Insulating a non-insulated garage door – is it worth it?

You’ve just finished renovations to your garage, and among other things, you added insulation to the walls and ceiling with the goal of having a more comfortable area for your DIY projects. However, your garage door is non-insulated. Are you wondering if it is really worth it to insulate it, or instead plan to change it?

A non-insulated garage door can be insulated, although…

If you choose to insulate your garage door, there are at least two ways to do it:

• Mineral wool blankets: These can be found in any renovation or construction material store. The kit includes flexible mineral wool rolls with a reflective plastic film. It should run you between $75 and $100 for the material.
• Polystyrene insulating panels: in some big-box or chain hardware stores you can find a kit containing panels of insulation made for a single garage door (8 or 9 feet wide). If you use this material, note that it is flammable and that you must cover it with another material to protect it from being ignited.

Now, let’s cover the possible negative aspects. You should be aware that even if you add a certain amount of insulation to the interior side of the door, it won’t stop the cold from penetrating inside. Why? Because in manufacturing the sections from sheet metal, there is no thermal break between the exterior and interior of the garage, both at the joints between the sections and at the ends of the door (section endcaps). You’ll be disappointed if you think your investment will improve your level of insulation from 0 to R-5 or R-6.

The only real advantage…

By insulating your non-insulated garage door with a well-attached covering of mineral wool, you will reduce those empty metal sounds that a non-insulated door gives off.

Warning!

If you try to insulate your door with a material other than the two mentioned above, ensure you are NOT adding extra weight to your garage door. Your spring system, used as a counterweight to the weight of your door, is calibrated based on the total weight of a non-insulated garage door. If you have more than the indicated weight, you must change your spring system to account for the new weight of the door with added insulation.

Is it worth it?

Unfortunately, the answer is no, unless your goal was to reduce the noise of a non-insulated door so there is less rattling. It would be better to look into changing your current garage door, especially if it is fairly old, for a new, well-insulated door that protects you from cold, harsh winters and sizzling summers.

A final piece of advice…

Feel free to contact us anytime at 1-877-794-4223. We know that the long-term performance and durability of a garage door depend equally on the quality of the installation and the quality of the products. If you would like, we can send you a quotation by email.

As well, we can happily visit you at home and explain the full range of garage door products on the market. Then, we can advise you on the best fit for you. You can also use our design center or get ideas from our image gallery.