The I-Factor: Choosing An Insulated Garage Door

If you’ve already determined your garage door is a good candidate for insulation, the next step is to figure out which of the many options works best for you and your budget.

There are a few ways to retro-insulate an existing door. You can use a special insulating kit purchased from the manufacturer for your specific door (click here to purchase one for your door) or you can go totally DIY and use either polystyrene panels or expanding spray foam from your local home improvement store. The biggest issue with either the panels or the foam is the wear every time a roller-panel door is opened or closed. The panels or foam tend to degrade quickly, usually over the course of just one winter. One exception to this is the swing-out or swing-up door: added insulation will stay in better shape on these types of doors since there aren’t as many moving parts to provide friction.

Another option is installing an already-insulated door. There are two main types of manufacturer insulated garage doors: sandwich construction and vinyl-back construction.

Sandwich Construction is probably the most effective insulation option, consisting of two metal skins bonded together with one of two types of insulation hidden between.

•  Polystyrene sheets cut to fit and glued between the panels are good for occasional heat retention and high durability (the doors resist denting and other lifetime damage). 
• Polyurethane expanding insulation injected between the layers of an assembled door produces even insulation across the entire inner surface of the door. This type of insulated door is best if you want to maintain a fully–heated garage space.

Vinyl-Back Construction uses expanded foam cores on the interior of the garage door, strengthening the door against dents and adding temperature control without the expense of a second interior steel skin. The advantage is mostly in price since the door will not be as durable or effective as the sandwich style.

About the Author: Lauren Turner is a former construction contractor turned wife and mother of two (so far). Her daily collection of duties and pleasures range from diaper duty to researching experimental concrete surfaces and everything in between. She is delighted to discover there is a place for her blogging skills and hopes her own garage benefits from all she learns.

About Academy Overhead Door: We specialize in complete residential overhead door repair that Colorado Springs residents can trust. We also offer opener repair on all major brands and models. Our trained technicians have the experience and the skill to install/repair your complete overhead garage doors. Academy Overhead Door: providing fast overhead door repair and installation today!
Call 719-481-2549
For more info visit our website: academyoverheaddoor.com

How To Choose A Garage Door: To Insulate or Not?

In the quest to keep energy bills low, many homeowners consider insulating their attached-garage doors to create a better barrier against the great outdoors. While insulating the door can be beneficial, it can also be expensive without much return on investment. A few lifestyle questions are worth asking first.

Is your garage used for living or storage space? This is probably the most important question. Most garages are in use as storage and there’s little point in stabilizing the temperature. Even with an insulated door, the garage will only stay noticeably warmer than the outdoors if it already has a source of heat. If your garage is one of the more unusual types in use as work or living space instead of storage, insulating the door should drastically reduce how hard your heater has to work.

How good is the insulation between your garage and house? If you already have good insulation in the adjoining walls, you already have a decent barrier between you and the weather. If you don’t have good insulation, however, insulating the garage door may be a good way to cut down on energy leakage. In this scenario, you may want to consider adding good weatherstripping and seal to the door as well, since even a small draft can significantly change the temperature inside.

Are you planning to insulate an existing door or purchase a manufacturer-insulated one? If you own an

Amarr door, DIY insulation kits are available for purchase. It’s possible to use spray foam or polystyrene boards from your local home-improvement store, but these solutions are not very effective since the insulation tends to break down quickly with use. If your garage is used more for living space than storage space, purchasing a manufacturer-insulated door is probably the best way to go.


If you feel you have a good candidate for garage door insulation, check out this related post: The I-Factor: Choosing An Insulated Garage Door

About the Author: Lauren Turner is a former construction contractor turned wife and mother of two (so far). Her daily collection of duties and pleasures range from diaper duty to researching experimental concrete surfaces and everything in between. She is delighted to discover there is a place for her blogging skills and hopes her own garage benefits from all she learns.

About Academy Overhead Door: We specialize in complete residential overhead door repair that Colorado Springs residents cant trust. We also offer opener repair on all major brands and models. Our trained technicians have experience and the skill to install/repair your complete overhead garage doors. Academy Overhead Door: providing fast overhead door repair and instillation today!
Call 719-481-2549
For more info visit our website: academyoverheaddoor.com