Insulating Garage Doors - Tips on Garage Door Insulation

We think of garage door insulation very rarely because we tend to feel that we do not spend much time inside our garage. However, we should install the garage door insulation as it has several advantages. Besides insulating other doors of the house, if you insulate your garage door too, it will in turn help to insulate your house completely. As a result, during the winters, warm air will stay inside the house, whereas in the summer the air will be much cooler. In this way, the cost of energy bills will be reduced. Insulating garage doors will keep away moisture and infestation of insects from the house. Moreover, if there is any noisy job being carried out inside the garage, such sounds will not come out and disturb you.

Tips on Selecting Right Insulation

There are different types of materials that are used for insulating garage doors. You can use garage door insulation kits that are available in the market. Foam sheathing insulating material can be used to serve the same purpose. Another alternative is reflective foil insulation. It is found in the market in the form of a thin sheet which has a reflective foil attached to its back. The quality of the insulation is defined by its R value. It has three grades - high, medium and low. When the R value of the insulation is high, it will keep the house warm in the winters but the low R value insulation will not be that effective. If high R value insulation is already there in the house, then for the garage door insulation you can opt for medium R value insulation.

How to Insulate a Garage Door?

In a packed condition, insulation is in compressed state. When you open the insulation, it will expand and spread across a large area. So before insulating a garage door, remove the cars and large objects from the garage to create more space on the garage flooring. To install garage door insulation, first of all you have to take the measurements of the garage door panels so that you can ascertain the quantity of insulation required. You can buy either polystyrene foam or polyurethane foam sheets.

Take the polyurethane foam sheets and cut it as per the measurements of the door panels. Use a putty knife to tuck the foam along the panels of the garage door. Cover up the foam with the help of aluminum foil tape and you are done with it. Alternatively, you can use polystyrene foam which is slightly stiffer. You have to cut them and attach to the door panels with glue. Fix the foam with panel brackets to secure then further.

Weather strips can also act as an excellent insulation. Remove the backing layer of the strip and paste it on the garage door. Put adequate hand pressure so that is adheres well to the door surface. If required, you can put some nails to fix it more tightly. In case you are opting for the garage door insulation kit, all you have to do is to read the instructions provided by the manufactures and carry out the job of installation accordingly.

Finally, check out if compression bubble at the bottom of the door or the weather stripping at the sides of the door are in good condition. If no, then replace them with new ones to get the best insulation result. After completion of the installation, close the door to find out if any outside air is coming in or the insulation has been done properly.

While insulating garage doors, it is important that you keep yourself protected from the insulation. When insulation comes in contact with the skin, it causes severe itching. Therefore, you must cover yourself with proper clothing that covers the entire body. Also use protective gear like gloves, work boots, goggles and a mask while working.