Are you looking for something that can add oomph to your home aesthetic and prove to be cost-effective?
If the answer is “yes,” an insulated garage door is what you need. It is not often that you find yourself shopping for a door to secure your garage area. However, you must find something that can prevent extreme energy and heat loss.
If you live in an area with extreme weather or temperatures, an insulated garage door can prevent hot or cold drafts from sneaking in through the garage and save you lots of money on your energy bills. Let us dive a little deeper and find out what insulated garage doors are and what else they have to offer.
How to Rate an Insulated Garage Doors
While you are shopping for insulated garage doors, you will come across several values to measure its effectiveness. Here is a quick description of what these values represent.
- R-Value – This represents the insulated garage door’s ability to reduce heat transmission. The higher the value, the lower the heat transmission. It will result in less chilled air sneaking into your garage during winters and less heat escaping during summers. R-value is a common denominator to measure the energy efficiency of an insulated garage door.
- U-Factor – Although not as popular as R-value, the u-factor defines the heat flow through the garage door material. In this case, the lower the value, the better.
Types of Garage Door Insulations
You can get two major variants of garage door insulations in the market, i.e., polystyrene and polyurethane. Let us look into what each of them has to offer.
- Polystyrene – This insulation material is popular amongst insulated garage door manufacturers. You can even get an aftermarket insulation kit at major retailers. Polystyrene insulation comes as rigid panels that you can insert between the layers of your garage door. In case you only have a single layer on your garage door, then you can place the insulation panels on the inside of the single-layered door. Insulated garage doors with polystyrene have a quieter, smoother, and energy-efficient operation.
- Polyurethane – This insulation material is the more energy-efficient of the two. It comprises polyurethane foam you can inject between your garage door’s layers. As you inject the foam, it expands and fills the entire door. Moreover, the foam bonds with your door’s frame and increases its strength. Polyurethane insulated garage doors offer a high level of soundproofing and climatic control. Therefore, they are ideal if you live in an area with extreme temperatures and weather.
What is WeatherStripping?
WeatherStripping is not insulation but a preventive measure to aid insulation of your garage door. Here you use a long vinyl or rubber strip to secure the bottom and sides of your insulated garage door to prevent any leakage of cold or hot air in and out of your garage.
However, you will have to keep up with the maintenance as weatherstripping may require periodic replacement.
Other Reasons to Use Insulated Garage Doors
Here are some reasons why you must opt for an insulated garage door over a plain variant.
Noise-Proofing
If you use your garage as a workshop or other activities, it may produce a lot of sounds. Moreover, outside traffic, extreme winds, and storms can also produce an echo leaking in through the garage into your home. An insulated garage door can take care of that issue for you, as it reduces noise pollution.
Consistent Temperature
The main reason to have an insulated garage door installed at your home or commercial property is to regulate the temperature in the garage space. The insulation will help prevent leakage of hot or cold air to and from the garage area, hence maintaining a consistent and comfortable temperature.
If you live in an area with extreme hot or cold weather, now you do not have to worry about that sweltering heat or freezing cold air in your garage area.
Eco-Friendly
According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), home cooling makes up 15 percent of your residential energy bills. In comparison, heating accounts for 15.9 percent approximately. As an insulated garage door prevents the cold or warm air from escaping or entering your garage, it helps maintain a consistent temperature.
Hence, you will have to use your HVAC system less often and turn your investment into an insulated garage door to be cost and energy-efficient.
Durability
Insulated garage doors often have an extra layer of wood, steel, or aluminum protection, making them stronger and durable than the un-insulated variants. This means your garage door is less likely to rust or dent. Moreover, this also guarantees a longer lifespan with less frequent repairs and replacements.
Security
A strengthened insulated garage door with an added layer provides a sturdy barricade against intruders and prevents any break-ins.
Tips to Choose Insulated Garage Door
Here are some additional tips for choosing an adequate insulated garage door.
- Always keep the climate you live in into account. The insulated garage doors may be more effective in extreme weather than other areas with milder climatic conditions. If your area experiences occasional spells of heat waves during summers or frigid cold temperatures in winters, investing in an insulated garage door may not be a cost-effective approach.
- Always know your needs; if you are looking for a simple insulation door, you can opt for polystyrene insulation. However, if you wish to reduce sound pollution, polyurethane is a more viable option of the two. You can also use natural door materials such as steel and wood for insulation.
- Although the insulated garage door will do its job, make sure that there are no other leakages or structural damages in your garage to jeopardize the insulation process. To make your insulation more effective, you must insulate other areas within your garage, such as floors, walls, roofs, and windows.
Where to Buy an Insulated Garage Door
If you are looking for an insulated garage door in Tampa Bay, contact the experts at Overhead Garage Door of Tampa Bay for your fast and free quote. Moreover, once you have chosen the garage door you want, always get a professional to install it to ensure apt installation and safety.
