Installing energy-efficient garage doors that resist heat and cold flows is one of the most effective ways to reduce energy consumption. Although insulated garage doors have a higher initial cost compared to their counterparts, they not only conserve energy but also offer a wide range of colors, sizes, and styles, enhancing the curb appeal of any home.

Why Should You Invest in an Insulated Garage Door?

If your garage is attached to your house, which many are, insulated garage doors enable you to effectively control the temperatures in your home and garage. They help preserve as much heat as possible in the winter and keep it cool during the summer.

Extreme temperatures inside the garage can have a negative impact on the condition of your vehicles. Cold garages can cause a vehicle’s brake and engine fluids to thicken, its battery to weaken, its tire pressures to drop, and its accelerator belts to squeal.

This is especially true if your vehicle is vintage or somewhat outdated. An insulated door also helps to preserve any valuables stored inside the garage. Certain paints, chemicals, and other everyday items can be negatively affected by high and low garage temperatures.

Insulated garage doors not only help control the temperature but also reduce noise transmission. Many property owners choose to install insulated garage doors when the garage serves as an extension of their home’s living area or if it is used for certain everyday activities. For example, some people use their garages as makeshift gyms, playrooms, or music rehearsal rooms.

How Does Garage Door Insulation Work?

Garage door insulation creates a barrier that slows the transfer of heat. In cold weather, it keeps the warmth inside, and in hot weather, it keeps the heat outside. This conservation of temperature helps reduce the need for heating or cooling systems, thus saving energy and lowering utility costs. Additionally, garage door insulation acts as a sound barrier, reducing vibrations and sound energy transfer.

Insulated garage doors have an R-value, which measures the efficiency of the insulation. This R-value essentially represents the door’s resistance to heat, cold, and noise. Energy-efficient garage doors with high R-values more effectively prevent this process due to their efficient insulation materials and construction. The higher the R-value, the more effectively the door preserves the temperature, conserves energy, and reduces noise transfer.

Although R-values are the most common ratings for energy-efficient doors, some come with a rating known as a ‘U-factor’ or ‘U-value’ instead. These U-factors take all the garage door properties into account, assessing the door’s sections material and insulation to create an overall cumulative energy efficiency score. The lower the U-factor, the more energy-efficient the door is.

What Are Insulated Garage Doors Made Of?

Insulated garage doors can be made of steel or wood, with the insulation itself typically made of poly foam, such as polystyrene and polyurethane. The method used for insulating the garage door and the foam density will affect how well the garage door insulates.

Polystyrene is inserted into garage door panels, and it’s not always a perfect fit. This can leave weak spots where your door can still lose heat. Polystyrene insulation is typically used in 2-layer (poly back) steel garage doors, which are considered more economical in terms of price.

On the other hand, polyurethane insulation is a spray foam that is sprayed into the door. The polyurethane expands inside and bonds to all crevices of the door, ensuring a snug and thorough fit. This means that polyurethane-insulated garage doors insulate more effectively. Polyurethane insulation is typically used in 3-layer (sandwich) steel back and custom wood garage doors.

What Is the Recommended R-Value?

The recommended R-value is at least 10 as a general guideline. While R-values typically range from R-4 to R-18, R-10 doors reduce temperature loss by around 90%, while R-18 doors reduce it by around 97%, so the jump from R-10 to R-18 doesn’t necessarily result in significant efficiency gains.

Is it truly worthwhile to pay extra for a mere 7-8% increase in energy efficiency? If your garage is detached from the house or lacks insulation, it may not be the best idea to install an insulated garage door with a high R-value, let alone an energy-efficient one.

If you’re unsure about the appropriate R-value for your garage, consulting a licensed garage door repair and installation company is a good option.

Is an Energy-Efficient Garage Door Worth It?

The Energy Star program argues that it’s better to insulate and seal the wall between the garage and the house, assuming it’s attached, rather than insulating the garage or garage door. This approach reduces temperature loss in your home overall. However, it doesn’t take the garage’s temperature into account.

Insulating your garage and garage door allows you to better control your home’s temperature and increases overall energy efficiency. This holds true even for garages with insulated doors but no insulation in their actual garage walls.

Garages, when attached to the house, act as buffer zones. For example, if the temperature outside is 20 degrees, the average non-insulated garage may be 30 degrees inside. However, by installing an insulated garage door, the interior temperature of the garage could increase to 42 degrees. The door alone can make a 12-degree difference.

Energy-efficient garage doors are also more durable, heavy, sturdy, and quiet. 3-layer insulated garage doors are constructed from an additional interior layer of steel to sandwich the insulation, providing them with an overall more robust construction. This reduces the likelihood that you’ll need to call a garage door repair company in the near future.

While energy-efficient garage doors effectively reduce outside noise, they also reduce noise from their own operation. Insulated garage doors are sturdier than non-insulated ones and produce significantly less noise when opening and closing. Nonetheless, if your garage door, whether insulated or not, makes excessive noise, it’s advisable to have it lubricated and maintained.

The Case for Energy-Efficient Garage Doors

As climate change awareness rises, it’s no surprise that energy-efficient garage doors have become more popular. Even if you’re not someone who prioritizes environmental sustainability, well-insulated garage doors with a decent R-value are more durable, reduce noise transmission, could potentially increase your property value, and save you money on energy costs.