Garage Door Insulation

A New Garage Door May Help You Realize Energy Savings This Winter

When that North wind starts howling and the mercury is dropping, we in western Pennsylvania know that winter is here. Our thoughts turn first towards staying warm, but we also want to save on our energy bills.

One possible place to look closer for energy savings is your home’s garage door. Manufacturers make both insulated and non-insulated garage doors. If your garage is not attached to your home, a non-insulated garage door is sufficient. However, if your garage is connected to your home, you will save a significant amount of energy savings by getting a new, insulated garage door.

Garage Door Insulation R-Value

Even if your existing garage door is insulated, there are factors to consider. First, you should look at the R-value (thermal resistance value) of both your door and garage. If your garage is attached, it is preferable to have a door with an R-value (thermal resistance value) of at least R-12.

The second thing to consider is whether or not you use your garage for more than just parking your car. For example, if it is also either a workshop or a play area for the children, then increasing the door’s R-value might provide a greater level of comfort.

Other factors to consider are the thickness of the door and whether to use polyurethane or polystyrene insulation. The general rules of thumb are that a thicker door provides better insulation and polyurethane provides better thermal resistance than polystyrene, but garages differ and so do family budgets. We can help you make the best choice for your home.

Weather Stripping

Another factor to consider is weatherstripping. Even if you have the best insulated door on the market, how weathertight your door is may be determined by the weatherstripping around your door. If that isn’t effective, then you still will be losing heat through your garage.

When it comes to the weatherstripping, look closely at your door. Are there thermal breaks at the intersection of joints? Are the ends of sections made with steel caps that transfer cold to the interior? Does the weatherstripping at the bottom stay flexible in cold weather? Most importantly, does the exterior frame weatherstripping have a double lip to stop cold air from entering your garage?

Gerald Giel Garage Doors uses double weatherstripping on all Garaga doors we install. Even if the outside weather strip is frozen stiff, the inside strip on a garage door we install continues to keep the cold air out.