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Garage Door Insulation Helps to Reduce Winter and Summer Energy Bills

By: 54 Comments

Falcon door_cutaway_bottom
Photo courtesy of Falcon Foam.

Updated 12/20/2011: Falcon Foam’s garage kit is not known as Matador.

How many of you use your garage as a work area? Or how many feel like their bedroom above the garage is cold despite adequate insulation? Are your garage doors insulated?  I did not think.

My prior house had beautiful custom wood doors and no insulation in the walls.  It was colder than you a know what in that garage and it severly impacted the upstairs room despite adequate insulation in the garage ceiling.  So, lesson learned?  Take the first step and insulate your garage doors. You can either insulate your doors yourself with kits from Matador , Owens Corning, Anco, and ASTRO-FOIL or buy brand new insulated garage doors. It is your dime.    I am a firm believer in insulated doors and installed Clopay insulated doors  in my new house.  We also insulated the walls of the garage as well.  The winter temperature is the garage is always around 50 plus degrees.

According to the EPA,

“Insulated garage doors are also widely available, which can help keep your garage and any adjacent rooms warmer in the winter, and improve the energy efficiency of your home. For homes in warmer climates, consider a perforated garage door, which allows ventilation and light inside the garage, while providing security and privacy.”

Here’s the low down on the garage kits:

Matador Garage Door Insulation Kit:

The panel is comprised of  EPS (expanded polystyrene)  insulation  with an exposed face of High Impact Polystyrene Laminate. (See picture at the beginning of the article.)  According to the Company, you can install their kits in less than an hour with just a few required tools.   The panels have an R-value of  4.5 at 75 degrees Fahrenheit for 1-1/4″ thick panels.  One Garage Door kit contains 8 panels (each 1 1/4″ x 20 1/4″ x 54.”)  The Company also sells a2 panel kit for oversized doors.

Note, it the door does not have cavities on its back side (wood door or insulated door), you can not use this kit.  Read the Company’s  FAQs before you order this kit.  See here for instruction on how to install the product.

Thoughts? From an environmental standpoint, I don’t love that the product is made of   EPS  and  a polystyrene laminate.  Both are made from petroleum  and are environmental nightmares, in my opinion.  Plus, an R-value of 4.5 is better than nothing but I would like to see a higher R-value for a garage insulation kit.  The Company’s response to the environmental question, “Does Falcon Foam require large amounts of natural resources to produce?”

“Studies have shown that Falcon foam production requires one-third less energy to produce than paperboard, one-half the atmospheric emissions and 42% of the waterborne wastes, compared with paperboard products. Also, total EPS production uses less than 0.1% of this country’s petroleum.”

(Note, that page no longer exist on their website; however, Atlas, the company who owns Matador states EPS Reduces Global Warming.)  Looks?  The Laminate appears to give the garage door a more finished look.

Priced at $85 on Matador’s site.

Owens Corning Fiberglass Garage Kit:

Watch the above video of how to install an Owens Corning Garage Kit*.(aff) The panel is made out of fiberglass with a vinyl backing.    Note, this system can not be used for wood doors.  The specification on the Lowe’s site stated the product has an R-value of 8 and the kit could insulate a 9 foot door (12″x16″x 24″.) (Update:  it seems that it is no longer available on Lowes’ online store.)

Thoughts?  From an environmental standpoint, I don’t love the vinyl backing which is made out of PVC as well as the fiberglass.  According to the Company, their products contain trace amount of formaldehyde and have been certified by GREENGUARD as low emitting. [Source.]  From a personal standpoint, I can’t be around fiberglass since the fiber dust bothers me.

Looks?  Kind of like putting pillows on your doors.

Priced at $97.28 on Amazon.  Check your local big box stores as well.

Anco GarageDoorKit_box_roll3

Anco Garage  Insulation Kit:

This product is similar in looks as the Owens Corning system except the fiberglass has no formaldehyde and is made of 85% recycled fiberglass fibers.  It is also GREENGUARD certified as low emitting.   The product is friction based so there is no need for plastic pieces or adhesive to keep it in place like the Owens Corning product.  The backing is vinyl and looks simliar to the Owens Corning product.  The product has an R-9 value.

Note, this product is similar to the above products in that your door must have cavities in order for you to use this product.  You can not use this product on insulated doors or wood doors.

