Insulating your garage door reduces your heating bills by 40%. Insulation also makes for a more durable garage door. If you plan to insulate a garage door, here is how.

Standard garage door insulation is Foam Board, Spray Foam, Rigid Board, Cellulose, and Reflective Insulation. Garage door insulation is a straightforward process that you can handle yourself.

The installation usually requires you to cut the insulation boards into the correct panel sizes and adhere the boards to the inner face of your garage door. This article will discuss the best types of garage door insulation and how to insulate it. Let us get right into it.

How Can I Insulate My Garage Door Cheaply?

Insulating your garage door is vital to ensure thermal efficiency, especially if you use a metal garage door. If you are working on a budget, then affordable insulation to use is the foam board and Batt insulation. The good news is that you can do it yourself. Here is how.

Tools Required: Tape measure, Pencil, Handsaw, adhesive, Insulation boards or sheets.

How to Apply Foam Board Insulation

Step 1: Measure the Total Area of your Garage Door

Since you are working on a budget, measuring your door panels first will help you get the right amount of foam board to avoid excesses. Using the tape measure the length and width of your garage door. If your door has panels, measure each panel separately. 

Record each measurement and then add the figures to get the total area.

Step 2: Choosing the Right Foam Board Insulation

There are three common types of foam board insulation: Expanded polystyrene, Extruded Polystyrene, and Polyisocyanurate. An essential factor to consider is the R-value of the foam board. The R-value determines the energy efficiency and the price of the foam board. 

Each time has a good R-value, but Polyisocyranurate has the highest, making it more energy efficient. Go for extruded polystyrene or polyisocyanurate if you live in a hot climate. Expanded polystyrene works are ideal for cold temperatures.

Step 3: Cut the Insulation Board

 Step 3 requires the measurement you took in the first step. Using your handsaw, you will cut the boards to size following the measures you took earlier. A foam board insulation is usually 4 by 8 feet. Place the board on a leveled platform, then use the handsaw to cut it into sizes to fit each garage door panel.

Step 4: Install the Insulation

 Place the cut pieces into the appropriate panels. Tuck them in until they fit perfectly. If your door is a single panel, consider sizing the board into two halves for easier insulation.

Ensure that there are no spaces between installed pieces. Place the foil face forward to give a finished look. Use excellent and long-lasting adhesive to glue the boards to your door. 

How To Install Batt Insulation

Step 1: Measure your Garage Door

Using your tape measure, measure the height and length of the interior side of your garage door. If your garage door is made of panels measure each panel separately. Add up the figures to get the total area.

Step 2: Choosing the Right Batt Kit

The common materials used for Batt Insulation include Fiberglass, Rockwool, and Ceramic. All have good R-values and are ideal for garage door insulation. However, ceramic batting has the highest R-value and is costly and unnecessary for garage doors.

Purchase enough sheets to cover your garage door. You might want to install two layers for better results.  Select a kit with already-cut batts. 

Step 3: Set the Retaining Pins

Most batt insulation kit comes with retaining pins for easy installation of the batts. If your garage door has panels, glue two to three pins on the center of each panel. If you have a single-panel door, place the pins to cover the entire area.

Step 4: Install the Batts

Place the batting over the pins, and make a small incision on the batt to correctly locate the head of each nail. Place the batt over the whole area. Ensure there is no space between each batt piece. To secure the batts to the pins, install the stopper to the head of each retainer pins.

Why Should I Insulate the Garage Door?

The benefits of an insulated garage door are so enormous that they outweigh the cost. Insulating your garage doors reduces your heating bill and buffers noise and can serve as a form of fire protection. It also protects your vehicles from weather elements.

Here are some reasons why you should insulate your garage door. 

1. Energy Efficiency

The primary purpose of insulating garage doors is to provide energy efficiency. Insulation is a barrier keeping the heat out in the summer and the cold in the winter. Insulation of your garage door will reduce your heating bills by 40% on average. 

2. Noise Buffering

Insulated garage doors offer padding that keeps external noise out.  This makes living more comfortable, especially if there are living rooms that share a wall with your garage door. If you use your garage for other noisy activities like a mini-workshop, insulating your garage door will keep the noise in. 

3. Air Sealing

In addition to caulking and weatherstripping, insulating your garage door makes for optimum air sealing. Insulation seals all gaps in your garage door that allow air in, making for more draft protection. 

4. Vehicle Protection

Insulating your garage door protects your vehicles and other belongings from harsh weather elements. If your vehicle is left in harsh environments, your car batteries and tires can get affected. Insulation will also cover insect and rodent protection if you use your garage as a store. 

5. Durability

Insulating your garage door more thick, rigid, and hence more durable. An insulated garage door can withstand harsh weather elements and high impacts. Insulating your garage door is a good investment as it increases the life span of your garage door.

How Much Does It Cost to Insulate a Garage Door

Insulating your garage door is a cost-effective and intelligent choice since openings around the garage door are the leading cause of drafting. You can also DIY your garage door insulation to save costs. It cost $300 – $900 to insulate a door.

Like other home improvement projects, several factors affect the garage door insulation cost. Some of the factors that affect the garage door insulation cost are:

1. R-Value: The R-value represents the thermal efficiency of the insulation. That is its ability to keep heat and cold out during cold and hot weather, respectively.  The material’s type, density, and thickness determine the R-value. The higher the R-value, the more expensive the insulation. 

