Garage Door Insulation

[DIY Rookie]

Did a search but couldn't find what I was looking for. What is everyone using for insulating your garage door? I'm more concerned for what will work best for the winters here in Michigan. I seen this product called Reach Barrier Insulation kit, its a reflective barrier. Anyone know anything about this product and if it works well? My door is 16x7. Looking for advice on what would be best to insulate my garage door. Thanks for any help.


EDIT*** Here is the link to the product I am curious about.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Reach-B...VwcqGCh1pmgkpEAQYBSABEgLoU_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[skulldrinker]

I just had new door installed ladt week. The door is insulated with R17 and they put the edge seals around the outside. I have no light shinning though and my heater doesn't cycle like it used to.

So i say go with the highest R value you can find.
Im in chicagoland.

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[MrSurly]

I just had new door installed last week. The door is insulated with R17 and they put the edge seals around the outside. I have no light shinning though and my heater doesn't cycle like it used to.

So I say go with the highest R value you can find.
I'm in Chicagoland.

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Do you have a link to that product? How thick is the door?

 

[Titan1]

I have been looking for a budget friendly system. I have 4 large doors that need insulation. Using a kit gets expensive quickly. Amazon and big box stores pretty much carry all the top 5 kits. Most use styrofoam. Plus most won't work for the larger commercial style doors.

You can DIY with foam boards, it's cheaper and you will get a higher R value. Problem I have found is that the board either has a foil side or a side with the brand writing that will show. Not sure if painting all those would be feasible, but it would save about 60% cost.

 

[bobj49f2]

I have uninsulated steel overhead doors on my pole building. I was going to insulate the doors using closed-cell extruded polystyrene foam (Styrofoam) panels covered by milk house panels for easy cleaning. I bought a piece of each to see how it worked. I was surprised how much weight this added to the door and made it a lot harder to open. This was with only one sheet installed. Before I bought more I just happened to talk to an acquaintance who told me he had a bunch of panels in his shop that I could have for free. I went to his place and he also told me he had more of another type of panel stacked outside his shop. He worked part time for an industrial refrigeration manufacturer and he brought home all of their door off cuts from the doors they built. They were panels of expandable foam sandwiched between thin pieces of fiberglass. I was able to get enough to insulate my 10'x10' and 10'x14' doors. Bonus is the surface is glossy and easy to keep clean. Because of the added weight I had to have new, stronger springs installed. I had a local garage door company install them for the price of the parts and $400.

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[Titan1]

I was looking at the polyiso foam board in 3/4" thickness. I would space it off the steel to create an airgap and hopefully the foam won't cause enough weight change to require new springs, maybe just an adjustment.

DIY Rookie - the polyiso board (brand in R-max at homedepot) has a radiant foil barrier on one side. But it the other side would need to be covered or painted. I think this is the best R value and price you can go with.

 

[bobj49f2]

One reason I didn't want to use the kits sold in the big box stores is the kits were made for residential garage doors with panels narrower than the panels of my overhead doors.

I don't know how the soft, fluffy kits add weight to a door but I'm pretty sure the expanded foam boards will add considerable weight. I calculated I almost doubled the weight of my doors. No way I could just adjust the springs. Even if I could I wouldn't trust the spring to last long.

 

[GRivera]

I have uninsulated steel overhead doors on my pole building. I was going to insulate the doors using closed-cell extruded polystyrene foam (Styrofoam) panels covered by milk house panels for easy cleaning. I bought a piece of each to see how it worked. I was surprised how much weight this added to the door and made it a lot harder to open. This was with only one sheet installed. Before I bought more I just happened to talk to an acquaintance who told me he had a bunch of panels in his shop that I could have for free. I went to his place and he also told me he had more of another type of panel stacked outside his shop. He worked part time for an industrial refrigeration manufacturer and he brought home all of their door off cuts from the doors they built. They were panels of expandable foam sandwiched between thin pieces of fiberglass. I was able to get enough to insulate my 10'x10' and 10'x14' doors. Bonus is the surface is glossy and easy to keep clean. Because of the added weight I had to have new, stronger springs installed. I had a local garage door company install them for the price of the parts and $400.

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Looks great! Seems like high labor price for work from garage door company

 

[DIY Rookie]

Do you have a link to that product? How thick is the door?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Reach-B...VwcqGCh1pmgkpEAQYBSABEgLoU_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[NUTTSGT]

How about a picture of the door that you have now ?


I would suggest off hand using foil faced polyiso cut to size.


Oh and the "member" you quoted is a now banned spammer. That's why your post is gone.

 

[DIY Rookie]

How about a picture of the door that you have now ?


I would suggest off hand using foil faced polyiso cut to size.


Oh and the "member" you quoted is a now banned spammer. That's why your post is gone.

It's a standard 16x7 door. it has the 16 panels on the inside.

And cool, glad you were able to take care of the spammer.

Also, can u send me a link for that foil faced Polyiso you're talking about? And how much weight would that add to the door?

And what do you think about this for insulation?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Reach-B...VwcqGCh1pmgkpEAQYBSABEgLoU_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[LeonardY]

I get that this is not the solution you are looking for but I thought you might like the information.
I tried several different types. Polystyrene 1 inch thick. Just stuffed into the door panels. It didn't do a lot. I added what you linked to and then put back the foam. It helped but I didn't feel it was doing that much.
My house faces west and the garage door gets full sun in the afternoon. Without insulation it could get near a 100 on summer days. Sometimes over. With insulation I found it would get to 90 to 95.
What I found was the hat sections or stiffeners would radiate over 100 degrees.
I ended up replacing my garage door with a factory made insulated door. Cost $1500. Now the garage stays about 85 degrees at the hottest and around 60 on days when the temperature dips to 30.
I'm very pleased with the doors.

