Making the Case for Garage Insulation

Of course, if you ever plan to be in your garage for even a small amount of time, it would be nice if it were comfortable, and that’s the main reason most people consider insulating the walls and door of the garage. Space heaters won’t do the job in a freezing garage if the walls aren’t insulated.

Look a little deeper, however, and you’ll see that the case for garage insulation is pretty airtight. Let’s look at the most compelling evidence.

Making Use of the Space

Many people neglect to see the possibilities of a large, roomy garage. Why does it only have to be for storage? Why not utilize it as a workshop to get odd jobs done if you’re handy enough to handle them? Or perhaps you can find room for the treadmill or other workout equipment in the garage instead of clogging up the house. Maybe the kids can even use it as a makeshift playroom.

For any of these possibilities, you’d like to have a space that isn’t freezing or humid. That’s where insulation comes into the picture and solves the problem.

The Open Door Syndrome

Maybe you thought ahead to have the door that separates your home from an attached garage insulated and weather stripped. That’s good thinking, but it doesn’t prevent the rush of cold air that infiltrates the house on a winter’s day when someone comes in or out of that door.

By the same token, don’t expect heat from inside the house to last long in an uninsulated garage. Insulate the garage and you can have an open‑door policy with it.

Practical Stuff

Many people use the garage as a kind of laundry room, since it’s a great space for a washer and dryer. That means that pipes are involved, and a freezing winter night can lead to frozen pipes very easily, especially in a garage that’s adjacent to the elements. Insulation can keep those pipes from freezing.

If you have a bedroom above the garage, you’ll want the garage to stay relatively warm. An insulated garage will mean that the bedroom doesn’t get some indirect cold air drifting up into it.

Storage Smarts

For those people who use their garage as storages space for important items, insulation is an extremely good idea. Humidity accelerates the rusting process immeasurably, a process which could endanger the quality of the seasonal equipment you store.

Carbon Monoxide

Did you ever accidentally set off your car horn with your keys in your pocket? What if you had an automatic car starter and did the same with the car in your closed garage? That would mean dangerous carbon monoxide fumes could suddenly start to seep in your house.

A door that’s been sealed against the weather and garage walls that have been insulated won’t let that carbon monoxide in so easily. To really ensure safety, make sure to install a carbon monoxide detector inside the house right near the garage access door.

Noises Off

If you’re an amateur contractor or weekend woodworker, you know that noise is part of the deal. Just because you willingly submitting yourself to the loud racket of power tools, that doesn’t mean the rest of the neighborhood wants to hear it as well. And your family might not be thrilled to be exposed to it either. Getting the walls insulated will bottle up that sound and keep it contained to the garage.

Make Sure to Include the Garage Door

Don’t forget that the garage door is the fourth wall of the garage. Since it’s close to the open air outside, the garage door needs insulation just as much, if not more than, the other walls. That will really complete the process of energy conservation and seal the deal on all the other benefits mentioned above.

Need more information on garage doors and insulation? contact us any time at 717-901-4056. You can even get a free online quotation to see if the price is right.

Are you considering changing your garage door? Our image gallery is a great place to start, or you visit our Design Centre and essentially create your own door.