You’ve probably heard about the importance of insulating your attic, walls, and maybe even floors, but what about your garage door? Often, this part of your home is overlooked, but garage door insulation provides many benefits and savings.
After reading through this blog, you’ll have a better understanding of how insulated garage doors and R-values go hand-in-hand so you can find the best garage door for your home’s needs.
What is Garage Door Insulation R-Value?
Before we get into the details of determining the best R-value for your new garage door, we’ll explain the meaning of R-value and why it’s an important factor. You may have heard R-value in other settings, and it has a similar meaning in the world of garage doors.
The higher the R-value, the better heat can be contained in the space. So an R-value of 8 is going to be able to retain heat flow a lot better than an R-value of 3. Don’t worry, just because the insulation is higher and the thermal efficiency is better, it doesn’t mean there will be more thickness.
Artisan’s garage doors have a base R-value of 9, which compared to a non-insulated wood garage door is extremely high. Typically, wood doors have an R-value of 2.17. Our manufacturing process includes an insulated foam core to create a higher, more efficient insulated garage door.
Determining the Right R-Value for You
The R-value of your garage door is often overlooked but is an important consideration. Your garage door is a large opening to your home, so without sufficient insulation, you could be transferring a lot of air in and out of your home.
Now that you have a better understanding of what the R-value really means, here are factors you should acknowledge in order to choose the correct R-value.
Your Home’s Location
What’s the climate like in your area? If you live somewhere with extreme weather conditions, you want to take extra precautions to better insulate your home and garage door.
You’ll find that each county in the United States is given a climate zone. This helps homeowners better understand what type of insulation is best for them. If you live in a higher climate zone, you’ll be advised to have a higher R-value for your home. Because of this, you may want to consider taking the extra step and investing in an insulated garage door.
Now, even if you live in a less severe climate, garage door insulation for cold weather and hot summers means you’re able to use your garage space year-round. Along with this, you won’t have to worry about storage items getting damaged from excessively hot or cold temperatures.
Your Garage Door Materials
Once you have a better idea of your climate and recommended insulation, you can start to consider what garage door material suits your home best. Different materials have the ability to hold different R-values.
At Artisan, our wood garage doors have a significant R-value, but if you’re looking for additional insulation, there is more flexibility in vinyl garage doors. For example, our Symphony series can be customized and manufactured with a steel frame to have an R-value of 18.
Benefits of an Insulated Garage Door
The benefits of insulated garage door panels range from cost savings and less energy loss to better privacy and protection. Ultimately, by making this investment you’ll be able to utilize your garage space significantly more than if it was not insulated.
Save on Monthly Energy Costs
One of the biggest benefits of investing in a highly insulated garage door is heat won’t escape from your home. Your garage door is a large opening and when it’s not properly insulated, you risk letting cold air in and hot air escaping, which results in a much higher monthly utility bill.
In Pennsylvania, the average family spends over $2,000 per year on energy bills. With insulation, throughout your home and in your garage, you can expect to save up to 15% of your monthly bills. This roughly equates to saving $300 per year.
Protect Yourself from Carbon Monoxide
A potentially overlooked benefit of proper insulation is it protects your home from carbon monoxide. Especially if you keep your car in your garage, carbon monoxide can become trapped in the space and potentially spread to the interior of your home.
It’s a common practice to never run your car within your garage space, but without insulation, even running your car out in your driveway can be a danger. Slowly, carbon monoxide can seep into the garage and eventually your home. This could cause anyone living in your home to be susceptible to carbon monoxide poisoning.
Keep Temperatures Comfortable
Depending on your home’s location, your winters can be cold and rigid or your summers can be dry and hot. Garage door insulation helps you regulate your home’s temperatures so you can use the space as a usable room, any time you want.
More than half of Americans spend up to two hours in their garage doing various hobbies. So, however you like to spend your time in your garage space, make sure you’re comfortable and able to be in the space year-round.
Additionally, if you store decorations or seasonal items that you don’t use as often in your garage door, you will want a controlled temperature to ensure they don’t get ruined.
Less Noise
Especially if your home is close to your neighbors, noise between homes can become an inconvenience. When you use your garage door for a creative or musical space or turn it into a workshop, the noise can not only disturb others around you but also everyone inside the home.
Now, even if you don’t have a rock band playing in your garage or the sound of workshop tools, you may still want to reduce the noise coming in and out of your home. Because privacy is more than just whether or not your neighbors can see you.
Ultimately, insulated garage doors create a comfortable barrier between you, your neighbors, and even people walking by.
Receive a Great Return on Investment
Investing in an insulated garage door may seem like a financial feat now, but will ultimately save you money and be a great return on investment in the long run. Because of the many benefits, insulation becomes an appealing feature for a potential homebuyer.
Making renovations to your garage door at large is one of the highest returns on investment you can receive from a home project. In 2022, the average return on investment for a full garage door replacement was 193.9%.
And, as we mentioned before, you’ll be saving more money on monthly utility bills when you insulate your garage door. So although this may seem like a great undertaking, it will be worth it in the long run.