Thoughts?  As I mentioned above, I am not crazy about fiberglass insulation; however, this product is different than your average fiberglass insulation.  It contains long strands, which according to President/CEO Andy McCleery  are not  non-respirable.  (See this video about Anco’s products.)

The word, “non-respirable,” stopped me in my tracks.  Sherry from Customer Service explained that due to the longer stands, there is only a minute amount of dust associated with the installation of any of their products.  My experience with fiberglass has been short of an asthma attack.  So, I was pleased to hear that Anco was addressing this problem with fiberglass.

I also  like that this product because it is  formaldehyde free and made of recycled content.  Plus, it has a high  R value.

Cons?  As I stated above, I am not thrilled with anything that has a vinyl backing.

Looks?  Again, I am not crazy about the pillow look.

Priced at $89 on sale at  Texas Garages.

sky mall
Photo courtesy of Sky Mall. (Note, this product sold by Sky Mall is a reflective foil kit. I used this picture as an illustration of what the system could look like.)

ASTRO-SHIELD Insulation:

There are two different ASTRO-SHIELD kits.  One kits contains panels with foil insulation on both sides and an R-value of 6; whereas, the other kits contains panels with one sided foil and the other side white for a cleaner look.  The single sided foil kit has an R-value of 5.  The white side is made of polyethylene.  The inside of the kits is made out of  recycled polyethlene that is blown in between the two outside layers.  It resembles bubble wrap. In order for this product to be effective, it needs an air space between the door and the insulation.

Note, there is no information about this product on ASTRO-SHIELD’s website.  See here for how to install the insulation kits taken from a competitor’s website, Innovative Energy, Inc., who sells a similar product.

My first thought when I looked at this product was “low R value.”  However, my understanding of R-value might be misguided.  I spoke with Ken of Heartland Insulation Supply,  the distributor of ASTRO-SHIELD (formerly known as ASTRO-FOIL) about what does the R-value means as it relates to foil insulations.  Instead of trying to summarize what Ken told me, the  passage in  Heartland website’s page entitled, “High R-values Are A Must for insulation to be effective, right?”  is right to the point:

“R-values only account for the heat transferred by condition and convection, and do not recognize the third form:  radiation.  The problem:  the majority of heat transfer is in the form of radiation, which means that the R-values only tell you part of  the story and as a result, are very incomplete measurements of heat resistance.  Because residential buildings are required to adhere to strict building codes with specific R-values, it is optimal to use a combination of both mass insulation and some kind of radiant (reflective) material.  This will increase the insulation values, satisfy the building codes, and allow you to reflect (stop) up to 97% of all radiant energy/heat.”

There are four kits available: Foil 2 Sides 2 Car; Foil 2 Sides 1 Car; Foil 1 Side 2 Car; Foil 1 Side 1 Car.

During my conversation with Ken, I asked him why I could not order off his website.  He explained that they wanted people to call them to discuss their application.  In my situation, I already own an insulated door. My inclination would be to order the single layer foil kit and install it face down on my door so the white side would show.   Personally, I don’t like the foil side showing.  Ken explained that given that I already had an insulated door, I would have to install the white side to the door with the foil showing.  The product needs an air space to function effectively.

In the case of a metal uninsulated door, you can install the foil in between the cavities, which would provide for the needed air space.  As for wood garage doors, Ken suggested that people install furring strips and attach the foil insulation to the same.  I must have asked Ken three times to explain all of this information to me, so my advice would give him a call to explain your situation.

Just for your information, according to Ken, ASTRO-SHIELD  is made for Heartland in a factory in Indiana.

Priced at $81.60 for a 2 sided foil 8′ by 10′ garage door.  The white version is $76.60.

For a side by side comparison (except for the Owens Corning brand) see Texas Garages.

Despite my own green issues with the products,  pick one that fits with your budget, environmental temperament, and aesthetic requirements.  Why should your work space be cold? Take the first step and insulate your garage doors.

Readers, have you insulated your garage doors?  If so, which product did you use?  If not, which one would you use and why?

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Comments

  1. 2

    How To Reduce Your Energy Bills / Energy Conservation Begins at Home

    Imagine leaving a window open all winter long — the heat loss, cold drafts and wasted energy! If your home has a folding attic stair, a whole house fan or AC Return, a fireplace or a clothes dryer, that may be just what is occurring in your home every day.

    These often overlooked sources of energy loss and air leakage can cause heat and AC to pour out and the outside air to rush in — costing you higher energy bills.

