As time moves forward, the world is quickly switching towards the possession of energy efficient or “green” appliances. One great advantage of having a “green” or energy efficient door is a lower utility bill. This is very true when it comes to insulating the garage door. An insulated garage door will keep the large garage space much more regulated which then causes the inside of the home to stay more regulated.
When the garage door is attached to the main residence the expensively conditioned air from inside the home will often find its way into the garage especially when the doorway into the garage is used often or even from around the door or under the frame. So in the Arizona summer when the temperature outside is scathing hot the uninsulated garage will heat up almost to the same temperatures as the outside which will then cause the cool air conditioned air inside to find its way into the garage to try and cool down the air in that space.
By insulating the garage door, the interior space will remain much more temperate. Insulation works by trapping air inside of it stopping the temperature on both sides from changing quickly as the insulation acts as a barrier to both. When the air inside the garage is relatively trapped and regulated, the cooling system does not have to operate harder to make up for temperature changes.
Garages also make wonderful locations for vehicle storage. Vehicles are often the second most expensive piece of equipment a homeowner owns and yet without a insulated garage, the temperature inside the garage can reach damaging levels quickly. When the garage is insulated, the temperature stays in a range that allows for the car to be stored safely and makes the car much more pleasant to jump into in the late afternoon.
Garages also make wonderful work space. Especially in a suburban environment, often there is not much space in the backyard or inside the home for craft work or woodwork outside of the garage. When the door is insulated, the climate inside the garage can be a conducive place for hands on work! It also makes the garage a place that can be air conditioned without the fear of all the expensive conditioned air immediately flowing out of the garage!
When an attached garage is located on the first floor with a room on the second floor just above it, it can be a problem for two reasons. The first reason is that the room above the garage will become extra hot in the summer and extra cold in the winter as the direct air in the garage will pull air through the floor of the second story bedroom.
The second reason is that insulated doors are quieter when they are in motion. The insulation allows for a smoother movement. This means that a family with kids, or visitors, or even grandparents staying in the home will be much more unlikely to be disturbed by the early morning commuter leaving the home ad waking everyone.
A good discussion for the warmth of a door is the R-value. The R-value is the rating system in which warmth is measured. This spectrum is from an R-4 to an R-17 with a wood door coming in at an R-4 which is not much compared to some options but is much warmer than a R-0!
Insulated doors are also much more bullet proof than a non-insulated door. A non-insulated door is thin and can be easily dented where an insulated door is much thicker and able to take a punishment. This means that landlords and parents are strongly encouraged to invest the extra capitol in a much higher valued insulated door!
