How to Make Garage Doors More Energy Efficient
As energy costs increase all over the world, and sustainability grows as a concern, homeowners are seeking ways to make their homes more energy efficient. While some homeowners focus on their home’s heating and air conditioning systems, the insulation of their homes, their windows, and many other areas, they often forget the largest opening on their home: their garage door.
A significant amount of energy can be lost through your overhead garage door, which is why making sure your garage door is energy efficient can be a great way to cut down on utility costs and energy use. Can this be done easily? Sometimes. There are small things you can do to an existing garage door to make it more energy efficient. However, it generally relies on you investing in a better garage door.
If you are looking to make your garage door more energy efficient, there are several things you can look for when making your purchasing decision.
When Buying a Garage Door, Look for Proper Insulation
Some garage doors are made with little to no insulation. This is especially poor design with it comes to metal garage doors, which allow for a lot of heat transfer. When looking at the design and build of a garage door, pay attention to two things:
- The R-values of the materials
- The insulation at the core of the door
Wood offers a good natural R-value, but it’s also important to see what the builder puts on the inside of the door. In order to increase the energy efficiency of the garage door, it’s essential to use a filler inside. Foam materials like polystyrene are excellent insulators against the cold, as they are used in many applications across many industries.
Also, don’t forget about the windows. Make sure to ask about the glass being used and how it performs in extreme temperatures.
Consider Adding Smart Features
We’re not talking about Wi-Fi or any type of automated technology. One of the smartest features you can add to the design of your garage door (from an energy efficiency standpoint) is a walk-through door. Walk-through garage doors allow you to quickly enter and exit your garage space without opening the overhead door, which means you will be losing less heat from your garage space in the winter and letting less heat into the garage space in the summer. Opening and closing an overhead garage door takes time, and every second they remain open means you are losing energy from your home, especially if your garage space is heated or air conditioned.
A Simple Trick: Apply Weatherstripping
Perimeter weatherstripping on a garage door blocks air from getting into the space when the door is closed. If your weatherstripping is old or non-existent, it fails to create a proper “seal” on your garage door. Adding new weatherstripping can help make your garage door more energy efficient, but it won’t make up for a garage door that is simply not insulated well enough (or made from inferior materials).
Looking for an energy efficient garage door for your home? We can help. Get in touch with our team at CAMBEK today to talk about custom garage door designs!
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