If you are moving into a home that has a garage or if you are looking to upgrade your door, insulation is a fantastic step in the right direction. If you spend a lot of time in your garage or if your garage is attached to your home, then you understand the need to have this space insulated year round. You are likely looking for help in insulating your door instead of going out and buying a new one. Luckily, there are many different ways in which you can insulate your garage door and the R Values of some of these techniques are quite high.
The route that most people take when it comes to insulating their garage door is to buy a kit. Many of the top kits out there are for metal, steel, and aluminum doors of various heights. Although there are several ways to insulate your garage door, the use of Styrofoam is most often used. Most of the top kits are made from Styrofoam and install in under an hour. The kits offer an R Value of 4.5, which is good, but not fantastic. If you do not want to use a kit, you can insulate your door yourself using raw materials bought from your local hardware store.
You can purchase polyurethane foam sheets from your local hardware store for a reasonable price, cut them into pieces, and affix them to the inside of your garage door. It is up to you how many sheets you want to use, but the more insulation you add, the better off you will be when it comes to those cold winter nights. If you want to go the extra mile, you can purchase a few feet of weather stripping to add to the sides and underneath of your door to stop drafts and to complete the insulation formula. Your R Value will depend on which type of foam you use, how much you use, and the amount of weather stripping you use. You can expect, however, to have an R Value over 5 if done properly.
If you are on a tight budget and you can not afford the foam, simply using the weather stripping to stop drafts from coming in on the sides and underneath will help. It probably will not register much of an R Value, but if it is all you can do this season, you are better off taking this one step than not doing anything at all.
If you happen to have some wall insulation lying around, you could use that, but it tends to be unsightly and it can be dangerous to small children and pets. You will still need to add weather stripping in this instance, as well.
As you can see, there are several options available to the average homeowner if you are looking to insulate your garage door. Do not need to believe the sales person at your local hardware store if he or she tells you that you have to buy a brand new door. There are insulation options available to you and many of them install in no time flat.