How to Insulate Your Garage Door

A well-insulated garage door can help keep your family and car safe, and reduce energy costs. It can also help you reduce the cold or heat from entering your home, which can help keep your family comfortable in the winter and in the summer. However, a poorly insulated garage door won’t be able to handle the extra weight of snow, causing damage to the door or even breaking it completely. 

In this blog, we’ll discuss how to insulate your garage door the right way and some inside tips. Call us if you need help in insulating your garage door.

Types of Garage Door Insulation

After deciding to insulate your garage door, you must decide on the type of insulation. Most insulating materials will work, although some can better fit depending on your needs.

Reflective Insulation

These are stiff boards that have been wrapped in rolls of reflective material. The materials have a highly reflective foil adhered to one or both sides. Heat is reflected by this insulation, making it a good option for garages in warm regions.

Foam Board Insulation

These are polystyrene panels that take up minimal space while offering a lot of insulation. It also looks more aesthetically pleasing because the foam board could be coated with metal or vinyl.

Batt Insulation

Fiberglass creates this flexible insulation, frequently seen in exterior walls. This form of insulation is among the cheapest available. It often has foil, vinyl, or paper backing.

Choosing the Right Materials

The first step in insulating a garage door is getting the right materials. You may get R-4 expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam board and R-8 vinyl-faced fiberglass at home improvement stores. Each one has distinctive qualities and is appropriate for various settings.

You’ll also need weatherstripping in addition to insulation. Garage door insulation kits can be bought at your local big-box retailer, although you may gather the materials independently. The ideal garage door insulation kit provides the most leverage for tightly fitting parts.

How to Insulate a Garage Door

It’s recommended to insulate a garage door while it’s not too hot or too cold outside. Note that some materials may not function as expected if the temperature is below zero during installation.

A garage door’s sudden movement can also be hazardous since it is heavy. That’s why we advise disconnecting or turning off the electrical panel in addition to your garage door opener. That way, unexpected door activation will be prevented. Work on the door while it is down. Caution: Only those who are professionally certified should adjust door springs!

1. Attach the retainer pins.

Measure a point right in the middle between the horizontal rails and 12 inches from either side of the door panel. Mark the spot once it has been measured. Ensure that each marking is centered and that each portion is marked.

Press the base onto the panel after removing the adhesive backing paper from the retention pins. After that, proceed to attach the retainer pins to each marking.

2. Cut the insulation.

Whichever type of insulation you use, cut it to the right length. Although pre-cut foam core panels are offered, they sometimes fail to fit tightly.

Instead of cutting all pieces to the same size, measure each panel’s length individually because they may vary. The insulation should be placed on a solid, hard surface, such as plywood or concrete. Then, with a straightedge pressed against it, cut the panel accordingly.

3. Secure the insulation.

Now that your foam board is cut in the appropriate length, center the insulation with the panel and place it against the retaining pin, so it pierces the vinyl-facing surface.

Once the retainer pin pierces the board, push the insulation deeper with a retainer cap until it snaps. Once it’s secured, repeat the process until all garage door insulation panels are insulated and secured.

4. Fit the doorstop weatherstripping.

Place the doorstop in the side jams and along the edge of the garage door to see how it fits. The weatherstrip should be angled at a 45-degree angle. If necessary, quickly fasten it by partly driving the nails through the side.

5. Adjust the weatherstripping.

Apply a lot of pressure to the outer walls of the garage door to simulate the impact of heavy winds. After that, turn the doorstop inward to create a tight seal. Check the doorstop numerous times and reposition it as needed.

You should switch out your current hinges for spring-loaded ones if the doorstops can’t be securely fastened or you can’t see the light coming through after applying them. In addition, spring-loaded hinges continually press against garage door weatherstripping. In this case, you should contact a professional to examine or replace them because changing the springs is dangerous.

6. Set up a new bottom seal.

After insulating and securing the sides and back of your garage door, you may work on the bottom seal. Use a flathead screwdriver to bend the bottom seal track slots so they can be removed. Repeat until everything is released on both sides.

After removing the old bottom seal, spray some silicone or dish soap in the bottom slots. Then, install your fresh vinyl seal along the insulated door’s bottom.

Use a utility knife to trim any extra vinyl, then use pliers to secure the ends. It’s best to crimp one side of each vinyl seal properly to keep it from splitting or cracking.

7. Test the door.

Test it once you’ve followed all the steps. The garage door should remain in place if it’s perfectly balanced when raised halfway. Otherwise, the door is unbalanced if it falls immediately after being unlocked.

Unbalanced garage doors can impair garage door openers. Consider calling Ohana Garage Door Repair to readjust the garage door’s spring tension if this is the case.

Should You Insulate Your Garage Door?

A garage with adequate insulation does not lose heat or cool air. Also, if you live in a neighborhood with excessive traffic noise, a properly insulated garage door will keep noise from your property. 

If you don’t want to tackle a DIY project, or are looking for a higher R-value to insulate your garage, contact Ohana Garage Door Repair. We can provide new steel-backed (triple layer) insulated garage doors that offer permanent, aesthetically pleasing, ultra quiet insulation.