Insulated Garage Doors? Save Energy Now

Insulated Garage Doors for Energy Savings

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If you are like most people, you are always looking for ways to save on home heating and air conditioning costs. You close doors to keep the house cooler with the air conditioning on and you shut windows before turning on the heat. However, what people don't realize is that some of your heat and air conditioning aren't going out the windows; they are going out of the garage. With an attached garage you always have that extra room that is cold in the winter and hot in the summer and just like every other room in your home it takes a little extra energy to keep the temperature regulated.

Even if you have the door to the garage closed, heat and cool air escape into that room if you do not have insulation just as it would to the attic. That is why more and more people are choosing to use insulated garage doors to make sure that every time you walk into it, the extra heat and air conditioning in your house isn't escaping into the garage. Not to mention, it isn't much fun when you walk into the garage only to find that it is an ice box in the winter and an oven in the summer. One of the best ways to improve both energy efficiency in your home and have a more comfortable temperature is to install insulated garage doors.

Reflective Foil Insulation

One of the easiest ways to add insulated garage doors to your garage is to install reflective foil insulation. It looks similar to aluminum foil but it is much thicker and a lot more durable. There is the single foil insulation as well as the double insulation which consists of heavy duty polyethylene between two layers of actual aluminum foil. The single foil layer is made up of two layers of polyethylene between one layer of aluminum foil and one layer of white vinyl. It works by reflecting the heat which can retain both the heat and the cool air inside of the garage for a better regulated temperature. It is easy to install yourself and only costs between $100 and $200 depending on whether you choose single or double foil.

Panel Insulation

At about the same price, you could also choose to have insulated garage doors with panel insulation. It comes in both panel foam as well as fiberglass. Not only do they save you money on your energy bills but it also qualifies you for a federal energy tax credit. Made of polystyrene, the panel foam is a popular choice for homeowners considering how easy it is to install. The fiberglass panels are simple to install as well. You just put them inside the channels of the garage door frame rails where they sit without the use of any tools.

The R-Value in Insulated Garage Doors

When you start the process of insulating your garage doors, one common phrase that will come up often is the "R-Value." The R-value is the measure of the resistance to the flow of heat as well as its ability to be effective as an insulator. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation will be and the more efficient it is. Although it is not always the deciding factor, it should be a consideration. It shows a direct correlation between the quality of the insulation you are choosing and how effective it will be with insulated garage door.

Securing Insulated Garage Doors for Optimal Savings

Now that you have installed insulated garage doors, it is important that you secure them to have optimal savings. You have to look all around the garage for areas that heat or cool air can still escape, and one of those main places is around the door itself. With a basic garage door you don't always have a tight seal at the bottom or along the sides which will negate the insulated garage doors by still allowing the air outside. There are insulation kits that you can buy to go with your garage doors that will contain weather stripping made specifically for garage doors as well as the directions on how to install it. It will also contain a threshold for the bottom as well as sealant to make sure everything is very secure. This will allow not only the air to stay out but the dirt, water, pollen, ice and everything else that somehow finds its way into your garage.