I'm installing some foam insulation panels on my garage door. Do they need to be flush up against the door? As you can see from the pic they are not. I'm curious if I should get some glue or tape to hold them flush against it or not. Also should I tape off the ends and joints? Main reason for doing this is to keep heat out, and I am planning on installing some type of a/c system.
Garage Door Insulation
- Thread starter fiveoh
- Start date
Wingnut65
Well-known member
Its really up to you and what you want. The two main points you want to aim for is that when the insulation is installed, the door must still be able to open and close. Second is that the doors will get very hot all day and then when you open the door, it would be best if the panels stay IN the door instead of falling on your head and vehicles. With that said, if the door works fine with the panels beyond the face, let it go if it doesn't bother you. With the heat, I'm not sure the taping would be the main method to keep the panels in the door. Also, tape has a life span that is less than the eternity. I picked up a couple tubes of the Loctite Heavy Duty Construction Adhesive to install the blue panels in mine, but it will be a couple weeks before I can get to that project.
SM Racing
Well-known member
Yes, they will reduce the heat. I just did both of my doors. Just used two pieces of 1/2in foam board per panel in the door. I didn't tape or anything other then fit them behind the panels. They can move around slightly, but they aren't taped or glued, they are in relatively tight, but I can still move them. I don't have a very good picture, but here is what the finished version looks like.
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SM Racing
Well-known member
yeah I know, it is kinda out of focus.
Yeah that's similar to the stuff I used. How does the insulation work to keep heat out if it's not flush against the door? Wouldn't it stop more heat transfer if it was flush?
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SM Racing
Well-known member
Your just looking for something to block the radiation of heat from the backside of the metal doors. That is where the heat came from my doors. The insulation traps that heat against the door and doesn't let it through into the shop.
They don't have to be tight to the door but you want to have them as tight as possible arround the edges so that air doesn't flow between the insulation and the door. If there is an air gap between the door and insulation but it is sealed around the edges the gap will actually increase the insulation value.
Good info, thanks. Should I just duct tape the ends or is there a special kind of tape or something to seal the edges?
Wingnut65
Well-known member
The air gap actually increases the R-Value of the assembly. I don't have the numbers with me now, but the blue 3/4" panels I bought have an R-Value for the panels alone and quite a bit more with a 3/4" air gap. I plan on gluing in scrap strips of insulation to create a 3/4" air gap on mine when I do them.
tom's2005gto
Member
Good info, I am looking to do something similar. Are you guys buying styrofoam sheets from Lowe's etc? Anyone tried those garage insulating kits? Or are they just fancy packaged styrofoam sheets?
SM Racing
Well-known member
I just bought 8 sheets of blue foam board from lowes.
If the insulation panels are not tight to the door and a gap exist at the top and bottom of the insulation panel, what will happen is what's called a "buoyancy driven convection current". The air between the garage door and insulation panel will become hot, and therefore less dense than the surrounding air, and begin to rise out the top gap. Cooler air will then enter the bottom gap. This is a continuous process, exactly like, say, a piece of electrical equipment with vents in the top and bottom of the chassis.
I would suggest that the top and bottom gaps be sealed closed so that air is not free to circulate between the insulation panel and the garage door. This will increase the effectiveness of your insulation.
I would suggest that the top and bottom gaps be sealed closed so that air is not free to circulate between the insulation panel and the garage door. This will increase the effectiveness of your insulation.
I used pink R3 foam sheets from home depot. They where 9$ each I think. Took 3 for my garage door and havea little left over.
BearHit
Well-known member
I did mine as tight as I could get them - had to cut them diagonally to get them in.
Eventually the construction adhesive gave way. I used the expandable spray foam insulation to tighten them up around the edges.
Insulates well against heat and cold - and SOUND... amazing how quiet it is in there with the door closed.
Eventually the construction adhesive gave way. I used the expandable spray foam insulation to tighten them up around the edges.
Insulates well against heat and cold - and SOUND... amazing how quiet it is in there with the door closed.
Falcon67
Well-known member
That's what I used - 1" thick foam, fitted as tight as I could to the door cavities. No tape or glue needed. Works very well, made a big difference.
I'm taping mine around all the edges with foil tape just to make sure no hot air seeps out around them. It looks ilke **** but at least it will be cool.
csp
Well-known member
This is true provided that the air gap is dead air space. With the ends open air can flow through the gap reducing the R-value.
tom's2005gto
Member
Yesterday while I was at Lowes picking up some other stuff, I decided to check out what options they had for insulating the garage door. They didn't have the "pink insulating sheets" they did have some sort of blue ones that were 1/4" thick. I opted for two of these kits
I'm headed to the garage know to start the project. I will post up details when finished.
Tom
tom's2005gto
Member
Done.
Hello all.
I'm new to the site and I have lurked/looked around but haven't found an answer to a question I have. Need some advice please. I live in Dallas, TX so you know we have hot summers. I have a two car attached garage with a standard 16' metal door. No insulation. And my office inside the house is next to the garage. So that room is always warmer than the rest of the house. I'm thinking about insulating the garage door.
But my question is when my wife pulls her CR-X in at night will that hold more heat in, than what the insulation on the door will keep out? The house is well insulated, over the garage is well insulated. But I guess I just get so much heat transfer through the 32" Entry door and the shared walls. The garage is all finished out with sheet rock. Thank you for any advice. This is a great website.
I'm new to the site and I have lurked/looked around but haven't found an answer to a question I have. Need some advice please. I live in Dallas, TX so you know we have hot summers. I have a two car attached garage with a standard 16' metal door. No insulation. And my office inside the house is next to the garage. So that room is always warmer than the rest of the house. I'm thinking about insulating the garage door.
But my question is when my wife pulls her CR-X in at night will that hold more heat in, than what the insulation on the door will keep out? The house is well insulated, over the garage is well insulated. But I guess I just get so much heat transfer through the 32" Entry door and the shared walls. The garage is all finished out with sheet rock. Thank you for any advice. This is a great website.