2. Type Of Insulation: This is the primary determining factor of the insulation cost. The kind of insulation and the material used affects how much you will spend on your garage door insulation. Here is a list of the common insulation types and the price of insulation per square meter.

• Spray Foam Insulation: $10 – $50 per m2
• Batt Insulation: $10 – $45 per m2
• Rigid Foam Insulation: $10 – $15 per m2, depending on the material used. 
• Cellulose Insulation: $25 – $50 per m2

3. Total Area: Usually, you will be charged for insulating per square meter, so the entire surface area to be insulated determines the cost. The larger the area, the more you will spend.

4. Density/Thickness: The density and thickness of the insulation material determine its R-value. The thicker the material, the higher the sheet’s R-value and price.

5. Labor: The labor cost depends on the insulation type and how complex the insulation process is. Garage door insulation is pretty straightforward, and you can get it done on your own. However, getting a professional hand makes for a perfect result. You will pay $50 – $100 per hour. It will take 2 hours to complete the process.

Best Garage Door Insulation Ideas

It is essential to understand the types of insulation to make the right choice. Good insulation will drastically reduce your heat bills and keep noise out. Let us look at the best garage door insulation, its advantages, and disadvantages.

1. Batt Insulation

Batt insulation is flexible, comes in various materials, and can be foil-finished or unfinished. It comes in strips or rolls that you must glue to your garage door with a suitable adhesive. Common types of batt insulation include:

• Fiberglass Batt is one of the commonly used garage door insulation, usually applied on the inner face of the door. It is made into sized batts and large rolls. There are also foil-faced fiberglass batts that you can use to give your door a neat, finished look. A 1 ½ thick fiberglass batt has an R-value of 5 – 6.5.
• Rockwool Batt is also called mineral batt because it is made of refinished steel shredded into fibers. A 1 ½-inch thick batt has an R-value of 4.3 – 5.
• Ceramic batt is made of ceramic fibers. It is costlier than fiberglass and Rockwool batt. It has an R-value of 6.5 per 1 ½-inch.  

Advantages Of Batt Insulation

• It is easy to apply.
• It has an R-value of 3-4 per inch.
• You can easily fit it between framing or studs.
• It is very affordable.

Disadvantages Of Batt Insulation

• It irritates the skin and eyes.
• If wrong installed, it will be useless in fire hazard
• It is not resistant to moisture.

2. Rigid Foam Insulation

Rigid foam insulation is made of materials like extruded or expanded Polystyrene and Polyisocyanurate. These materials provide the best thermal insulation. Its sheets come in various sizes and thicknesses. The R-value of foam boards depends on the material used. Polyisocyanurate has the highest R-value of 6 per inch. 

Extruded and expanded polystyrene has an R-value of 4.6 and 5, respectively. With such a high R-value, a thin sheet will provide enough insulation compared to other insulation types. Only opt for foil-finished and fire-resistant foam board for the best results.

Advantages Of Rigid Foam Insulation

• It has a high R-value of about 6.5 per inch.
• It is a reasonable noise buffer.
• It is an affordable garage door insulation idea.

Disadvantages Of Rigid Foam Insulation

• Some rigid foam insulation sheets are not resistant to fire attacks.

3. Spray Foam Insulation

Spray foam insulation is another affordable garage door insulation method. The insulation is sprayed unto the inside face of the door. It is not the most efficient garage door insulation, but it will raise your garage door’s R-value.

Advantages Of Spray Foam Insulation

• It is easy to apply.
• It is very affordable.

Disadvantages Of Spray Foam Insulation

• It will wear off quickly.
• It is not a practical garage door insulation.

4. Cellulose Insulation

Cellulose insulation is a costly option for garage doors. It is a type of blown-in insulation perfect for not just your garage door but the whole garage area. It is usually made of recycled paper treated with fire retardants.

Advantages Of Cellulose Insulation

• It is an eco-friendly option.
• It is 100% fire-resistant.
• You can apply it to the whole garage door.

Disadvantages Of Cellulose Insulation

• It is costly.

5. Reflective Insulation

Reflective insulation is ideal for metal garage doors in hot climates. It keeps the cold out in the winter and the heat out in the summer, making it a perfect thermal moderator. It is lightweight and made into rolls or sheets, making it easy to size and install.

Advantages Of Reflective Insulation

• It is very affordable.
• It is easy to install.
• It is an excellent thermal moderator.

Can Any Garage Door Be Insulated?

You can insulate all kinds of garage doors. You should make a deliberate effort to insulate your garage door if it is made of metal. Metal is a good conductor and a poor insulator. Hence it is essential to insulate your metal garage door.

The great thing about garage door insulation is that you can do it independently. All you need is the right tools and the necessary materials.

For better thermal efficiency, you should choose an insulation option with a high R-value. The R-value of insulation determines the price of a board, so you will spend more for quality insulation. 

Conclusion

Now that you have learned the benefits of garage door insulation, you should consider insulating your garage door. If you find it difficult to install your insulation yourself, get professional help. A professional will charge  $50 – $100 per hour to insulate your garage door.