So I finally moved into my new house with my beautiful 3 car garage. The only problem is, is that the garage door and the exterior walls are not insulated.

Instead of buying a new garage door, I'm just going to insulate it, but I don't know which type to use.

There are three types:
1) Foil (single or double layer): R-value = 4.6-6
2) Panel Foam: R-value = 6.0
3) Fiberglass: R-value = 9.0

I would like to get the fiberglass and was wondering if anyone had any experience with that.

I'm also going to get a threshold seal.

 

I'd go with "2) Panel Foam: R-value = 6.0" on the door as you don't want fiberglass above your head (even with the paper out the stuff is nasty)...

If you have stud walls go with the fiberglass and then wallboard over it... if not, go with the panel foam there too... You'll want to insulate the ceiling too...

 

The walls are already have drywall on them, and I'm not going to rip it down to insulate. I'll see what insulating the door does. My craftsman opener displays the temperature in the garage and the lowest I've seen it is in the low 50's after being in the 20's overnight.

 

There is another option, spray foam - basically you make a small 1/4" hole in between the studs in the wall (better to do this up top than down at bottom - the spray foam has a 'nozzle tube' that you put in hole - I can't remember how long to spray for each space, but should be on the can, If I remember correctly 1 can can do about a 12' wall (give or take based on how much you over do it in the beginning)

 

I would have to say that if someone took the time to hang drywall in the garage they insulated it first, but you never know. If there are any outlet or switches remove the cover and try to look to the side of the box inside the wall to see if you can spot any insulation. Staying at 50 degrees on a 20 degree night with no heat isn't bad. I would concentrate on the gaskets around the garage door more that insulating the panels themselves. As far as spray foam in your walls if they are not insulated. if you use the cans you can buy at home depot your askin for trouble. Before the foam reaches the bottom of the cavity it will have already started to expand on wires or the siding nails and then you will never get the cavity full. U should do some research on line for a system to use or hire someone that does this for a living. You will spend just as much money on the wrong stuff and not get a good r-value.

 

I agree with everything you said. Sounds like you've been around. Good info.

 

Thanks for the info.

The only parts of the garage that are insulated are the walls that have living space on the other side. For example, on the other side of the back wall of my garage is an office, so therefore it's insulated. The third bay might as well be an freestanding structure because it have outdoors on all three sides, and therefore not insulated. That's just the way that the builder built this home.

 

That's why you use only a 1/4" hole - and as for nails and such - it 'flows' around them, and it takes several seconds to start expanding - plenty of time for it to reach the base of the wall - I've done this in several houses for their owners. - they didn't believe it went to the bottom, so they drilled holes to see.... it did.

 

But the foam idea is still a bad one I think. If the expansion get's strong enough, you could swell the wall, even pop out a few nails...and regardless of how hard you try, there will still be air pockets...not to mention when this stuff sits ontop of itself, it will weigh down, both building up in places, and creating cavities in others...

No, if you're going to spray anything into the walls, the broken up fuzzy stuff is your best bet. It will fall with gravity, and can be packed in from the top.

 

^^^^This. Using this type of insulation would definitely be best for you, IMO. Should be relatively easy to get into the cavity without ripping the whole panel out. Depending on how deep the cavity is you could end up with a very good R value and your garage would surely stay warm. If you have a 2x4 framed garage youll end up with an R-value around 12, depending on how good the stuff you use is and how thoroughly you get it into the cavity

 

I'm all for the spray foam. DIY and best product ever. How about 1" thick insulated garage door panels?

 

Spray foam idea is interesting. I wouldn't think that would work. I know blowing in the treated paper works and isn't too hard. The only problem is you have to put holes in your walls. For the doors, I would use the foam panels. You just silicone them on and you are good to go.

 

is the garage connected to your house? if it is you're gonna want a higher r value possibly, i know in my garage doors we have r-17. it's gets pretty cold in new jersey, i would guess in colorado its pretty cold too

 

I used this stuff on mine. It has made a noticeable difference in temperature inside. Also makes the doors alot less noisy going up and down (good, since my daughter's bedroom is above the garage)

inexpensive, easy to install, and there is no issue with "fiberglass falling on your head" or such riduculousness, if you install it correctly.

 

Thanks irish ... Where do they sell that? Lowes, HD?

 

I used similar insulation that I bought at Menards (a home improvement store like Home Depot) for my old house in Ohio. If you can't find this stuff in your local HD/Lowes/Hardware store, I've seen it on everyone's favorite auction site. Super easy to install... the styrofoam is scored on the back so you can bend it enough to fit into the channels/pockets in the garage door. Made the garage bearable in the winter.

Also, if your garage is uninsulated, you might consider having insulation added in the ceiling. In my old garage, I put the foam panels on the door and paid to have the ceiling insulated. It made a huge difference. I priced the insulation and renting the machine from the home improvement store. In my case, to have insulation added to my garage and house, having it professionally done cost like $200 more then what it would have cost me for the parts (only like $800 for quite a bit of work, amazing how cheap it was in 2005)... well worth the money to keep from breathing in the fiberglass fibers that were blowing around.

 

Josh, did you have to get the garage door springs adjusted after installing the extra weight?

 

Not to hijack your question, but I added similar insulation to my door as well. I did have to adjust my door after adding the same type insulation as irish44j. My door was a two car wide garage door.

Not that hard to do though... had a garage door company come out for a service call, cost less than $75 in 2005, so the price might be more currently.

 

actually, the stuff I posted isn't styrofoam, it's soft fill with a backing.

And yeah, Home Depot or Lowes should both have it.

 

no, this stuff is pretty lightweight. I didn't need any adjustment. I have two single doors though.

again, note that this isn't rigid stuff, it's soft - almost like insulation that you'd put in new framing walls, but with a plastic backing instead of paper. It has some clips to attach it with and they hold well.

 

You were definitely using different stuff! All I could find at the time was the stryofoam stuff I used, and it was kinda heavy, especially on a two car wide single door.

OP: Since irish44J had good luck with the product he used and may be lighter than what I used, you may want to look at that product first, especially if you have a two car wide door like mine was. Mine did warm up the garage, but after the materials and the adjustment was about $200 into the door when all was said and done.

 

this...

 

The foam can be expensive but it's worth it to not mess around with the fiberglass crap...

 

I used spray-on Radiant Barrier.......on my Garage door and in the attic