Insulating your garage door can have numerous benefits. Adding a layer of insulation to the garage door will increase its thermal comfort, reduce energy bills, and provide an additional barrier against noise and moisture infiltration. Fortunately, this can be done using some basic tools and products available at a hardware store. By following a few simple steps, you can learn how to insulate your garage door yourself.
Steps
Step 1. Measure the garage door panels
The panels are the rectangular parts of the garage door, which are mounted on the frame. You are going to install insulation on the inside of the garage door, so you need to measure inside. Use a tape measure to determine the size of each panel; there is no need to be too precise at this stage, you just need to know what the dimensions are in general to decide how much insulation to buy.
Step 2. Purchase the insulation
There are 2 different types, both of which are ideal for use with garage doors.
- The first type you can use is reflective foil. This type of insulation is usually about 12.5mm thick, and consists of a reflective aluminum foil within sandwich-positioned foam polyethylene. This insulator is sold in rolls, and has the advantage of being very flexible. Learn about the effectiveness of this material in hot and cold weather.
- Another suitable material is expanded polystyrene. This type of insulation is rigid, and is sold in sheets. Polystyrene will insulate better than reflective film, but can be more difficult to work with due to its stiffness. Take a tour to find the best material for insulation capacity. Some specialized centers offer materials with a coefficient of 9, 8 and 7, 5, for materials with a thickness of 3, 8 cm.
- You shouldn't use fiberglass or spray insulators. These materials are not suitable for this type of insulation.
Step 3. Cut the insulation to size
Using a ruler, measure the dimensions of each individual door panel, and record the measurements on the insulation sheet, marking the dimensions with a pen. Using a ruler as a guide, cut the insulation to size with a utility knife. It is always best to stay a little loose, as you can always cut off the excess material later.
Step 4. Mount the insulation to each garage door panel
Place the insulation panel against the door panel. If your garage door has a metal frame that extends beyond the front door, you should be able to slip insulation into the frame itself. If not, simply line up the piece of insulation directly with each panel. Trim any excess material if necessary.
Step 5. Attach the insulation to the door
Use aluminum tape to attach the insulation to the garage door. If you can thread the insulation into the frame, you may not need the tape. Alternatively, you can use double-sided tape, first applying it to the panel in long strips, and then pressing the insulation against the panel. Repeat this process until all panels have been isolated.
Step 6. Consider purchasing a garage door insulation kit as an alternative
Insulation kits are readily available at hardware stores, and the job could be much faster, as the insulation material will already be cut into panels. Make sure the kit panels are no smaller than the garage door panels. The procedure for installing the kit will be very similar to that described above.
Warnings
- The additional weight of the insulation may require you to adjust the tension of the door spring, or possibly replace the existing spring with one large enough to support the extra weight. Otherwise there will be an additional stress on the opening mechanism, which will wear out faster. It can also happen that the door descends by itself, if it releases itself from the opening mechanism.
- Do not attempt to apply insulation to the garage door hinges. Even though the insulation is flexible, doing so will interfere with the opening and closing of the garage door.