 

[GraySkies]

I insulated the inside of my roll-up doors with foam panels that I got for free. There is an insulated door manufacturer locally here that often has rejects pulled from the line. Rather than paying to have these hauled off, they palletize them and give them away for free to any taker. We got a pallet of these. The fiberglass skins peeled off easily and left just the foam panels. I installed these on all the doors. I tightened the springs a turn or two, and this was enough to offset the extra weight. It's not perfect in appearance, but the only thing I will end up spending money on is some edge seals.

 

[NUTTSGT]

https://www.menards.com/main/buildi...94-c-5779.htm?tid=-3334094166523027927&ipos=2


The thicker you use, the heavier it will be. Depending how your door is made, it may fit in the door panels or will require some screws with fender washers.

 

[bobj49f2]

Looks great! Seems like high labor price for work from garage door company

I thought $400 was a decent price, they came out weighed the doors, gave me an estimate with all the needed parts (these are Menard doors, Menards wanted over a $1000 for parts. Two guy came back, installed the springs in the smaller door and when they went to install the springs in the larger door he found out theye undersized the springs and got the correct ones the next day. They also installed a new center rod brace to replace the too small one that was installed before I owned house, they also install horizontal braces support the weight of the installed insulation, I probably wouldn't have thought to do. Then they adjusted the springs, something I didn't want to do myself. Don't like to mess with the spring. As with my business, I feel there are times to call in the experts and to pay them accordingly for their skills and service, so no, I don't think I paid too much.

I insulated the inside of my roll-up doors with foam panels that I got for free. There is an insulated door manufacturer locally here that often has rejects pulled from the line. Rather than paying to have these hauled off, they palletize them and give them away for free to any taker. We got a pallet of these. The fiberglass skins peeled off easily and left just the foam panels. I installed these on all the doors. I tightened the springs a turn or two, and this was enough to offset the extra weight. It's not perfect in appearance, but the only thing I will end up spending money on is some edge seals.

Just curious, sounds like you used the same material I used, why did you remove the fiberglass skins? I removed one side and routed out troughs to accommodate the ribs in my door. I left the panels on the inside so they would stay clean longer and easier to keep clean when they got dirty. My door panels are 23" high so the kits in the stores were too narrow.

I use my 30'x50'x15' shop for my business so on an average day I keep the shop at 68°. Today outside temps are in the upper 20s/ low 30s. My doors face the north. I just felt them and they feel cool but not cold. My shop has 6" insulated walls with a infrared tube gas fired furnace.

 

[nadogail]

When we replaced the door on our garage we spent the extra money and bought an insulated door with metal facing. We like it and will seriously consider insulated doors for our rentals as they require replacement.

 

[GraySkies]

Just curious, sounds like you used the same material I used, why did you remove the fiberglass skins? I removed one side and routed out troughs to accommodate the ribs in my door. I left the panels on the inside so they would stay clean longer and easier to keep clean when they got dirty. My door panels are 23" high so the kits in the stores were too narrow.

I use my 30'x50'x15' shop for my business so on an average day I keep the shop at 68°. Today outside temps are in the upper 20s/ low 30s. My doors face the north. I just felt them and they feel cool but not cold. My shop has 6" insulated walls with a infrared tube gas fired furnace.

I certainly considered leaving the fiberglass. In the end, though, the extra weight was not worth it to me, just for appearance. Mine is just a home shop, used mostly for metal fabrication and car repairs. If it was a business, I might have considered the extra weight worth it, for appearance.

I rarely turn the heat up above 60 in my shop. I get too hot while working in leathers and such if it's any warmer. Most of the rest of my walls are insulated, and the ceiling is partially insulated (working on it). I am using a propane unit heater hanging from the ceiling. It doesn't get very cold here, so the heater doesn't have to work very hard. For most of the winter it's high 30s or low 40s, and raining. We only get occasional below freezing temps here.

 

[davemn]

https://www.menards.com/main/buildi...94-c-5779.htm?tid=-3334094166523027927&ipos=2


The thicker you use, the heavier it will be. Depending how your door is made, it may fit in the door panels or will require some screws with fender washers.

I went with this as well, but either the 1" it 1-1/2" foil faced panels. Used liquid nails to keep them in place. Garage door opener seems to work better now that the door is insulated.

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[skulldrinker]

Do you have a link to that product? How thick is the door?

Its just regular 2" thick. Any garage door installer company web site should list a few.

No insul
R7
R9
R12
R17

Mine was 16x7 $1400 installed. 3hours

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[theundermount]

I used foam panels and inserted them in the door. R12 I think? didnt cost me much at all.

this is what I used 3in thickness fit nice and snug behind the door rails


https://www.homedepot.ca/product/handi-pac-insulation-48x14-5x0-75/1000137182

 

[NUTTSGT]

I went with this as well, but either the 1" it 1-1/2" foil faced panels. Used liquid nails to keep them in place. Garage door opener seems to work better now that the door is insulated.

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That was merely a link to get him in the right direction. The size he needs is going to depend on the door he has.

When I had old wood doors, I used 1/2" screwed to the doors, foil in at bottom and foil out over the windows(looked better than print from the outside). It made a world of difference along with 1.5" polystyrene on the back block wall.