You may be looking at your garage right now and wondering how you could improve it. And one of the ways that you might be thinking of improving it is by adding insulation to your garage door. But do you really need it?
Answering a few questions may help you figure it out. And, even better, you can figure out what kind of insulation you should use.
Questions to ask yourself before deciding to insulate your garage door
How much time do you spend in your garage? Do you use your garage as a workshop? Or maybe as a hobby room? Or maybe you like to grill often and set up your grill right outside your garage (or even inside it with the door open). Or maybe you use your garage the way it was originally intended, to store your vehicles in.
No matter what you use it for, you want to make sure that it is comfortable, right? You want to be able to spend time there without having to deal with too cold or too hot temperatures that drive your energy bills up and up and up. Which is why you’re looking for the best ways to make your garage energy efficient and you might be considering insulating your garage door.
Should you insulate your garage door?
The short answer is that insulating your garage door will help to keep the energy outside where it belongs. And the energy inside where it belongs as well.
That means the energy from your home that you’re paying for is going to stay in the garage. And the energy outside (that is likely too hot or too cold) is going to stay outside the garage. That saves you a whole lot of money. It also makes sure that you can enjoy your garage whenever you want and however you want.
If you spend a lot of time in your garage it might be a good idea to insulate the entire garage, including the door. For example, those who use their garage as a hobby space or workshop or those who use the garage as living space may want to have the entire thing insulated.
If your air conditioning or furnace are connected to the garage you may also want to look into insulating the entire space to improve your overall energy efficiency.
How do you start improving the energy efficiency of your garage door?
The first thing that you should do is take a close look at your current garage door. What kind of shape is it in? If it’s old then chances are you should have a professional take a closer look at it. You might need a new one.
That’s because your garage door will start to break down and wear out over time as it continues to get older. Or if you’ve experienced any kind of damage to your garage door it might weaken or suffer from cracks that can allow energy to leak out. This reduces your overall energy efficiency. You might also have a bend or dent in your door that affects the seal.
All of these things can cause your energy bills to climb. Which is why you should do a careful audit or even hire a professional to take a closer look at your garage door. Getting a new one may make a huge difference, even before you insulate. Or you could purchase a garage door that already has insulation built in.
If you don’t need a new door, however, you should take a look at your options for insulation to get your current door up to what you want.
How do you winterize a garage door?
There are a few different ways that you can insulate or winterize a garage door. These include:
- Foam board insulation
- Spray foam insulation
- Cellulose insulation
- Reflective insulation
- Fiberglass insulation batts
Foam board is a type of thin but extremely rigid board that offers a high level of insulation. The boards can be applied directly onto the door.
Spray foam insulation is exactly what it sounds like, a spray material that you may have already used in other areas of your home, such as inside of an attic. It provides a good level of protection and it can be sprayed directly on the inside of the garage door.
Cellulose insulation is another spray foam option, but it provides even more protection for your space. However, the cost can be a bit much for some.
Reflective insulation is another type of thin, extremely rigid board that offers insulation using reflective foil. This helps to keep out the heat, which can be great for the warmer periods of the year, but not so much for colder times.
Fiberglass insulation batts are another option that you may have used in other areas of your house as well and can be applied to the inside of the garage door to provide protection against the elements.
Any of these options will provide you with insulation benefits to varying degrees and each comes in at a different cost, which means you will need to weigh out the potential benefits and drawbacks to decide on one that will work for you.
What can I put on my garage door to keep the seal from freezing?
A silicone spray will generally be the best option to prevent your garage door seal from freezing. Other lubricants can be a good option as well because they are waterproof and will lower the freezing point of any water that may get on your doors. That way you can continue to use the garage door as normal even when the weather turns cold.
This will actually make your door easier to open overall as well, which is definitely going to make it easier to use your garage door in general, especially as it gets older and may not slide as well.
What you need to know
The important thing is to consider your needs and your potential benefits from insulating your garage door and then make the right decision for you.
You might be able to make a big improvement for your home.
If you need a professional, reach out to us for help with a quote today!