The heat and humidity of our Houston summer is just around the corner. Wouldn’t it be nice to save money on that AC bill, and bring the temperature down to a more tolerable level when you step out of your car and into the garage? There is a solution, and it just might be more affordable than you would think!
THE PROBLEM:
Have you ever considered what direction your garage door is facing? Is your garage attached or detached from the house? If your garage door is facing South or West- then your garage is being subjected to the afternoon sun and heat. Temperatures in a garage can easily exceed 110 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s pretty hot! That kind of heat can take it’s toll on your vehicle, items stored in the garage, and electronics.
Standard garage doors have one thin sheet of steel that will actually radiate the sun’s heat inward. For attached garages, poorly insulated walls and ceiling, will allow this excessive heat to penetrate into the air conditioned areas of your home, causing your AC unit(s) to work 
harder, and your monthly bill to increase.
Garage doors that face North or South tend to be cooler than other orientations by 5 to 10 degrees. Garages that are detached from the house obviously will not affect your energy bill. You still may be in need of a better solution, even in this case, especially if you plan on spending a lot of time in the garage, plan on having a game room, man cave, bonus room, or air conditioned space.
THE SOLUTION:
An insulated garage door is a great solution to many of the above problems! It is like adding a fourth wall to your garage space. Instead of radiating heat inward, an insulated garage door will block the majority of the heat from penetrating.
Not all insulated garage doors are created equal. There are after market foam kits, custom sheets cut into place and glued, soft vinyl back insulated, rigid steel back insulated, polystyrene, and polyurethane filled garage doors. You will see some improvement by adding a DIY insulation kit to your existing door, but for the best results- panels that are pre insulated by the manufacturer work best.
There is a way to measure the effectiveness of the insulation, through R-value rating. R-value refers to a standard of measuring the thermal resistance of various construction materials. The higher the value, the more effective at blocking heat penetration.
Polystyrene insulated garage doors are an affordable solution for many homes. The R- value of these doors ranges from R8 to R10.
Polyurethane insulated garage doors are more expensive, but still a great value for the increased energy efficiency they can provide. The R- value of these doors ranges from R13 to R17. These doors are essentially a fourth wall to your garage!
OTHER BENEFITS:
As if saving money on your monthly energy bill isn’t enough, there are a few other benefits for installing an insulated garage door.
- Saves money– as discussed, the cooler the garage space, the less heat will penetrate into your home.
- Security– steelback insulated garage doors are much more sturdy and much more difficult for a thief to breach.
- Storm Safety– the extra weight and rigidity of a steelback insulated garage door will help protect your home and valuables from storm winds, and even flood waters in some cases.
- Quiet Performance– steelback insulated garage doors are much less creaky during day to day operation due to their rigid nature.
- Longevity– steelback insulated garage doors are far less likely to dent, tear, or, bend. They tend to outperform and outlast hollowback garage doors by 10 years or more on average.
CONCLUSION:
If you are replacing a garage door, then you should seriously consider choosing an insulated garage door for all of the benefits that you will enjoy. Your standard hollowback garage door will not last as long, and depreciates in value quickly. Insulated garage doors actually save you money over time on cooling costs, therefore they will continue to deliver value month after month.
EXAMPLES:
Wood Tones Long Panel Polyurethane Insulated Garage Door CHI Model 5916
Raised Panel Standard Stamped Polystyrene Insulated Garage Door by CHI
WHAT GARAGE DOOR REPAIR COMPANY IN HOUSTON SHOULD I CHOOSE?
Spectrum Overhead Door LLC has been serving the greater Houston area since 2006, and would be happy to give you a FREE ESTIMATE and FREE CONSULTATION.
Call us today, and our friendly office staff will answer any questions that you may have!
CALL 281-748-9542
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