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!

Your garage door faces daily wear and tear. And as one of the largest moving objects in your home, it’s important to ensure your garage door is secure. That’s why the experts at Adam’s Door Systems have put together a list of practical garage door safety tips to keep you and your family safe! 

1. The button for the garage door opener should be mounted out of small children’s reach. We recommend a minimum of 5′ from the floor. 

2. Prevention begins with education. Children should be shown a good example of how to safely operate a garage door. They should also be told that garage door remote controls are not to be played with.

3. Carefully read your owner’s manual to learn how to properly operate your garage door opener – especially the emergency release feature.

4. Be sure to visually inspect your garage door once a month. It’s important to pay attention to the springs, cables, rollers, and pulleys for signs of wear and tear. You should also test the reversing mechanism at least once a month by placing a 2×4 board in the door’s path.

5. Never attempt to perform repairs on the garage door yourself. This is especially important for high tension mechanisms such as cables and springs. If you notice signs of damage, or the garage door does not reverse when tested, contact a qualified professional for assistance.

6. Provide an additional layer of security by installing sensors that work in conjunction with your garage door opener. These sensors, located on opposing sides along the bottom of the door, prevent the door from closing when an object breaks the connecting laser. 

7. Another important aspect of garage door safety is garage door security! Garage doors can provide uninvited access to your home if precautions are not taken. To prevent any incidents, never leave your garage door partially open. If you are going to be away from home for a while, unplug the garage door opener unit. Finally, be sure to always lock the door from the garage to the inside of your home.

Looking to repair or replace a garage door? Trust our seasoned technicians to solve your garage door problems any time. Contact Adams Door Systems today!