One reason we love being part of the Sacramento community is the beautiful weather. But let’s face it — summers get hot. AC bills are through the roof. That’s why we always recommend installing insulated garage doors. An insulated door does more than just keep out the cold. It also keeps out the heat. And if your garage door is attached to the house, this means big savings on your energy bill. That’s why we also recommend you keep your garage door in good repair so it’s well sealed. The energy savings can be significant.
Sure, the weather in Sacramento’s beautiful. But that doesn’t mean your energy bill isn’t through the roof. Every year, it seems summer just keeps getting hotter and hotter. That’s not going to change anytime soon. And if you care about climate change and the planet our children will inherit, living more eco friendly is likely a priority of yours.
So if you want to save money on your energy bill and save the environment at the same time, an insulated garage door is the answer. The advantage of an insulated door is it doesn’t just keep warm air in in cooler climates. It keeps hot air out during Sacramento’s hot summers. And if your garage happens to be attached to the house like most people, that’s some considerable savings on your AC bill. Your house will be much more efficient to keep cool.
But believe it or not, there’s more to an insulated garage door that meets the eye. In fact, there are a number of features your garage door should have if energy efficiency is a high priority.
Let’s break down everything you need to know about installing a new insulated garage door to control your energy costs.
Why Wood End Blocks Are So Important to Energy Savings
The best insulated garage doors have section end blocks to keep the insulated material in place. These blocks also work to secure the hinges to the door.
Far too many garage door companies play it cheap (even if they still charge you more). They use steel caps for their doors. You don’t need to be a physics wiz to understand how steel exposed to the outside air easily transfers heat. .
Ideally, you want a method of insulation that involves injection to insert the insulation material. Wooden blocks are critical because there’s less loss of heat energy. It provides an ideal thermal break so that heat does not circumvent the door.
Quality Weatherstripping is Key
Many people overlook weatherstripping precisely for the reason it’s so easy to fix. This job is about as DIY as it comes. Every garage door has a weatherstripping bottom seal at its base. This serves two purposes. First, it keeps water, dust, debris, as well as pests and rodents from getting into the garage. Second, it keeps the hot air out.
Overtime, the weatherstripping will harden and crack, pretty much becoming useless. It’s easy to forget it’s even there, but this little hidden detail on your garage door can be so important for weather efficiency.
The good news is you can fix it yourself with about $30 of materials and a few hours in an afternoon. And the savings you get off your energy bill is absolutely priceless.
The Importance of PVC Weatherseal in the Door Sections
So many of the less reputable garage door companies attach the exterior and interior metal of the door with metal staples. Like steel caps, metal staples create another energy leak that’s completely unnecessary. Metal transfers heat. Why would anybody use it as a bridging component in an insulated door?
What you want is triple‑contact PVC weatherseal to connect the exterior and interior plates together. This way, the exterior and interior plates don’t actually touch and cannot as easily transfer heat through a metal agent. It’s a small but huge detail that can have significant impact on your energy bill.