    But what can you do about the four largest “holes” in your home — the folding attic stair, the whole house fan or AC return, the fireplace, and the clothes dryer?

    To learn more visit http://www.batticdoor.com

    Mark D. Tyrol is a Professional Engineer specializing in cause and origin of construction defects. He developed several residential energy conservation products including an attic stair cover and an attic access door. Battic Door is the US distributor of the fireplace plug.

    Reply
  2. 4

    Since 4T Door Systems, LLC also sells the eco-friendly Anco Garage Door Insulation kit on our DasmaGarage.com website I thought I should correct a few things. First, the backing is NOT vinyl, it is a white polypropylene film with metallization, that is reinforced with fiberglass & polyester scrim, and sealed with a 14# white kraft called WMP-10 …here are the specs on that http://lamtec.com/pdfs/wmp-10.pdf

    Second, the best price for the kit in $79.95 on DasmaGarage.com, or if buying more than 2 make an offer for $74.95 on our eBay store.

    Vinyl get brinkle in the winter. Smart guys like Rob Rohena, Anco Marketing Director don’t let things like that go by the waist side.

    Reply
  3. 8

    Very interesting and true it is not attractive, but that is not its purpose. To manage our energy consumption by any natural means as possible is to be applauded. The cost of this is reasonable as well.

    Reply
  4. 9

    Not many homes would have their garage doors insulated, however, reading this it must be a consideration particularly if this area is used as a workshop and not just for housing your vehicles. Furthermore, it surprises me that the builder did not understand the importance of insulation if there was a room directly above. Hmm!

    Reply
  5. 10

    Being in the garage door business for years I can tell you that insulating a garage door is asked for a lot especially in extreme conditions found in Texas. January, June and November are the peak months when homeowners look for garage door insulation the most.

    In my experience I have found that the polystyrene vinyl backed insulation is the most preferred product. Customers prefer the look, fit and durability of this product the most.

    At Texas Garage Door Insulation we install the factory original polystyrene garage door insulation chosen by most garage door manufactures and at a price less than most of the kits mentioned. This product is made for garage doors and just fits! There is no tape or glue needed. It comes in the right widths and we cut it to fit the length. It also includes a decorative retainer clip installed on the ends to hide the cut edge. This is the product homeowners prefer.

    When we also install our product, we address any issues related to adding this weight to the door. Sometimes the spring may need to be adjusted and even the force adjustments on the opener should be adjusted.

    Visit our website at http://www.texasgaragedoorinsulation.com and call us with your questions.

    Reply
  6. 11

    Well said Cliff,

    At 4T Dasma Garage we install the factory original polystyrene garage door insulation chosen by most garage door manufactures and at a price less than most of the kits mentioned. This product is made for garage doors and just fits! There is no tape or glue needed. It comes in the right widths and we cut it to fit the length. It also includes a decorative retainer clip installed on the ends to hide the cut edge. This is the product homeowners prefer.

    When we also install our product, we address any issues related to adding this weight to the door. Sometimes the spring may need to be adjusted and even the force adjustments on the opener should be adjusted.

    Visit our website at http://www.dasmagarage.com and call us with your questions.

    Reply
  7. 12

    I honestly can’t wrap my head around why so many people ignore the option of insulating their garage door. I work in the garage door industry and we try to inform our customers about “Go Green” tax incentives. But not many customers seem interested, maybe it’s the economy, but I would imagine the justification of saving on your energy bill would drive you to do this.

    However, as a consumer, I can understand not wanting an unsightly thing like DIY insulation on the backend of my steel panels.

    Reply
  8. 13

    Hmm! This would benefit many homes and act as a further insulation when coming and going from the house. Very good and provides some much needed solution to maintaining the home warm in winter and cool in summer.

    Reply
  9. 14

    Very informative. I did a bit of research on the web about garage door insulation. Insulating material works by pressing itself between the garage door and the floor thereby protecting the inside of the garage from any snow or rain. I just insulated my fiberglass door and it’s single layer with no insulation. I was going to use 1/2″ foam with foil shield however i found another product with a higher R value. foam WITH foil 1/2″ is R-3.3 the stuff i found was at homedepot, it comes on a roll and it looks like bubble wrap covered with foil. it’s R value is R-4. Nice post!

