6 Benefits of Having Insulated Garage Doors Over Non-insulated Garage Doors

When homeowners purchase a new garage door, they have the option of choosing a non-insulated or an insulated garage door. Sure, there is a price difference between the two types of doors, but it’s for a good reason. While non-insulated units are effective and can beautifully complement your home, there is a wide range of benefits you can enjoy when you opt for an insulated garage door.

This is especially the case when your existing garage is attached to your home, rather than a standalone structure. If your garage is built into your house, or you use it as a mechanic’s workshop, it is essential that you insulate your garage door. Otherwise, it could affect your home’s overall energy efficiency and comfort. As your first-choice Toronto garage door company, we’d like to inform our local community about the benefits of insulated garage doors for their home.

What Is an Insulated Garage Door?

Garage doors don’t just come in a wide range of styles to match your preferred aesthetics. Their differences also include the type of materials used and their construction.

Insulation is an integral component of building energy-efficient homes and other structures. It reduces thermal bridging, which means that it provides heat flow resistance, allowing you to feel comfortable inside your home year-round. An insulated garage door stops heat from escaping in the winter, and in the summer, it stops hot, muggy air from entering. Insulating qualities are found throughout your home, such as your attic, walls, floors, ceiling, and crawl spaces, so why should your garage be any different?

Even if you don’t have a heated garage, having an insulated garage door will still result in having a warmer garage in winter and a cooler garage in summer, as there will be fewer places for outside temperatures to exploit and impact the interior garage temperature.

How Do I Tell if I Have an Insulated or Non-insulated Garage Door?

There are a few ways for you to check if you have insulated garage doors. The best way is to check the back panel of your garage door. If you can see the exterior panel design on the inside, it is not insulated.

But if the panel design is not visible inside because it is covered by a thick layer, or if the exterior design is hidden from view, it is insulated. Simply pay attention to the layers. You might detect layers of rigid foam boards or other insulation materials. Generally, insulated garage doors appear thicker than non-insulated units.

Additionally, you can conduct a temperature check. During the winter or summer, simply take the temperature outside of your home and then again inside your garage. In summer, if you have insulated garage doors, the temperature should be cooler inside your garage than outside, and vice versa in winter. If the temperature is more or less the same, then you either have a non-insulated set or you need to schedule garage door repair.

The Top Benefits of Having High-Quality Insulated Garage Doors in the Greater Toronto Area

When you live in a cold or hot climate, it is essential that you have efficient insulation installation, including an insulated garage door. Not only does it back up your heating and cooling system, but it also increases your indoor living comfort and protects your interior structures.

Let’s examine the list of insulated garage door benefits in greater detail:

Saves Energy & Prevents Heat Loss Through Your Garage

If you’ve ever wondered why it is so difficult to maintain an energy-efficient home, there are probably a few areas that you have missed. Over 40% of North American homes suffer energy loss due to air infiltration, so one way to save on your monthly energy bill is to try and seal any gaps from which indoor warmth can escape. You might get some front door repairs or weatherproofing services, but if your garage is attached to your home, that space is likely at a different temperature than the rest of the house. Ideally, the walls, ceiling, and floors of your home, including your garage, are already insulated to prevent energy loss, and that will greatly reduce the transmission of heat, but what about the garage door itself? With an insulated garage door, your HVAC system will likely stabilize and help you increase your energy savings.

Uninsulated garage doors are thinner, so in addition to temperature air loss from opening and closing your units, you will struggle to maintain a steady temperature in your garage as the outside air will cool or heat the air in your garage more quickly, as there isn’t much to prevent heat transfer. However, with insulated garage doors, the insulation will act as a barrier, helping to prevent this exchange.

Increases Durability and Longevity of Garage Door

Most garage doors are made of high-quality steel, and one effective way of enhancing it is by insulating them. If its R-value measures at least R-10, you can rest assured that the insulation layer will also protect the overall structure, making it more durable. This means that it promotes the longevity of the steel or aluminum frames, making insulated garage doors more durable than their uninsulated counterparts.

Even standalone or detached garages could benefit from having an insulated garage door with insulation panels. Non-insulated doors are merely sheets of unsupported steel. In our Canadian climate, all it takes is an ice or windstorm to create damage beyond repair. Should the door stick to the ground due to freezing, you run the risk of your electric garage door opener ripping the top section during operation.

Quieter and Provides Soundproofing Qualities

Insulated garage doors are generally quieter when opening and closing because insulation serves as a protective padding for your door. If your existing structure is noisy each time you operate it, and it is audible inside the house, the tracks, rollers, and other components may need additional lubrication. However, by adding insulation, that layer will provide sound-dampening qualities as it operates because parts are less likely to move around. Furthermore, your home will also benefit from improved soundproofing, as with insulated garage doors, there is less sound transmission to the outside of your home, providing greater privacy for the occupants of your home.

