Having an insulated garage door installed can provide multiple benefits for your home. If you live in an area with extreme weather, either very hot summers or freezing winters, an insulated garage door can help regulate the temperature inside your garage and even inside your home. Insulated garage doors also provide noise reduction from outside traffic or other noises. Overall, installing an insulated garage door is a great way to increase comfort, energy efficiency, and security for your home.
What Is An Insulated Garage Door?
An insulated garage door has a core layer of polyurethane foam insulation sandwiched between two layers of steel or other material. This insulation acts as a thermal barrier, preventing cold air from entering the garage in winter and hot air from entering in summer. The thickness of the insulation typically ranges from 1 3/4 inches to 2 inches.
Insulated garage doors may have flush panel designs for a sleek, modern look or raised panel designs for a more classic style. They come in steel, aluminum, fiberglass, and wood composites. Steel is the most common and economical choice. The color options are vast as well, so you can easily match an insulated garage door to your home’s exterior.
Key Benefits Of Insulated Garage Doors
When it comes to benefits, insulated garage doors have a lot to offer. They become even more vital with localities having extreme weather conditions. Here are listed the benefits of having Insulated garage doors.
Improved Temperature Control
One of the biggest perks of an insulated garage door is better temperature control for your garage space. Heat is easily lost through standard garage doors, allowing cold air to penetrate the garage in winter. In summer, your cool, air-conditioned garage can become hot and humid. With an insulated garage door, the temperature inside your garage remains more stable throughout the seasons.
This improved temperature regulation also benefits the adjacent areas of your home. For garages that are attached or flow into laundry rooms, mudrooms, or basements, an insulated garage door helps moderate temperatures in those spaces as well. Even upstairs rooms can be impacted. With single-car garages, the garage often shares one full wall with a room upstairs. An insulated garage door and walls keep this shared space more comfortable.
Reduced Energy Costs
The temperature control benefits lead to another advantage of an insulated garage door – reduced energy costs. Your heating and cooling system won’t need to work as hard to regulate temperatures in your garage with an insulated door installed. You’ll spend less on energy bills trying to heat or cool this unconditioned space.
Insulated garage doors have been shown to reduce heat loss through the garage door area by up to 45%. During winter, the insulation barrier prevents warm air inside from escaping into the cold outdoors. In summer, it prevents hot exterior air from entering and forcing your air conditioner to kick into high gear. Even on mild days, an insulated garage door will keep the temperature stable inside.
Noise Reduction
Insulated garage doors provide great soundproofing too. The dense insulation core blocks exterior noise from entering the garage space. This helps reduce disturbances from street traffic, loud neighbors, construction sounds, and other outside racket. Noise pollution can easily give you headaches and cause sleep disruption. An insulated garage door acts as an acoustic barrier for a quieter indoor environment.
For attached garages that open into living areas, an insulated garage door also blocks household noise from disturbing your neighborhood. It prevents any loud music, television, or conversations from drifting outside whenever you open the overhead garage door. The door insulation absorbs and mutes sound in both directions.
Increased Security
Security is another bonus of installing an insulated garage door. The dense foam insulation makes it more difficult for intruders to break through the door and enter your garage. Steel-insulated garage doors are especially strong and impact-resistant. The insulation provides an added layer of protection against break-ins.
The noise-reducing effects of insulation also improve security. It’s harder to hear what’s going on inside your garage from the outside with an insulated door. This means potential burglars will have a harder time knowing if anyone is in the garage or home.
Curb Appeal
Beyond the functional benefits, insulated garage doors also provide aesthetic appeal. Manufacturers offer insulated garage doors in attractive styles to complement your home’s exterior. You can select beautiful faux-wood grain textures in natural reddish-brown hues. Or go for sleek modern panels in bold metallic gray or deep saturated colors for contemporary flair.
Upgrading to an insulated garage door with stylish details gives your home instant visual curb appeal. Accent the garage door with complementary hardware, exterior lighting fixtures, or landscaping elements to further boost aesthetics.
Garage Door Repair, Maintenance and Installation
To enjoy all of these excellent benefits from an insulated garage door, proper garage door installation and maintenance are key. Always have a qualified professional perform any garage door repairs or maintenance. Attempting dangerous do-it-yourself fixes can lead to injury and further door damage.
For garage door maintenance, hire a knowledgeable contractor. They have the skills and equipment to complete the job properly. This ensures your insulated garage door functions optimally and safely for maximum benefit. Ask potential garage door installation contractors probing questions about license, experience, and warranty.
Conclusion
Once your insulated garage door is installed correctly, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for maintenance. The door should glide smoothly and be well-balanced. With proper Garage Door Repair, preventative Maintenance, and professional Installation, your insulated garage door will provide safety, security, energy savings, and noise reduction for years before needing replacement. Enjoy the benefits a top-quality insulated garage door brings to your home.
