How to Better Insulate Your Garage
February 20, 2019
While you may not want to heat or cool your garage, you may need to ensure your garage is well insulated from extreme temperatures. This is especially important if you keep temperature-sensitive items in the garage, like photos, but insulation will also help other rooms, especially those above or near the garage, stay naturally cooler or warmer without wasting energy.
If you want to boost your garage's insulation, check out these tips.
Replace the Exterior Door
If your garage has a regular door leading outside, and you haven't maintained or replaced it in a while, it can cause major problems. Wear and tear from use and damage may cause holes in the door, or they may prevent the door from sitting properly in the frame. Not only does this increase the risk of energy leaks, but a damaged door isn't as secure.
When you replace the door, choose steel or solid wood. Solid wood doors are natural insulators. Steel doors are usually hollow inside, which is good because steel isn't great for insulation. Therefore, insulation can be added inside the steel door, boosting its ability to insulate your garage.
Replace the Main Garage Door
You should also replace your main automatic garage door when it starts to show signs of wear and tear, and this may be one of the most important ways to boost your garage's insulation because the garage door is so large. Again, choose a wood or steel main garage door because they are durable and offer good insulating properties.
Wood is more expensive, depending on the features, design, and type of wood. Steel garage doors are a little less expensive overall. Both require maintenance, and without good maintenance, wooden garage doors can rot or decay. While steel garage doors do not rot, they are more likely to puncture, which will impact the insulating qualities. Talk to your garage door specialist to see what material would work best for you.
Install Energy-Efficient Window
Your garage may not have many windows, but the windows you do have probably let a lot of heat in or out. In the summer, heat can get in as sunshine, and in the winter, heat can easily escape. For this reason, you should install energy-efficient windows, including in the garage door if it has windows.
Energy-efficient windows come in many styles, but they are often double or even triple-paned. This means they have more than one sheet of glass. They usually have insulating gasses between the sheets of glass to further resist heat gain or loss.
Seal Holes and Secure Thresholds
If your garage has recently been upgraded, but you still notice drafts or heat gain, check for any holes or gaps. These can allow hot air to easily pass through the garage walls. Start by checking around any pipes or cords that pass through the exterior wall. These are notorious for having small gaps, but you can seal them with canned spray-foam insulation.
Gaps can also appear around thresholds, such as your garage doors. Wear and tear may cause small holes to appear around the frame, and damaged weather-stripping can also allow hot air to pass with ease. You can fix small holes around door frames and windows with spray insulation, and you can replace worn weather-stripping.
Your garage may not need to be kept at a comfortable temperature for you, but you do need to protect the items you store in there. Plus, a hot garage in the summer and cold one in the winter can affect your heating and cooling bills. For more information, contact us today at Edelen Door & Window.
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