If your garage does double duty as a home workshop, or perhaps you spend a considerable amount of time in there just enjoying your hobbies, you will want to make sure that it is well insulated. The more effective the insulation, the less you will have to pay to keep your garage comfortably cool in the summer months, and nice and warm in the wintertime. If you have never considered insulating your garage before, please feel free to take advantage of the information gathered in this article. In the following guide, the Arapahoe Garage Door Service team explores details of the different types of insulation available today, together with their thoughts on which ones may be best for your home.
Types of Garage Door Insulation Materials
As local specialists, we are most familiar with the demands the Colorado climate puts on garage insulation so be sure to take this into account when reading our recommendations. Having said that, our experiences should hold for residents in many other parts of the country so wherever you happen to be, you will almost certainly find some value in the information on different insulation types below:
Rigid Foam
Many homeowners choose this type of insulation for garages and other utility spaces. This is because it is widely available, inexpensive, and, most importantly, very effective. Furthermore, it is easy to work with and install: simply cut the sheets to size and place them in the spaces in between the studs and joists of your garage walls. For the door, cut panels to size and affix them to the interior surface. You can find rigid foam sheets in a variety of different thicknesses, making it easy for you to achieve your desired level of insulation when pursuing this option.
Fiberglass
Rolls of fiberglass are, if anything, even easier to install than rigid foam. This is one of the reasons it is the most popular garage insulation choice across the USA today. However, there are dangers associated with fiberglass insulation and it can be more difficult to work with if you do not wear appropriate PPE. Loose fiberglass strands and particles can irritate the skin, eyes, and lungs unless protective gear is worn when handling this type of insulating material.
Cellulose
Cellulose insulation is an environmentally friendly option that performs relatively well. However, as it needs to be blown into cavities through holes in the walls, floor, and ceiling, it is normally only installed by professionals and is consequently more expensive than the first two options. If you have unfinished walls in your garage, it will not be possible to choose this particular insulation option of course, and it's no good for doors either: whether you have an old or new garage door installation, you cannot simply cut holes in the door and blow cellulose insulation inside. If you wish to pursue this particular option, we suggest getting in touch with local insulation specialists to ask for their advice and opinions.
Spray Foam
This type of insulation can be very effective but it suffers from the same drawbacks as cellulose: it is more expensive, it cannot be installed in garages with unfinished walls and it cannot be installed in garage doors either, at least not after they have already been manufactured. If you plan to convert your garage into additional living space in the future, you may wish to consider spray foam insulation for its superb performance but, for everybody else, we recommend choosing a less expensive alternative.
Reflective Foil
Reflective foil, sometimes referred to as radiant barrier insulation, can easily be applied to the walls and ceiling of any domestic garage. It is not so easy to apply to an existing overhead door installation but you could always use rigid foam panels for the door if you like the idea of using radiant barrier insulation everywhere else.
For more information on insulation options for garages and overhead doors, please feel free to call or message us. It will be our pleasure to help you make the right choice for your home. We are also available to complete any type of new garage door installation in Littleton and the surrounding area.