Understanding Garage Door Insulation R-Values and Why They Matter
Selecting the appropriate garage door to have as part of your place is one area through which insulation could be an aspect; this tends to imply several various things, from vitality effectiveness, down to sound reduction. The R-value is one of the critical features of garage door insulation. What Is R-Value, and Why Does It Matter for Your Garage Door? Having a firm grasp on this particular concept can assist you in making an educated decision that is beneficial for your residence over the long term. We at Affordable Garage Door Repair provide a variety of residential garage doors for our clients. To protect your garage and everything within it, here is a guide to R-values, what they mean for the performance of a garage door, and why those values matter to you as a homeowner — especially in somewhere like Houston.
What Is an R-value?
The R-value quantifies the ability of a material to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the construction material insulates and helps keep heat inside during winter & outside during summer. Garages are big, un-insulated spaces and as a point of access to your home, the value of R- values becomes even more pronounced when speaking in terms of garage doors.
How R-Values Work
Low R-Values
A low R-value will simply not insulate the house as well since heat can pass through it much more easily. In the case of garage doors, if insulation features are secondary to the strength and form, then a lower R-value may be acceptable for detached garages or where maintaining an internal temperature is not reliable.
Higher R-value
A higher R-value means that a material provides better insulation. For attached garages or homes where the garage is part of the living area utilizing an insulated door additionally helps maintain even temperatures in the garage as recommended by most energy companies.
The Importance of R-Values For Your Garage Door
Picking a garage door that suits your home with the appropriate R-value can make a large difference in comfort, energy bills, and even noise levels. Here’s why R-values matter
Energy Efficiency
Homeowners can benefit greatly from an energy-saving insulated garage door with a high R-value. Especially if your garage is attached to your house, a door that is poorly insulated-even with the whole garage-will result in escaping heat spring and summer or air seepage.
Why It Is Important
The greater the R-value your garage door has, the more insulation it provides from outdoor temperatures, which can help reduce energy loss and keep your garage and home more comfortable year-round. This is of utmost importance in places like Houston, where a sunny summer can potentially lead to higher electricity costs since you have an uninsulated garage door.
When it comes to attached garages, consider a device that allows for precise and separate heating control
For people with an attached garage, the temperature in your garage can even determine the temp in nearby living spaces. In some cases, an insulated garage door with a higher R-value can help to keep the temperature in your garage more steady which can provide you more comfort as summer heat and winter cold may not be able to seep inside giving your home and energy bill a little boost!
Why It Matters
By helping to maintain your garage temperature, you may be able to protect your car and anything else you store in there from damaging extremes of hot or cold that could make for premature repairs (and possibly higher insurance premiums) or extend the life of other items such as fragile tools, paint cans, and electronics.
Noise Reduction
Garage doors with higher R-value may also offer better soundproofing. A well-insulated garage door can help to block out not only outdoor noises but also the annoying hum of heat pumps and generators running recurrently.
Why It Makes Good Sense
A well-insulated garage door can help to bring peace into your home, especially if you create an office or hobby area in your garage.
Durability and Longevity
Garage doors with a higher R-value offer more protection against the elements and are usually constructed from heavy-duty materials, such as double-layer steel or foam-insulated fiberglass. These materials are much better at insulating the door than wood or mixed materials, and they increase the overall strength of the door as well as provide resistance to dents, warping, and other damage.
Why It Is Important
Picking a new garage door with a high R-value allows for the door to be stronger, lasts longer, and falls victim to less maintenance and repairs in the long run.
How Garage Door R-Values Are Calculated
The R-values depend on the thickness and the material of insulation applied onto pulley stiles. There will be two basic types of insulation in garage doors, polystyrene, and polyurethane, each offering a different level of insulation.
Polystyrene Insulation
It has solid foam plastic insulation (either polystyrene or polyurethane) between two layers, unlike steel doors that only have the insulating value of what is found within itself. It is cheaper than polyurethane but it has a lower R-value per inch. Basic insulated garage doors often use polystyrene insulation, and while it may not have as high of an R-value as its polyurethane counterpart.
R-Value class
By helping to maintain your garage temperature, you may be able to protect your car and anything else you store in there from damaging extremes of hot or cold that could make for premature repairs (and possibly higher insurance premiums) or extend the life of other items such as fragile tools, paint cans, and electronics.
Polyurethane Insulation
It packs the full void of the garage door to serve as both insulation and structural reinforcement, this means that polyurethane does add weight. Homeowners who desire uncompromising insulation, along with maximum energy efficiency and durability should consider polyurethane insulation as it has slightly better R-values per inch.
R-Value
Typically between R-10 and R-18+.
What R-Value Should My Garage Door Be?
Depending on the temperature where you live and how you use your garage (attached, detached, etc. there is an ideal R-value for your garage door.
Hot Climate Homes (Houston and Similar Cities )
A higher R-value is recommended in hot climates like Houston to help block heat and cool the garage if it is attached to your home. If you want your garage door to let as little heat inside during those hot days of summer, a choice with an R-value of R-10 or more is good.
Hot Climate Homes (Houston and Similar Cities )
If the garage is attached to your house, you may want high-value doors that add both energy efficiency and comfort. A better R-value also means less energy escapes, minimizing heating and cooling expenses. Attached garages ideally should have a R-value of R-10 or more.
For Attached Garages
If the garage is attached to your house, you may want high-value doors that add both energy efficiency and comfort. A better R-value also means less energy escapes, minimizing heating and cooling expenses. Attached garages ideally should have a R-value of R-10 or more.
For Detached Garages
For unheated detached garages, you will need a more common R-value for your insulation materials. An R-4 to an R-7 may be sufficient that it will provide adequate insulation to protect items being stored from excessive temperatures.
More Things To Keep In Mind While Selecting A Garage Door
There is more to choose from a garage door, of course, than the R-value. Remembering some other important things.
How R-Values Work
Garage door
The best garage doors are no longer made from wood, and so should yours! Benefits of Steel, Aluminum, Wood, and Fiberglass
Design — Curb Appeal
Your garage door is one of the first things people notice about your home. Pick a color and door design to match the exterior of your home.
Garage Door Opener
Opt for a smart or quiet garage door opener to further improve the convenience and practicality of your new door.
Conclusion
Before replacing or upgrading your garage door, you need to understand the R-values of garage door insulation, so that you can make a well-informed decision. An R-value indicates how well material resists the flow of heat, and so higher numbers dictate better insulation – keeping your home more energy efficient, resulting in a more comfortable living space for you, especially in climates such as Houston which have temperatures on both extremes.
At Affordable Garage Door Repair, we have an offer for every need with our insulated garage doors ranging from various R-values. Whether you need a door for energy efficiency or sound reduction, we will help get the right fit for your home. Contact us for a consultation on the new self-insulating garage door that best suits you today!