Insulating your garage may not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about beating the heat in the Sacramento area. Despite that, it can make a significant difference in your comfort level and energy bills during the scorching summer months. Many homeowners associate insulation with keeping warm in cold climates, but it’s equally essential for maintaining cooler temperatures in hot weather.

With proper insulation, your garage can become a more pleasant and usable space. It keeps things livable even when outdoor temperatures soar to 90 degrees or higher. By preventing heat from penetrating your garage walls and roof, insulation helps regulate the temperature inside. It makes it more comfortable for various activities or storage purposes. Installing insulation on your garage door panels should be a no brainer.

Additionally, insulating your garage can lead to significant savings on your air conditioning bills. Your HVAC system won’t have to work as hard to cool down your home when the garage acts as a buffer against the heat. So, don’t underestimate the benefits of insulation, even in sunny California climates. It’s a smart investment that pays off in both comfort and energy efficiency year-round.

Reduce Energy Costs by Insulating Your Garage Door Panels

While many homeowners focus on insulating their front doors to keep their homes comfortable, the garage door often gets overlooked. It’s a common oversight despite being the largest entry point to your home. An uninsulated garage door can act as a heat magnet, absorbing and trapping heat within the garage space. This excess heat can then radiate into your home, especially if the walls of your garage lack insulation.

By installing insulation on your garage door, you can not only create a more comfortable environment within the garage but also prevent unwanted heat transfer into your home. Fortunately, you have several options for insulating your garage door. One option is to invest in new garage doors that come with built-in insulation. Alternatively, you can use a do-it-yourself insulation kit, which allows you to add insulation to your existing garage door.

Use Thicker Panels That Offer Better Insulation

If you’re ready to replace your garage door, steel or composite wood doors that are double- or tripled-layered provide outstanding insulation capabilities that are guaranteed to keep your garage temperatures regulated. Any hollow-body garage door can also be filled with spray foam prior to installation.

If you’re not quite ready for new doors, a do-it-yourself kit gives you the option of great insulation at an affordable price. Kits come in polystyrene or fiberglass, with the latter providing slightly better insulation. Some kits also come with reflective oil that further increases insulation.

Check the R-Value of Your Overhead Door

How can you tell if the garage door you’re thinking about installing is equipped to keep out extreme temperatures, whether it’s the sweltering summer heat or the chill of winter? The answer lies in the R-value of your garage door. The R-value is a measurement of a door’s thermal resistance, essentially indicating how well it insulates against temperature fluctuations. You can typically find this specification in a garage door’s manufacturer details or product guide. The higher the R-value, the better the door’s insulating capabilities, which translates to a more temperature-stable garage.

For instance, if your garage doubles as a workspace, gym, or storage area for temperature-sensitive items, a door with a high R-value is essential. It minimizes heat transfer between the garage and the outside environment, helping maintain a comfortable indoor temperature and reducing strain on your home’s heating and cooling systems. On the other hand, if your garage is detached or used primarily for parking, a lower R-value might suffice, depending on your climate.

Installing an overhead door with the right R-value ensures that you strike a balance between energy efficiency, comfort, and cost-effectiveness. So, when evaluating a new garage door or considering upgrades, make R-value a key factor in your decision-making process.

How to Ensure Your Insulation Install is Top Notch

There are a more few details to consider if you want to make the most of the insulation you’ve spent the time and money on. It’d be a shame to forget this stuff, being left to wonder why you insulated the garage door in the first place. Other ways to seal up your garage to keep it (and your home) climate controlled are:

• Weather stripping. Make sure it fits and isn’t torn, loose or brittle. 
• Same goes for the garage door’s bottom seal.
• Make sure all other doors to the garage are properly-sealed and insulated.
• Insulate your garage walls.
• Repair any cracks in the concrete floor.
• Reglaze and caulk any windows in the garage and pedestrian doors.
• Make sure the roof isn’t the culprit of letting hot air in.

Insulating your garage door is a sure thing when it comes to ROI. You’ll start seeing it right away when the next month’s power bill is less, or when you’re sat on your couch and notice the AC hasn’t been running as often as usual. And you’ll certainly notice it when you go to get your car from the garage and it’s not 110° in there. All in all, an insulated garage door is superior to an uninsulated one. Questions? Just give SACS a call!