Insulation worth it?

[TeeJayHoward]

Imagine your typical suburban house - 10 feet on either side between you and your neighbors. The garage walls between you and your neighbors are sheetrocked, but not insulated. Is it worth it to rip down the sheetrock and insulate, or would the results not be worth the effort? Is there a way to insulate closed walls?

 

[stm317]

"Worth it" is defined differently for everybody. If you work out in the garage a lot, store things that you want to keep warmer, or just want as much energy efficiency as possible in your home, then it's definitely worth it for your comfort and protecting the items in the garage. If your main focus is the financial aspect, then that can vary depending on the type of insulation you use, and a ton of other variables (your location, position of your house and those around you, any insulation currently in place in the walls or externally, etc)

If it were me, I'd probably try a blown in insulation like cellulose. It typically gives you the most R-Value per dollar, and could be blown into the walls through small holes that could be patched rather than tearing down all of the drywall and having to re-drywall everything after insulating. The biggest potential hiccup with cellulose is having horizontal blocking within the walls that would keep the cavity from filling completely from top to bottom.

 

[Black Oak]

post your location please.

 

[Falcon67]

Yes worth it. You can blow in insulation to fill wall cavities, might want to make sure there are no fireblocks in the wall first.

 

[The Cobbler]

are you heating the garage? Yes to insulate if you are.not worth it if not
if yes, as others have said you can blow in insulation

 

[Richard Cranium]

and in the ceilings also.

 

[ForceFed70]

What's your location and what are your goals?

For energy savings alone - probably not worth it unless you want to keep heated 24x7 instead of when you're out there working. In which case you should also consider insulating the overhead door $$$.

Insulation can also result in sound deadening. Hard to put a value on that, what's it worth to you to be a good neighbor? To be able to grind at 2am if you want to?

 

[TeeJayHoward]

I’m in Colorado Springs, CO. Garage will eventually be heated while I’m in it, but not 24/7. 2x4 walls, so R-value would be low.

 

[marineman]

Doesn't sound like it would be worth it to me but that's a personal call. Either blown in or spray foam can be installed without tearing down all the sheetrock.

 

[Jazz1]

Yes insulate it. You could blow cellulose or some other type insulation into walls without removing drywall or from exterior. Just a matter of drilling some 2" holes
It's better than nothing..

 

[75gmck25]

If you want to start out with the simplest solutions, first make sure all wall penetrations around receptacles and lights are completely sealed and completely air tight. Then get good weather stripping and add insulation to the garage door to keep out air through that path. The next thing to add would be insulation in the garage ceiling.

Once you get all those relatively easy tasks done to keep in the heat, reevaluate and decide if you are using it enough to justify adding insulation to the walls. With everything sealed up tight and insulation in the ceiling, you may find it doesn't take a very big heater to keep it comfortable for occasional work.

Bruce

 

[EOC_Jason]

Very first I would insulate your garage door if it is not already and make sure the weather stripping around the door seals good when closed.

Second I would insulate the ceiling since you probably have access to it from the attic.

Finally I would do as others have said where you can cut a hole near the top between each stud and blow in insulation that way. Then just patch the hole.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

As long as the walls are open I'd think about updating any wiring in there also.

 

[James-W]

As long as the walls are open I'd think about updating any wiring in there also.

That is my thinking as well. I would tear the walls down, do whatever wiring you deem necessary, then insulate. Drywall is not all that expensive and doing wiring with the drywall gone is the best way to do it. With 2X4 walls I would think spray foam insulation would be the best way to go.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Insulating is an investment. Every time you fire up that heater, you'll get a return on your heating fuel bill.

Even when you are not heating, you get a return on your home heating bill. Think of that garage as a big air lock, similar to a double set of doors when you enter a business. That unheated garage will probably be 15°F warmer than the outside temps. Which means that one wall of your house (abutted to the garage) will face that much warmer temps.

 

[gtae07]

I insulated our attached (1-car) garage and it has made a difference, both in the garage (temps are more moderate) and in the house. I also insulated the door with foam reflective panels and it seems to help some as well.

I went ahead and did it while I was redoing the garage to make it into an art studio for my wife, after I moved my stuff into the new workshop. I had to open part of the wall so I could run power to the shop (panel is in the garage), so while I was in there I added some more electrical outlets, a supply tap for a garden tub, an icemaker tap for the beer fridge, and some insulation.

Point is, if you're thinking of opening things up, go ahead and add outlets (if you can) and do anything else you want to do while you're in there.

 

[B T C]

I'm glad that I insulated my garage, and went with insulated doors, but it was done during construction. It's cooler during the summer, warmer in the winter and quieter year round. I don't have installed heat in my garage, but I do use a 60K btu torpedo propane heater if I'm working out there in the winter. My garage is about 850 square feet with 11' or 12' foot ceilings. My little heater will get it up to temp pretty quickly and it will stay comfortable for quite a while.

If you're going to heat it, I would certainly insulate it. Maybe it's just me, but I wouldn't consider heating it without insulating it. I don't know how much foam costs, but that might be the best option for the walls considering your situation, and assuming you don't want to remove the sheetrock.

 

[Stuff]

If your neighbor keeps their garage heated then do not insulate the common wall!

 

[TangoFoxTrot]

I'll be the contrarian and say I don't really think it would be worth that project of tearing it all apart unless you spend a huge amount of time in the garage and you're spending a lot of money heating it.

If it were in the construction phase, then absolutely I would say insulate it as its a rounding error to add basic insulation.

 

[ForceFed70]

I'll be the contrarian and say I don't really think it would be worth that project of tearing it all apart unless you spend a huge amount of time in the garage and you're spending a lot of money heating it.

If it were in the construction phase, then absolutely I would say insulate it as its a rounding error to add basic insulation.

I agree.

I'd insulate the ceiling and the overhead door and leave it at that.

 

[rsanter]

Blow loose fill or foam into the walls and then add a thin second layer of Sheetrock. Will add insulation and noise reduction.
Blow insulation in the ceiling above the garage for added effect

 

[lakeroadster]

I’m in Colorado Springs, CO. Garage will eventually be heated while I’m in it, but not 24/7. 2x4 walls, so R-value would be low.

TeeJay... we're practically neighbors

When we bought our circa 1978 home in 2016 the garage was uninsulated, it also has 2 x 4 walls. We insulated it and it was well worth the investment.

Blow loose fill or foam into the walls..... Blow insulation in the ceiling above the garage for added effect

Good advice.

Here's a video for ya Tee Jay...

 

[rburke65]

Insulate in your climate?

 

[lakeroadster]

Insulate in your climate?

Yeah, we all live in teepee's and drafty old log cabins here...

 

[DC73]

If you want to start out with the simplest solutions, first make sure all wall penetrations around receptacles and lights are completely sealed and completely air tight. Then get good weather stripping and add insulation to the garage door to keep out air through that path. The next thing to add would be insulation in the garage ceiling.

Once you get all those relatively easy tasks done to keep in the heat, reevaluate and decide if you are using it enough to justify adding insulation to the walls. With everything sealed up tight and insulation in the ceiling, you may find it doesn't take a very big heater to keep it comfortable for occasional work.

Bruce

Completely agree. This is good advice for the OP. Most of your heat loss will be through air leaks and through the ceiling. Take care of those first and you may not need to insulate the walls.

DC

 

[rburke65]

The OP said the walls were sheet rocked, but it will still be worth the bucks to insulate.