Should My Garage Door Be Insulated?

As a homeowner, perhaps you’ve been asking yourself if your garage door should be insulated. Do insulated garage doors really make a difference? These are great questions to ask if you're considering purchasing a new insulated garage door or adding insulation to your existing garage door.

Before deciding to insulate your garage door, assess what you store in your garage and determine if protecting those items from temperature fluctuations would extend their usefulness. Overall, having an insulated garage door is generally a good idea as it can increase your garage door’s life span. Because your garage door is likely the biggest opening of your home, it’s also the largest source of heat and cool air loss from your home, so insulating your garage door can also improve your home's energy efficiency.

What Is Garage Door Insulation?

Garage door insulation is an extra layer of materials to prevent the transfer of heat through your garage door. We’ll cover the most common materials for insulating garage doors in the next section. Garage door insulation is graded on the R-value rating system, which measures a material’s effectiveness at stopping heat from moving through the insulation.

The R-value rating for garage door insulation is a good rule of thumb when determining what level of insulation you need. However, not all manufacturers use the same methods to give their products an R-value, so the ratings aren’t absolute. It’s still a good idea to find out what materials garage doors are constructed from and make your decision based on those facts as well. You can learn more about insulation and the R-value for homes from the Department of Energy.

What Are the Methods of Garage Door Insulation?

There are three main methods for insulating your garage door. You can do it yourself, hire a professional or install a garage door that comes already insulated. The easiest option is to get a professional to install a pre-insulated garage door. Be sure you specify that you want an insulated garage door because not all garage doors come with insulation. Regardless of how you insulate your garage door, these four materials are commonly used to insulate a garage door:

• Foam board insulation: Several types of foam board are available that you can use to insulate your garage door. To make the process of insulating a garage door easier, you can buy a foam board insulation kit. These kits include pre-cut boards that fit most standard garage door frames. It’s best to get foam with reflective foil on one or both sides to further deter heat from getting into or out of your garage.
• Spray foam insulation: In addition to foam board insulation, there’s also foam you can spray on your garage door panels. Even though it takes a bit more time to apply this type of insulation, it is of higher quality and lasts longer than foam boards. The two main types of foam spray are polystyrene and polyurethane. Both types are liquid styrofoam with a higher density than foam boards. Polyurethane has a higher bend strength, is far more durable and lasts longer.
• Cellulose insulation: This insulation must also be sprayed onto the garage door, but it provides better results than spray foam. It is made out of organic materials like plant fibers, cotton, wood or recycled materials. However, it is more expensive than foam boards or foam sprays.
• Fiberglass insulation: This insulation is the least expensive type you can buy. It comes in insulation batt panels that sometimes have a vinyl facing. It’s best applied on the face of the garage door that’s on the inside of the garage.

Most pre-insulated garage doors have polyurethane spray foam between two layers of steel to protect the insulation.

What Are the Benefits of an Insulated Garage Door?

Since not all garage doors are insulated, you may be wondering about the pros and cons of an insulated garage door. Here are a few of the most popular reasons why homeowners choose a garage door with insulation.

• Better protection for items stored in the garage: The most important reason for getting an insulated garage door is because it will help regulate the temperature of your garage, better protecting items in your garage from temperature fluctuations. Think of all the things you have in your garage right now. You probably have tools, camping gear, cars, mowers and other belongings you’ve accumulated over the years. Because you spent money to buy those things, it’s a good idea to extend their life span by having garage doors with insulation.
• Increased energy efficiency: In addition to preserving your belongings, an insulated garage door can save you money on your utility bills. If you have a large freezer in your garage, insulating the door makes it so the freezer doesn’t have to work so hard. An insulated garage door also helps maintain the temperatures in any rooms above or next to the garage and prevents heat or cool air from escaping through your garage, helping your HVAC system work more efficiently.
• Quieter operation: Another benefit of an insulated garage door is that it operates more quietly, making it less likely to disturb people in your home. This is especially important if you frequently use your garage door as an exit or entryway. If a family member or guest is napping, you don’t have to worry about waking them by using the garage door since the insulation muffles the sound of the door.
• Increased strength: Insulation also strengthens your garage door, making it more resistant to damage and dents from impacts like a stray baseball, a hailstorm or other things that can cause harm. Again, this increases the life span of your garage door and saves you money over time.

Choose an Insulated Garage Door From Ingstrup Garage Doors?

Insulating your garage door is a good choice as it will preserve your belongings, save you money on your utility bills and extend the overall life of your garage door. Although you could buy an insulation kit and install it yourself, save yourself the trouble and hassle and buy a pre-insulated garage door from Ingstrup. We've provided Michigan residents with quality garage door installation and repairs for over 25 years. If you're ready for a new insulated garage door, contact us to get a free estimate today or stop by our showroom in Lansing and we’ll answer all your questions about installing an insulated garage door.