. However, despite the ability to reflect light well, metallic plastic isn’t that good at reflecting heat. Further, the poor-quality “foil” tends to disintegrate, which defeats the purpose of the installation. Lastly, this type of insulation has a low fire rating, which is the last thing you need when it comes to protecting your property.
Choosing a material, cutting it to size, and installing it can be an overwhelming process. Therefore, we suggest that you use a garage door kit. Opting for a DIY kit will save you money and provide you everything you need to get the job done. Depending on the size of your garage door, most insulation kits are pre-cut to fit. All you need to do is order the kit and follow the instructions. If you get stuck in the process, you will find plenty of instructional videos on YouTube.
Garage door insulation is important because it helps retain heat and saves on energy costs. There are several different materials to consider, but you need to ensure that your door can take the weight of the insulation. Therefore, before you get started you should carry out garage door spring maintenance. When it comes to buying, the best choice is to invest in an insulation kit that will contain everything you need.
