Do you have an attached garage? If yes, did you know your garage, specifically your garage door, can have a significant impact on your household energy bill? Your garage door, which covers six to ten times more square feet than your front and back doors combined, welcomes the weather into your home by radiating or conducting outside climate conditions. A properly treated garage door can save you energy dollars. you can do the job yourself quickly and inexpensively if you know how to insulate a garage door.
You already know when you step into the garage during the heat of summer or bone-chilling cold of winter, that there is going to be a huge increase or drop in temperature compared to the HVAC temperature inside the house. A metal door will absorb heat and radiate into the garage, and when cold winds blow, that same door will conduct the freezing temperatures. That big box of weather becomes a source of ambient heat or cold for each wall it shares with the rest of the house, meaning the HVAC has to work harder to maintain the desired temperature.
The Pros of Insulating a Garage Door
Let’s take it a step further. If you use the garage for more than a place to park your car, like exercise equipment or a workshop, a metal door can make the space unusable. The ideal solution is insulating the entire garage so you can benefit from:
- Save on Energy Costs. Particularly if you use the garage frequently and have ventilation fans and/or heaters to control temperature.
- Cuts Down on Moisture. Uninsulated garages are prone to having moisture problems. An insulated garage reduces that risk.
- Sound Insulation. What goes on in the garage stays in the garage. Noise from loud door opener motors, power tools, etc. stays in the garage. In addition, an insulated door will minimize the transfer of outside traffic noise from entering the home.
Insulating the entire garage essentially gives you another living space. But, it can be pricey. The next best step to take advantage of insulation benefits is to insulate the garage door.
How to Insulate Your Metal Garage Door
Far less complex, time-consuming, and expensive, insulating a garage door is a fairly easy DIY project thanks to readily available garage door insulation kits. Kits typically come with precut insulating panels, mounting tape, and anchors. Some even provide a utility knife, gloves, and a dust mask. In short, a kit gives you everything you need to get the job done.
The best insulating material typically is a lightweight vinyl with foil-faced batts or foil-faced rigid foam boards. They slide into the center post channels, held in place by mounting tape and secured with plastic or metal anchors that keep them in place while the door is opened or closed.
It is as simple as that. A two-car garage will take less than an hour for the average homeowner to install assuming you use a kit with everything you need.
If you are considering installing insulation on your metal garage door we encourage you to take a look at our reflective garage door insulation kits at Cool My Garage. Quick and easy to install, the kit reflects 97% of radiant heat and has the added benefit of a polished white poly interior finish that dresses up your door. Check us out now!