Is it Worth Insulating a Garage Door?
Insulating a garage door is a worthwhile endeavour. Not only will it add value to your home, but it will also make the garage a versatile space that can be used all year round. Below we will outline the various options available to you and the benefits of insulating your garage door.
HOW TO INSULATE THE GARAGE DOOR
To effectively insulate a garage door, you need to tackle the 3 ways that heat is lost there; underneath the door, the sides of the door, and through the door itself.
The best solution for underneath the door is to install a garage door threshold seal. These effectively seal the area under the door, preventing the entry of water, leaves, dust, rain, and drafts. This will help prevent cold winds in the winter which can cause heating bills to increase if you heat your garage. We recommend using a garage door threshold seal over the gasket type which attach to the bottom of the door because they are more effective at preventing drafts, and the added benefit from preventing water and vermin from entering.
For the sides of the door we recommend using a side seal. These can be purchased in most stores, or you can make one by using a roll of thin rubber, some washers, and self-tapping screws. Installing these along the sides so that they overlap the door will help prevent heat loss through those small gaps.
The final area to tackle is the door itself, and here you have 2 options; replace with a new insulated door or use an insulation kit to upgrade the current one.
Replacing with a new insulated door is quite expensive (can be almost $2000) but it is a great return on investment as it can add value to your home and be a selling point if you decide to move. Doors with built in insulation also tend to have better insulation properties compared to doors that have been upgraded with a kit.
A cheaper, and still highly effective option is to upgrade the door with a DIY insulation kit. Whilst these kits vary depending on the manufacturer, they usually consist of insulation wadding with foil laminate on both sides. These are supplied as rolls which are cut and secured to the door with adhesive and taped on the seams using aluminum tape.
BENEFITS OF INSULATING YOUR GARAGE DOOR
The main benefit of insulating your garage door is the improvement in energy efficiency. The garage door can result in huge amounts of heat loss in the winter. By insulating the door, this heat loss is reduced, and the amount of heating required is decreased, resulting in significant savings on energy bills. It also means that the garage can be used in the winter when without it the garage may be too cold to comfortably enjoy.
The insulation will also save you on energy bills in the summer, as the insulation will reflect the heat away, keeping the garage cool in summer, and saving you money as the AC will not need to be used as much, if at all.
An additional benefit of insulating the garage door is that is also helps with sound insulation. If you plan on doing loud woodworking, or music playing, it will help reduce the amount of noise that escapes and therefore minimise disruptions to neighbors.
So, with winter fast approaching, we recommend that you do not delay; insulate your door by installing a weather seal and upgrade kit to help protect your garage from the winter cold.