    Reply
  10. 15

    Interesting stuff, we are currently looking at replacing really old garage door insulation as some of the prefab stuff actually contains asbestos and not many people really know about this. Insulation is essential, no one in their right mind would not think about it for such a project…

    Reply
  11. 16

    Just insulating the garage door will not work you also need to insulate the garage floor as lots of heat is lost through there doing just the garage door wont make a lot of overall difference.

    Reply
      • 18

        Hi Anna you could use underfloor much denser and thicker insulating board than r-10 on top of the slab then screed over or there are lots of options available nowadays on materials that you can lay down over the slab to achieve U values of 0.22 or better.

        Reply
  13. 21

    Has anyone found a good product for use with old solid wood garage doors? There is no frame so friction fit insulation is out. It seems that a fiberglass insulation is a better choice for a cold climate here in New England vs a thin foam radiant heat barrier.

    Reply
    • 22

      Daved, I saw this link over on Garden Web about insulating a wood door. I can’t tell you if it works or not. http://www.thathomesite.com/fo.....240.html?3. The commenter states,

      “you can buy the sheets of styrofoam in 8 foot sections and attach them with sheetrock screws and metal washers. i tried this and it works well. you can buy the weatherstripping for the sides and bottom of your door from about any hardware or dept store.”

      I would definitely talk to a garage door company before you do anything. Anna

      Reply
  14. 23

    This is a great site for real amateurs such as myself.

    How do I retrofit my garage for insulation? I can see on this site how one step leads to another. I have an attached garage in Michigan. My insulating goal is simply a warmer place for the car, reducing heat loss from the attached side of the house, and making a warmer occasional work bench area using a kerosene heater.

    I insulated the attic space, next comes the metal garage door. Garage door repairs mentions finding at Home Depot a foil 1/2″ R-3.3 roll. I have this – any advice on attaching it to the door short of gluing it on?

    Outer garage walls are uninsulated 2×4 walls – rough wood on one side, drywall inside. Short of pulling off the drywall and redoing the wall, is there a product I can put OVER the drywall? (There is enough room.) Is blowing in insulation from the outside via holes a better route?

    Finally, one for the creative thinking department: If there is enough vertical space and I want to do something about my garage floor OVER the existing slab, would it work to put down a very sturdy frame with insulation, then putting very sturdy plywood on top of that? What are specs for garage floors that are NOT on slabs but over framing, if such a thing exists?

    Reply
    • 24

      Roadrage,

      What kind of door do you have? If you don’t have a wood door, any one of those products work. You can blow in insulation into your walls with cellulose, which is the cheapest way to go. Mine has Icynene but this was done when we built the house and it is more expensive than cellulose.

      I have R-10 under my garage slab but again, this was done when the garage was built. I would just put a rug over by your work bench where you work. Since you are parking your car in your garage, I think it would be cost prohibitive for your to insulate at this time unless you are raising up the garage just for your working part of the garage.

      I also saw this product which you might like to stand on while working. It is a radiant for under a rug! http://cozywinters.com/shop/rug-heat.html or http://www.warmlyyours.com/rad.....g-heaters/.

      Reply
  15. 25

    Thanks. It probably won’t pay to do the floor. Let’s see if the door and walls help.

    We have a Cozy Winter warmer pad under a large Persian rug – it’s great. Very relaxing. We got used to heated rugs in Japan – the land of no structural insulation but great heated rugs and toilet seats.

    Thanks again.

    Reply
      • 27

        Work plus a pretty good life in the northern boondocks took us to Japan. The Japanese have a very different approach to heating and getting through the winter that we could learn from, both with traditional and new technologies.

        Thanks for the tips. I keep seeing mixed reviews on garage door insulating kits. DIIY with some sort of sheet or thin/light roll insulation seems to be the way to go, plus tighter seals on the door bottoms. Funny, you don’t see mention of the sides of the door. Ours has plenty of gaps for cold air to get in. What can be done there?

        Reply
        • 28

          Roadrage, I seal the gaps between the wood members with silicone and it took a look time. The door are suppose to have weatherstripping on the sides. This article stated it well

          “Even a well-insulated door can lose or gain heat. Improper installation can leave gaps around the edges. Check the weather stripping along the bottom of the door to make sure it makes a proper seal with the door closed. The weather stripping along the edges should also leave no gaps. If you can feel a draft, or can see light between the garage door and frame, adjust or replace the weather stripping as required. Be sure to caulk around any crack or crevice where air might be able to get through!” Anna

          Reply
  16. 29

    EcoFoil insulation is great to use to insulate garage doors. Our garage door kits include our “foil-double bubble-foil” which consists of two layers of heavy duty polyethylene bubbles sandwiched between two sheets of 99% pure aluminum. Having foil on both sides creates a 97% reflective surface on the inside and outside of your garage, making it efficient during extreme heat and extreme cold.

