As all Canadians know, Winter can be quite a chilly time of year. While your garage may provide shelter from the snow, if it is not properly insulated your garage can contribute to increased energy bills and less protection from the elements. As Spring approaches, you may start considering how to improve your garage’s insulation for the upcoming Winter. We’ve put together a list of tips to help you get started!
Know Where You’re Losing Heat
Before beginning on any insulation projects, you should first find out where your garage may be vulnerable to escaping or entering air. Some common areas include:
- Walls. Both your walls and your garage door should have some form of insulation to prevent heat from exiting the home.
- Ceilings. A typical garage will have an unfinished ceiling. You can easily insulate this area to prevent heat from leaving through the top of the garage.
- Windows and Doors. Gaps between the windows, doors, and the wall are a common culprit for escaping heat. Weatherstrip the windows or fill the gaps to prevent waste of resources.
- Garage door. Perhaps the biggest culprit of all! A garage door without insulation can allow heat to pass right through it. Add insulation or invest in a door with insulation to remedy the problem.
Pro Tip: For a garage door, you want insulation with an R-value of at least 10.
Ways To Improve Garage Door Insulation
- Before installing any insulation or adding any type of heating device, you should clean your garage. Sweep up dust and debris from the floor, in addition to wiping the walls. Clutter can inhibit the airflow in your garage, so reducing the clutter in your garage could produce better air quality.
- Weatherstripping involves sealing openings and cracks you may have in your garage. While weatherstripping is affordable and easy to install and maintain, it alone is not enough to provide heat for your garage. You may also consider a space heater if your garage doubles as a workshop or other recreational area.
- Add insulation to spaces that do not have it; such as fiberglass insulation on the walls and rigid foam insulation for your garage door.
Don’t want to fuss with DIY insulation techniques? Adams Door Systems has the largest selection of residential garage doors in the Greater Toronto Area. Our commitment to quality and energy efficiency means that you will have the best in garage door innovation, technology, and insulation. Contact us today for more information!
