Sure, you are thinking, “But you are a garage door repair company, why are you talking to me about wall insulation?” Frankly, because if your house is too hot or too cold, whether you have the air conditioner or furnace running or not, it could be an insulation problem, especially with your garage. You might have great windows, effective weatherstripping, and thick doors, but if you don’t have proper insulation, you might be leaking hot or cold air into the hot or cold air. And unless you bought your house new or remodeled itself, this can be a tough question.
How to Check Your Home Insulation
It is easy to spot whether you have an insulation problem through your garage if you have a room above the garage. If that room gets hot or cold easily, along with your garage, then it could be a sign your garage is not properly insulated. It could also be that you do not have an insulated garage door, or your walls or attic are not properly insulated. Not sure whether you have proper insulation keeping the weather out of your house? One tried-and-true method is to knock on the walls. You can also try to touch the walls. A wall that is not properly insulated will feel cold to the touch.
To check on the insulation in your attic, you will usually have an attic access panel either in one of the hallways of your house or in your garage, or both. Use this access to determine if there is insulation in your attic or garage roof. One of the easiest ways to ensure you have proper insulation in your home is to get the attic insulated first. Now, you could cut a hole in the wall to determine if there is adequate insulation in your garage walls, but you only want to do that if you feel comfortable patching up the hole once you are done. You also want to check under your baseboards for proper insulation. Drywall will often have a space at the bottom where the floor meets the wall where you can tell if there is fiberglass insulation.
Why Insulation Matters
Beyond the basics of your home, from the cabinets to flooring and counter tops, there are unseen aspects of your home that play a critical role in your comfort level. In fact, the insulation in your home should do more than just keep a steady temperature. Other factors that you should consider when evaluating your home’s insulation should include energy efficiency and comfortability. There are various types of products, brands and insulation types available for your home. Also consider that if you update your home’s insulation at a later date then when you construct or move into it, you could face a costly and disruptive process.
An insulated garage door should also be a critical part of your home insulation strategy. You want to replace old garage doors that have no insulation. Furthermore, did you know that replacing your garage door is one of the most valuable renovations you can make? That’s right. Homeowners who install a new garage door recoup 74% of the cost when they sell their home. Even more, a garage door replacement is generally a pretty affordable option where home renovations are concerned. The average garage door replacement costs anywhere between $700 and $1,400. A new garage door also increases your home’s curb appeal.
You see, here is the problem: Garages are not considered living spaces. As a result, construction standards are different. Gaps and leakages are more tolerated in the garage, which means they are often the most non-insulated or leaky parts of the house. Adding insulation to your garage ceiling or to prevent cold or heat in is a critical money-saving measure. In the past, people thought an insulated garage door is overkill. Not anymore and especially not in Akron, Ohio. Garage doors act as a buffer zone between heated indoors and cold outdoor weather.
Durability Also Matters
Not only are insulated garage doors better at keeping internal temperatures steady, they are also far more durable. Insulated garage doors are constructed differently from single-layer garage doors. As a result, they are stronger. Lightweight, energy-efficient garage doors may seem like they wouldn’t be as strong, but in fact they are stronger. Many of today’s garage doors are constructed of lightweight aluminum and sandwiched insulation layers, which increases torsional rigidity. Older garage doors typically consist of steel sheets wrapped over panel frames.
Still, beyond curb appeal and strength, an insulated garage door will be of little help if your walls or ceiling are not properly insulated. Consider that there are more walls to your home than those that surround your garage. While we only work on garages here at Prestige Door, we feel it is important to also share articles related to general home improvement. If you feel your home is not properly insulated, but aren’t sure what to look for or what types of insulation you should go with, contact a contractor or home improvement professional. Because you might be surprised to learn that there are actually seven different categories for wall insulation. Fortunately, a certified professional can help you sort through which is right for you.
And in the meantime, for all your garage or insulated garage door needs, turn to the experts in your area. When it comes to Akron, Canton, and other Northeast Ohio locations, Prestige Door is your one-stop-shop for all your garage door installation, repair, and maintenance needs! Contact us today to lean more about how we can help you!