Your garage door insulation or lack thereof might be part of the cause of that jaw-dropping heating bill you received this month, if you use your attached drafty garage as the main entrance to your home. This can go double if your roof covering your home and attached garage is also a low insulator, so along with a garage door change, you may want to look into something similar to Denver roofers but in your immediate area for a better outcome. Now, how else can you decrease energy waste and keep your garage toasty warm, or at least at a temperature above freezing?
Why Upgrade to an Insulated Garage Door?
Besides the fact that a noninsulated garage door is a verifiable black hole for heat, your cars will behave better in the winter if they are not exposed to subzero temperatures every night. Maybe you want to use your garage for something other than housing your vehicle, such as a band practice space, a home gym, or a winter game room for the kids. No one will appreciate your added living space if the temperature is only a few degrees higher than the outside air, especially in the coldest winter months.
What Is an R-Value?
An R-value describes how resistant any given material is to heat flow. The higher the door’s R-value, the more effective its insulating properties. Doors with high-quality insulation have R-values ranging from five to seventeen.
What Materials Are Used?
If you have a noninsulated door, the R-value is most likely very low. There are two types of insulating materials used in door construction: polystyrene and polyurethane. Polystyrene is the less expensive of the two. It is layered in between the inside and outside, giving the door a hard, thick core. Polyurethane foam comes at a higher cost. It is sprayed in between the two layers of the door, chemically bonding to each surface, resulting in higher overall R-values.
Will Weather Stripping Help?
It’s not enough to purchase a door with a high R-value. You must ensure that the sides seal tightly when closed. If there is a gap between the ground and the bottom of the door, new weather stripping must be installed and tested to ensure the garage door is not leaking cold air. Often overlooked is the door from your attached garage to the inside of your home. Be sure to examine that entrance for air leaks too, and add weather stripping to the door frame if necessary.
What Are Other Benefits of Insulated Doors?
An insulated door is solid. It opens and closes multiple times a day, thousands of times a year. Reinforced insulation prolongs the life of your garage doors. They are less likely to dent, and insulated garage doors also operate smoothly and quietly, without the usual rattle and clatter.
For assistance in weather-proofing your garage, contact Accent Garage Doors and get professional garage door insulation guidance.