Delivers More Comfortable Temperatures Throughout the Year

Have you found that you’ve been increasing your indoor temperature too much because your home doesn’t seem to be keeping the heat in for long enough? No matter what type of insulation you pick, having a good layer of insulation is the most effective method of keeping the heat in for longer periods of time. It blocks strong winds and reduces the risk of air leaks so that you’re always comfortable during the cold winter months. This principle applies to insulated garage doors as well. As their insulation layer prevents temperature transference and lessens the risk of warm air escaping your home, it helps to keep temperatures inside your garage at a more comfortable temperature.

Protects Your Vehicles and Belongings

Cars standing outside in the winter are already suffering from extreme temperatures. But even when stored in a garage, it is not uncommon for batteries to die or for tires to suffer from low air pressure during the cold winter months. Outdoor temperatures are always changing, which is not ideal for any vehicular device. However, insulated garage doors help keep your garage at a more stable temperature, helping to prevent issues caused by abrupt temperature changes.

Also, with insulated garage doors, the high insulation R-values provided by either dense foam, polystyrene, fibreglass, or polyurethane insulation would make the door sturdier and, thus, provide better security for your home.

Provides Extra Space for Activities

If you need extra space for activities, a fully insulated garage door will enable that by allowing for a more comfortable garage space. You can also add a climate control system to decide the temperature you prefer. Whether you plan to turn it into your personal gym, workshop, play space for the kids, or storage, it is an extra space that you can use!

Want to Shop Insulated Garage Doors? What to Consider When Getting New Garage Doors

You might be experiencing warning signs of heat loss or high energy costs and want to see what options there are to make your home more energy efficient. Aside from increased security, saving on heating and cooling costs is also of high importance for most homeowners.

Some important things to look out for when choosing insulated garage doors:

• Is there a seal between the garage door sections?
• Is there a thermal break between the sections?
• Are you contemplating a window unit? To prevent the risk of heat loss, ensure you get insulated double-pane glass.

Upgrading to an insulated garage door can be as inexpensive as an additional $100, which is money well spent. Your investment will pay itself back!

At Dodds Doors, garage door insulation comes in two primary options: polystyrene (Styrofoam), which comes as pre-formed panels that are glued into the inside panel, and polyurethane (spray foam insulation). Polyurethane insulation has a higher R-value compared to polystyrene insulation, but polystyrene is easier to install and a more affordable insulation material. A garage door salesperson can explain all the differences and make a recommendation.

How to Maintain Your Insulated Garage Doors & R-Value

When getting or replacing your units with new insulated garage doors, it is very important that you maintain your garage’s weather seal or weatherstripping and bottom seal. They must remain in good condition for your insulated garage doors to perform optimally. Weatherstripping forms a perimeter seal around your insulated garage door to help keep drafts out. But over time, you may experience cracks and tears in your weatherstripping. Therefore, practicing regular inspection and maintenance will save you a lot of money and headaches.

When hiring a professional for your insulated garage door installation, they will inspect the bottom seal (bottom rubber), ensuring the seal between the ground and your garage door is firm. If the ground beneath your door is uneven, this bottom rubber may not provide a perfect seal and result in drafts and air leakage, reducing the effectiveness of your insulated garage door. Replacing your damaged bottom rubber or garage door weatherstripping can make a meaningful impact on the temperature inside your garage and greatly improve thermal efficiency throughout your home.

Is an Over-the-Counter Garage Door Insulation Kit Helpful?

We get this question a lot from our customers who are eager to solve a problem on their own. And there is nothing wrong with that, except that these insulated garage door kits will only provide you with temporary results. Or worse, they end up adding excess weight to your electric garage door and spring and creating more wear and tear damage.

For the best result, we highly recommend you purchase a unit that already has some level of insulation. The additional charge is often insignificant, whereas the benefits are high. You will be much happier with a long-lasting, insulated door for your garage. As always, Dodds Doors is your garage door expert you can always rely on.

Want to Learn More About Uninsulated and Insulated Garage Doors? Contact the Team at Dodds

Call Dodds today at 1-877-503-6337 to book your free in-home estimate for your new insulated garage doors! We are committed to delivering quality workmanship and superior customer service, as we truly care about your comfort and safety. With over 65 years of experience, our team of experts brings invaluable experience to commercial and residential garage door installation services.

Looking for peace of mind knowing you’re working with a reliable company that won’t rest until you’re completely happy? As a proudly Canadian business since 1958, we’ve helped over 800,000 Canadians and counting. But don’t just take our word for it—find out why our customers love us.