Although our winters aren’t too cold here in Citrus Heights, a little insulation on your garage door can make all the difference in not only your homes temperature but your energy bill as well. Because your garage serves as the largest opening to your home, an uninsulated garage door can make your air conditioning or heater work seriously hard in the winter or summer months.

The answer?

Insulate your garage door! There is two ways to do this:

1) Install insulation to the back of your garage door panel.

2) Buy a new garage door.

Let’s take a look at both options.

Installing Insulation for a Garage Door

There are three kinds of garage door insulation: batt, foam board, and reflective. The differences between these three options are cost and how efficient they are at insulating. Choose the type of insulation you need based on your garage door panel. It’s also important to note that installing insulation to the interior of your panel adds additional weight. This could unbalance your door, so consult with a garage door technician if you’re unsure.

Expect to pay around $100 to $200 if you want to do this on your own. Costs for hiring a technician do it for you will be fairly similar, only with additional labor charges.

R-Value Explained

When considering options for insulating a new garage door, you’ll encounter R-value — the insulation rating that measures the thermal efficiency of your garage door. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation. This can depend on the thickness of the insulation, as well as the quality of the insulation.

Sound Insulation

Another important factor to remember is that R-value can also affect sound insulation. In addition to protecting your garage and home from outside heat or cold air, insulation also helps to soundproof your home. This can be especially helpful if you live on a busy street. The beauty of insulation is it not only protects your house against the elements, but safeguards it from the noise of the neighborhood. This can be especially helpful in loud and busy neighborhoods like Granite Bay, Roseville, Fair Oaks, Arden Arcade, Carmichael, or Citrus Heights. An insulated door can make it feel like you are living in the country.

New Garage Door Installation: Buying a Replacement Panel

Sometimes, it might be a better option to purchase a new garage door entirely. This is particularly true if your garage door is rusted, old, or dented. If you’re planning to replace your panel with a new one, be sure to check out the R-value first. R-value is simply a measurement of a garage door’s thermal resistance or how well it insulates. The higher the number, the better.

The cost of a new garage door can vary considerably: anywhere from $200 to $4,000 or more. On average, most homeowners spend about $1,000. The good news is that the ROI for garage door installations are as high as 90%, which means you’ll likely make all this money back if you ever decide to sell your home.

Plus, as an added benefit, your new door will lower the cost of your energy bill over time, so you can recuperate even more of the cost.