If you’re in the market for a new garage door, you naturally want it to look good. After all, as the largest front facing feature on your home, the door pretty much sets the stage when it comes to curb appeal. And that can have a profound impact on the resale value of your home. But that’s only the beginning. There’s a lot more to consider when it comes to new garage door installation, like insulation and comfort. If you plan to work in your garage or use it as a relaxation lounge, yoga studio or exercise gym, you need to research insulated garage doors.
Consider the Energy Savings
In addition to the obvious benefits of comfort, even in a fairly warm area like Sacramento, an insulated door is also extremely energy efficient. This is because it keeps out the hot air as well as the cold, so you substantially save on air conditioning, if the garage is attached to the house.
Improved Durability
The other thing to understand about insulated garage doors is their supreme durability. By their very nature, insulated garage doors contain more layers than non-insulated doors. This adds an extra level of protection that’s helpful if you have kids. Bouncing soccer balls are known to do their damage, but insulated doors can stand up. These doors are also better protected against garden tools, lawn mowers, and cars that can pose a hazard.
Peace & Quiet
Until you’ve owned an insulated garage door, you don’t truly understand how much quieter they are. This is because an insulated door provides an extra sound barrier against outside noise — sounds from the street, the neighbors, an annoying car alarm at 2 a.m. This is especially helpful if your garage happens to be near a living room or a bedroom. The peace and quiet can be very relaxing!
Understanding R Value & Its Importance to Garage Door Installation
When researching possibilities for insulated garage doors, you’ve likely encountered R-Values. Determined by the thickness of insulation, R-value measures how effective a material is at insulating a garage door against heat loss. The higher the R value, the less heat that will pass through the door.
It’s more than just thickness. Different types of insulation will have different R-values. For example, a garage door with 2” thick polyurethane insulation can have a different R value than a garage door with 2” thick polystyrene insulation.
And of course the thicker the insulation you have, the better sound prevention you’ll get. That’s why we always recommend going with an R value of at least 16. It will help keep your house much cooler during the hot summers in Sacramento, California. And it will give your family the peace and quiet you need. Your home is not just a castle after all — it’s a sanctuary.