Garage door vapor barrier

[MNMuskie]

I have a double wide aluminum door with white Styrofoam insulation in the panels. The insulation has no barrier on it and last winter the door would drip on my cars when it would open in the warmer weather. When it's really cold I get a lot of ice buildup on the inside near the joints.

Does anyone have any ideas for a vapor barrier for my garage door? I was thinking about getting some 3 or 6 mil white poly to cover the panels but unsure of how to attach it. Maybe double sided 3M tape?

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[russlaferrera]

You can try "STUFF" the foam insulation. Put a bead around the panel. Wear gloves as this STUFF will not come off your hands for a week.

 

[kbs2244]

The real question is why is there so much humidity in the garage?

Are you running an un-vented heater of some kind?

Are you washing the car in there?

Normally you don’t get that kind of humidity.

 

[MNMuskie]

The real question is why is there so much humidity in the garage?

Life in MN; salt, ice, snow, slush, and sub-zero temps. I try to kick the buildup off the cars before pulling in the garage, but you can never get everything. I do squeegee the floor as often as possible. I also have electric heat, so no venting issues.

I thought every wall needs to a vapor barrier, my garage door does not. This allows a buildup of moisture throughout the winter in the channels of the door that drips on my cars on warmer days and in the spring.

 

[tcianci]

Its not a vapor barrier problem. A vapor barrier serves to stop the transmission of water vapor through a structure. Your aluminum door and the foam insulation in it provide more than adequate vapor protection. The reason you see the ice at the joints is that the door leaks cold air where the sections come together causing the moisture in the air (no matter what the source) to condense and freeze on the door. Your problem needs to be addressed from two fronts...install weatherstripping where needed on the door around the edges and between the sections to stop the cold air infiltration and secondly, do what you can to identify and reduce the sources of moisture in the garage

 

[MNMuskie]

Thanks for the tips.

 

[paulasp]

I have the exact door and same problem, the condensation on my door fills up the horizontal channels until they're full, then the water runs down the rails and freezes when it hits the floor. I started to do what russlaferrera mentioned by adding the 'great stuff' to the panels. One big can only did one or two sections(I have 16) so you need alot. The foam should seal the door and work as a vapor barrier, and it seems to work at the end of the winter last year as I had a half dozen panels sealed up. If that doesn't work, then I'm going to paint the door with a sealer type primer and caulk the edges or install frp paneling.

Don't leave it like i did, the freezing water is starting to break up my new concrete floor along the door seam. I have a new insulated door priced out incase it doesn't work, but i'm cheap.
I think putting poly on the door is a good idea, I would think a pl type construction adhesive would probably work, at least your get the seams between the door panels sealed, so that's probably better then my idea.

The only way to reduce the moisture in the garage that I know of is a dehumidifier. My buddy bought one for his garage I can't believe how much water it pulls out of the air(like a gallon a day!). He got it at costco I think, a big stand up one. My garage is small and I don't really have room for one, otherwise I'd get one too.

My big overhead infrared heater works like a charm, and when you have 200 pounds of snow melt off a truck in a couple hours like I do sometimes, your going to have some moisture in there.

Friggin canadian winters...