What is an Insulated Garage Door?
An insulated garage door uses insulation inside the door’s structure as a buffer between outdoor and indoor temperatures.
During a home’s construction process, workers add insulation, usually made of fiberglass, to the walls to create an airtight seal. That way, the inside of your home is not affected by the weather outside. This saves money on your heating bills and keeps you feeling comfortable within your home. These insulation capabilities can accomplish the same thing for your garage.
Uninsulated garage doors usually consist of a single panel of metal or wood, offering few benefits beyond being a barrier for your garage. Insulated garage doors, by contrast, consist of two panels or a hollow door frame filled with an insulating material, such as Clopay’s Intellicore Insulation Technology. This form of insulation is a best-in-class material for insulating garage doors.
What are the Benefits of an Insulated Garage Door?
The following five points will show you the benefits you can experience when you purchase an insulated residential garage door:
1. Garage Door Insulation Saves Energy
Most energy-saving tips focus on the inside of the house. It makes sense! Insulation, energy-efficient windows, and better heating systems can all reduce your energy loss.
So it’s no surprise that most advice on saving energy overlooks your garage. Garages aren’t always considered part of the house. But garages often have conditioned rooms above them. Many have a door that connects directly to the house, as well.
Because garages aren’t considered living space, the construction standards are different. More gaps and air leakage is allowed. As a result, energy is lost which explains why garages are one of the least energy-efficient parts of your home.
2. Insulated Garage Doors Are More Durable
Another benefit of an insulated garage door is added durability.
Insulated garage doors for both residential and commercial are constructed differently from single-layer garage doors, which make them stronger. Since your door needs to stand up to cars, kids, and equipment, this added durability makes sense.
Many of today’s insulated doors are made with a steel or aluminum frame. The frame is filled with solid-core insulation, which is then sandwiched between single or dual steel panels. This style of construction creates a lightweight, energy-efficient door that’s less likely to dent than older, uninsulated doors.
3. Insulated Garage Doors Are Quieter
An insulated garage door tends to be much quieter than an uninsulated garage door. Although noise dampening isn’t usually the most important factor, it’s an added benefit of an insulated door.
Many garage doors tend to produce some noise. For older garage doors, the primary offender is usually the track mechanism. Loose chains on the track tend to produce a loud, jerking noise. And worn rollers can also grumble and squeak. Badly lubricated hinges and springs are another common contributor.
4. Insulation Helps to Protect Your Car and Belongings
Insulated garage doors can also help to protect your car. A car stored in a garage with an insulated residential door is less likely to be in freezing conditions. Since cold weather can affect your car in a number of ways, your insulated door can have a big impact on the life of your car.
Some of the ways that freezing weather can affect cars include:
- Shorter battery life or dead batteries
- Thickened transmission, engine, and brake fluids
- Low air pressure in tires
- Unreliable spark plugs and wiring
The lower the temperature, the less likely your car is to run properly.
5. A Warmer Garage Is More Convenient
Many people use their garages for more than just parking their car. If you work out in your garage or use it for hobbies, an energy-efficient door makes sense. Keeping your garage warmer makes it easier for you to do occasional activities in it.
Are Insulated Garage Doors Worth It?
The biggest concern homeowners have when making their decision usually comes down to price. If an insulated garage door costs more than a single-panel, uninsulated garage door, is the difference in price worth it? Would you be better off spending less on your garage door and putting your money into other upgrades or bills? When considering insulated garage doors vs. non-insulated ones, the benefits outweigh this reasonable concern.
In the long run, an insulated garage door could save you money. Your heating bill is high enough in the winter, and using air conditioning units in the summer is expensive. With an insulated garage door, you have an added barrier between the weather outside and your controlled climate inside. Every degree of heating or cooling raises your bill at the end of the month, and you’ll save money using an insulated vs uninsulated garage door.
The increased durability of insulated garage doors can save you money, too. Insulated garage doors can deter intruders with their durability, keeping your possessions in your garage and home safer. Insulated garage doors are also more resistant to damage, saving you money in repair costs. And if noise levels are important to you, the benefit of a quieter garage door could be reason enough to invest in an insulated model.
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