Choosing the Right Garage Door Insulation

One of the less talked-about functions of a garage door, no matter the material, is to help insulate the home from extreme temperatures. Many people spend a lot of time focused on overall home insulation, but forget to take the same care and attention to detail with said insulation for their garage.

At Crawford Door Sales, we can help with this for both our residential and commercial garage doors. Our foam-injected garage doors, for instance, come with heavy steel coating plates, with strong insulated centers to protect your space completely from air transfers. These products use a material called polyurethane, a common one in the insulation world – how does this product compare to another popular one on the market, and which should you choose if you’ve determined your garage door needs a little more insulation?

Polyurethane

Polyurethane is among the densest insulation products out there, and this makes it fantastic value. This is despite it coming at a slightly higher price tag than other products – but it will often last twice as long or even longer, making it far better in terms of return on investment.

Polyurethane also comes with a very high strength level, bonding directly to the garage door to make it stiffer and more resistant to air and other elements. Another little-known benefit of polyurethane: It will help improve the silent qualities of your garage door, making it less prone to shaking and vibrating while opening and closing. For those with the funds on hand for it, polyurethane is the premier garage door insulation product out there.

Polystyrene

Another product with similar levels of value, however, is polystyrene. It’s cheaper than polyurethane, plus is known to be very easy to install – this has made it very popular among DIY homeowners. This is largely because it’s made in individual sheets, with panels that cut and conveniently attach to individual garage door panels.

Polystyrene isn’t quite as strong as polyurethane, but it’s far from weak either. It’s waterproof and available in several different thicknesses, which will affect its overall R-value. Polystyrene is also considered a great option if you’re looking to add to existing garage door insulation.

Choosing the Right One

Ask yourself a few basic questions when choosing the proper insulation for your garage:

• What’s your budget like? Those with a higher up-front budget tend to look at polyurethane first, given its long-term benefits.
• Is the garage heated or just a buffer from outside?
• Am I looking for just temperature control, or do I want sound insulation and a stiffer, stronger door? If you’re in the latter camp, polyurethane is likely the best choice. For the former, either type could work.
• Am I tight for space in the garage? Do I have room to add thickness? If the answer is no, you might be better served sticking with polystyrene.

For more on the types of insulation available for your garage door, or to learn about any of our garage door products or services, speak to the pros at Crawford Door Sales today.