Garage Door Insulation for the Tampa Bay Weather
If you look at the front of an average home, the garage door clearly takes up the most space and is quite noticeable. It is very obvious to the naked eye that the largest opening to the home is the garage door.
Unfortunately, despite its prominence, garage doors are often forgotten when it comes to insulation. This leads to the garage being vulnerable to the swings of temperatures influenced by the weather outside.
In most homes, the wall between the garage and the home is the boundary preventing the outside air from dictating the internal temperature of the house. While an insulated wall between the garage and home is great, it might be better to insulate the garage itself and provide an extra layer of thermal protection for your house.
The Benefits of Having an Insulated Garage Door
The word insulation probably brings about thoughts of cold winter nights – not a typical problem for people living in warm climates. However, there are far more benefits than simply keeping a cold space warmer.
Insulation works to keep cold in, cold out, warm in, and warm out, as needed. Thus, a warmer climate uses insulation to keep the cold air from escaping a space and the warm air from invading the room. This leads to lower energy costs and lesser environmental impacts.
Insulating your garage door can allow you to install a cooling system in the garage. This can prove invaluable if you use your garage for storing items best kept at, or below, room temperature.
Another benefit to insulation for your garage door is an improved sound barrier. If you use your garage to work or exercise, hearing every truck passing by can get irritating. It can also prevent the irritation, your neighbors feel as your children practice the drums or electric guitar.
The final major benefit of a properly sealed and insulated garage door is pest prevention. Rodents are a problem in most parts of Florida and they often slip in through the smallest of openings in garage doors.
The Downside of an Insulated Garage Door
The only downsides occur when installing insulation like a traditional foam. This type of installation is less than ideal because it is not made to stand up to the rigors of daily garage door use.
Insulation added to a garage door can also put a burden on the garage door opener. The additional weight can expedite the wear and tear process.
There is a way to avoid these challenges. A professional can install a weather seal appropriate for your garage door that provides all the benefits without the maintenance issues regular insulation causes. For advanced insulation, polyurethane foam can be sprayed onto the ceiling and walls.
Determining the Strength of Garage Door Insulation
For those interested in how strong a particular garage door installation is, they need look no farther than the “R-value.” The higher the number, the stronger the insulation. For colder climates, a high R-value is a necessity. In warmer areas, it may not be as important.
Can I Install Garage Door Insulation Myself?
This is a complicated question because some people are very good at DIY tasks. However, installing garage door insulation is a tricky process. It is vital that it be installed correctly, or all the benefits will be non-existent.
Improper installation can also be dangerous. It could make the door function improperly and make it less efficient, leading to unusual wear and tear. If you do the work yourself and it does not come out right, you will have wasted significant time.
Some issues to watch out for with self-installation:
- Insulation is not aligned with garage door panels, making door movement problematic.
- Insulation does not adhere well to the door as it moves.
- Insulation weighs the door down, causing obvious strain on the opener.
We strongly advise you to have a professional come out to evaluate your garage and its insulation needs. This could save you time, money, and provide efficient insulation.
As we have seen, there are multiple options for insulating garage doors, and it is not a one-size-fits-all project. An experienced professional can make this process quick and easy.
