Why Not Do It Yourself? Garage Door Insulation Kits Can Make The Job Easier
Do you know what is the biggest source of energy loss in many homes? No, it isn't necessarily your windows -- or even your front door -- but it might be your garage door. You may be losing a tremendous amount of heat energy through your garage door -- especially if it is one of the older, un-insulated types. But if the thought of going to all the trouble (and expense!) to install a new garage door is discouraging, I have some great news for you -- you can do this job yourself! How? By purchasing a garage door insulation kit. One type of garage door insulation kit consists of a number of rigid foam insulation panels which you simply cut down to the size needed for each panel of your garage door. Sometimes the foam insulation panels in these garage door insulation kits have a hard wearing plastic covering that has been applied to the external surface, which improves its appearance and durability. These foam insulation panels are a very popular choice with homeowners, as they are extremely easy -- and quick -- to install. Another important aspect of insulating your garage door is to make sure that its weather stripping is in good shape. This is the material which is (or should be!) Installed around the outer edges of your garage door jamb. Garage door weather stripping kits are available which will allow you to complete your garage door insulation project -- you simply remove the old, worn-out weather stripping and attach the new weather stripping material in its place. Materials used for garage door weather stripping include vinyl, neoprene, silicone, nylon and other substances. Typically it is attached either with an adhesive, staples or screws. An additional note: many homeowners have a hot water heater tank installed in their garage. While you are insulating your garage door and weather stripping it to keep drafts and insects out of your garage, why not take a few minutes and install a wrap-around water heater insulation blanket on your water heater? This will also help to cut your home energy consumption. When ordering a garage door insulation kit, a common question is how much material will I need? The answer, of course, depends on the overall size of your garage door. Many of the garage door insulation kits that you can purchase in a building supply center are designed for a standard single-car garage door. These panels are typically about 7 feet high and 9 feet wide -- but you can purchase larger sized panels (16' x 7') if you have a 2-car garage door. An advantage of garage door insulation kits that use bubble foil as the insulating material is that this material can be cut to the exact length and width you will need -- which is the better solution by far if your garage door is of an odd size or custom design. |