    Reply
  17. 31

    Insulated garage doors are for the homeowner that just doesn’t want to invest time and money into buying and installing an insulation kit on his own. Thankfully, there is no shortage of manufacturers out there that have stepped up to provide quality insulated garage doors.

    Reply
    • 32

      Insulated, I agree with you, but the cost of buying insulated doors are so much more expensive, especially if you don’t need to change out your doors. These kits are very affordable. I actually have insulated doors, but I installed mind as a new construction project. Anna

      Reply
  18. 33

    I purchased an Owens-Corning diy inuslation kit last fall. Love the product and it really did help control the temperature this winter. However, the double-sided sticky tape is no longer sticking to some of the door panels and the insulation is falling out. Any ideas on how to secure the insulation? Does anyone know of where to purchase metal interior door panels to cover the insulation?

    Reply
  19. 34

    Lining the doors with insulation is a great way to protect yourself from the cold in winters. For the energy conscious, it definitely helps to save some electricity bills because the heater does not have to turned up high. It is also cheaper than an expensive heating unit.

    Reply
  21. 36

    • Spray foam
    -this is commonly used for filing small cracks located on windows, doors and
    vents.
    • Rigid foam
    -these are rigid panels of insulation that are made of polystyrene which is very
    useful garages with concrete floors and walls.
    • Fibreglass panels
    -this type of insulation is inexpensive and conveniently available. More
    importantly, this type of garage door insulation stops air leaks from your
    garage. Be sure that it has vinyl cover since it is a potential irritant and the
    vinyl cover ads a finished look to it. Best for unfinished walls
    • Cellulose
    -if you have low budget, you can have this type of insulation that is made from
    old newspapers that are treated with fire retardant. This type of insulation is
    good for finished walls.

    Reply
  22. 37

    I am having trouble locating the “Falcon Foam” insulation kit. I would like a ‘green’ foam panel insulation for my garage and am not finding anything.

    Reply
  25. 40

    It is an energy efficient product. I wouldn’t consider EPS environmentally friendly material.

    Some people think if it is energy efficient than it is green. I look at the materials too. Anna

    Reply
  26. 41

    I agree you should have insulation in your garage door, I don’t agree it should be matadoor, There are cheaper, better, more attractive products on the market and it’s a shame to see you have chosen matador. Maybe it’s time to update this post?

    Reply
      • 43

        We are basicly a very similar product to matador, But the cost difference is huge! It’s a laminated vinyl finish it is an M grade ( construction grade ) EPS. A big difference though is out reflective finish on the door facing side. It changes the R value, Also matador have a known issue with “shrinking” where our product has avoided this issue. Our product will not shrink or bow like matador. Which is why they have put groves in their product not for ease of install but to avoid bowing which sacrifices the R Value.

        Reply
          • 45

            Sorry for the delay in response, yes it’s in the USA as well, It has a laminated vinyl finish because of the appeal, Your spending money to upgrade your garage door to improve your insulation properties of your house, why not at the same time for cheaper improve the look and feel? We would love you to use the thermadoor option in this post instead of materdoor as we do offer a better “option” for your readers.

  27. 46

    Everybody is talking about insulating garage doors. What about garage walls? We insulated our garage walls and it made a huge difference in the floor of the master bedroom above it. When the door breaks down, as all garage doors eventually do, we will replace it with an insulated door. Until then, we are very comfortable.

    Reply
  28. 48

    I had no idea that insulated garage doors could help you make your home more energy efficient! Maybe I should try talking to my husband about doing something like this. We both want our home to be efficient and sustainable, and this would definitely help it.

    Reply
  29. 49

    Its true that insulation of garage door is usually ignored by most of people and I’m too included in this but now I got to understand that how it can reduce our power bill amount.

    Sometimes very small things and changes can do the wonders and give you much out of it.

    Keep sharing!!

    Reply
  30. 50

    Insulating your garage door can really save you some money in the harsh weather times. I’ll have to get some of these things to insulate mine before it gets too cold!

    Reply
  31. 51

    Irrespective of the home you live in and the type of heating unit, heat will always flow from warm to cold until it matches the coldest place in your home.

    Reply

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