For many people, their garage is more than just a carport. The garage is used as a carport, a work station, and yes — cars. Many people even convert their garage into an extra hangout spot. Unfortunately, cold winters expose the fact that most garages aren’t insulated. This makes for an uncomfortable place to be for an extended amount of time. While weatherstripping is commonplace, sometimes it isn’t enough. Try these tips from Pacific Expert Garage Doors that will keep your garage warm this winter.
Check the Weatherstripping
In most cases, weatherstripping is the main line of defense against the elements. Weatherstripping helps keep cold winds, rain, and snow from getting into your garage. It’s important that it is in good shape! Not to mention, weatherstripping also helps protect your garage against rodents and other pests looking to get out of the cold.
Weatherstripping made of rubber, so naturally, it will dry out and crack over time. It may also separate from your garage door with normal wear and tear. If you notice that your weatherstripping is coming loose or it is showing signs that it needs to be replaced, do not hesitate to call Pacific Experts for a speedy replacement.
Insulating the Walls
Weatherstripping acts as a form of insulation for your garage door, but it is not enough. To truly keep your garage warm this winter (and keep your energy costs low), you will need to insulate your garage. Insulating the walls with fiberglass batt insulation. Fiberglass batt insulation is pretty inexpensive and it is one of the most common forms of wall insulation in residential homes.
Garage Door Insulation
Once you insulate your walls, you will want to look into insulating your garage doors. Aside from broken panels, garage doors can cause a big loss in energy due to their large surface area not being insulated.
There are several types of common garage door insulation that you can purchase. Fiberglass batt insulation, such as the one you would have used on insulating the walls is perhaps the most inexpensive. There are also two other kinds of insulation on the market: foam board insulation and reflective insulation.
Foam board insulation offers a high insulating value considering their thickness. Reflective insulation is the most expensive of the three options as it is the most effective garage door insulation to choose from. Insulation takes a bit of time and some skill but there are plenty of installation kits on the market and it is well worth it to keep your energy costs low.
Introduce a Heating Unit
While heating an uninsulated garage may seem like a waste of time and money, that isn’t the case for an insulated one! Bring a heating unit of your choice (whether it be a portable heater or installing a forced-heating unit) and warm up your garage. With the proper insulation, you will have no trouble heating your garage this winter.