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The average homeowner uses their garage for more than one purpose. It can be used as a storage shed or transformed into a home office or gym.

As garage spaces are not weatherproofed like the rest of your home and are often neglected, they end up turning into saunas during hot weather. There is a potential for the temperature to rise to an extremely high level, making it uncomfortably hot, unfortunately. During winter, it can reach freezing temperatures, harming water pipes and equipment.

An air conditioner can assist with this problem, but it won’t be effective if your garage is unable to retain cooled air. In this case, garage insulation can be useful if you want to convert your garage into another room.

Heat is slowed down by insulation in your garage walls, ceiling, and floors, which is beneficial regardless of whether you are heating or cooling it. Even if you just want to park your car in your garage or store items, insulation can still be useful. It is very effective for reducing energy costs and making storage space more convenient in the garage.

The process of insulating a garage isn’t difficult, regardless of whether you want to cool or heat it. The following is a detailed guide on how to insulate a garage to assist you in your DIY project. 

Insulation for your Garage – The Benefits

Here are the main benefits of garage insulation: 

• Garages are ideal for use as home gyms, project workshops, or offices all year round. As long as you have the proper heating and cooling systems installed in your garage, an insulated garage retains cold when it’s hot outside and warmth when it’s cold outside. 
• Insulation reduces energy loss, lowering your bills at the same time. Especially if your house and the attached garage share a boundary wall, you will notice a difference.
• You can protect your items from humidity and rust with insulation. Thus, you can store all the paints and tools that are temperature-sensitive without a problem.
• Any carbon monoxide trapped in your garage can seep into your home if your garage is attached to your house. Insulate your garage to protect your family from the serious health effects of carbon monoxide.
• Insulating your garage will help increase the resale value of your home, as buyers note this detail and view it as a sign of high-quality construction.
• Noise pollution can also be reduced by insulating your garage. As a result, insulation can help block out noise if you have set up your home office in the garage and live in a noisy area. It’ll also muffle the sounds of power tools used in this area.

Insulation effectiveness and R-value

Insulation effectiveness is measured by the R-value. Insulating materials are available in various types, densities, and thicknesses which affect the R-value. Garages with higher R values are more energy-efficient and provide better insulation. However, higher R-value materials are also more expensive.

Insulating your Garage – the most Popular 5 types of Insulation

Understanding the different types of insulation materials is necessary before you attempt to insulate your garage.

Despite their ability to control temperature, each type has its own pros and cons.

1. Rigid Foam Insulation

Rigid Foam is a form of continuous insulation. It has a good R-value. The thickness ranges from 0.5 to 4 inches on a sheet that measures 4 x 8 feet. Humidity does not cause it to crack or split and it is moisture-resistant.

Garage doors and thin walls are ideal for rigid foam insulation. Nevertheless, thick floors and walls shouldn’t be covered with this type of insulation. This one would be a great place to start if you are looking to add DIY insulation to your garage.

2. Fiberglass Insulation

Most houses use this type of insulation, particularly in garages. The easiest and cheapest insulation to install is fibreglass, so it is a perfect choice for the DIYer. The types of fibreglass that can be found are:

• Bats and blankets to fit the wall studs and joists in the ceiling and floor of your garage.
• You can blow this kind of insulation to cover hard-to-reach areas like gaps and cracks

In addition to renting special equipment, you can also pour it in manually, though it will take a lot of effort. If you use fibreglass insulation on garage walls, you can cover it with plastic film to keep the insulation looking polished and from collecting dust.

3. Radiant Barriers and Reflective Insulation Systems

Even without an air conditioner, these insulation systems reduce the temperature as they reflect heat directly. Unlike other insulation types, their effectiveness cannot be determined by an R-value.

Kraft paper or polyethylene bubbles are used to make radiant and reflective insulation. A reflective barrier is then created by wrapping them in aluminum foil. For garage doors, it can serve as a heat reflector. In hotter regions, you can use it as attic insulation.

4. Cellulose Insulation

Insulation made from cellulose is made of recycled paper and chemically treated to create fire resistance. A blowing machine is then used to blow the material into cavities and gaps.

Due to its loose-fill nature, this insulation is only suitable for finished spaces. The finished garage walls and ceiling can benefit from it.

5. Spray Foam Insulation

Air sealing is one of the best features of spray foam insulation. The R-value is the highest, but it is difficult to install. It is pretty expensive, so if you are going to use the area as a living space, only then you should install it in the garage. You can use it only for covering nooks and crannies.

Air Sealing Before Garage Insulation

There are many air gaps in an uninsulated garage. Filling those air gaps is also important as part of properly insulating your floor, ceiling, walls, and doors. The insulation won’t do much good if you don’t do that.

Before you begin your garage insulation project, you can seal those gaps. You need to spot these gaps and then fill in the holes and gaps with spray foam insulation.

Tools Required for Garage Insulation

The following list includes the tools you might need to complete garage insulation yourself.

• Insulation of your choice
• Ladder or scaffolding
• Construction tape
• Utility knife
• Measuring tape
• Utility screws
• Drill driver
• Hammer
• Screwdriver set
• Face mask
• Eye goggles
• Gloves
• Staple gun
• Vapour barrier
• Expanding foam to fill in the spaces
• Retainer pins
• Sealant gun
• Plywood or drywall
• Drywall screws
• Weatherstripping
• Edging strips

Safety Precautions for DIY Garage Insulation

The following safety measures should always be followed when DIYing garage insulation:

• Protect your lungs from insulating materials by wearing a facemask
• You should always wear protective eyewear when spraying or blowing in insulation.
• If you handle insulation, you should always wear gloves.

Things to Keep In Mind When Insulating Your Garage

Prior to starting the insulation process, you must control moisture on the concrete floor and make sure the electrical boxes aren’t covered..

• You should buy a scaffold if you are doing your own insulation. This will ensure your safety and make the job go smoothly.
• Ensure the insulation covering is covered with a vapour barrier to prevent moisture accumulation.
• The ceiling electrical boxes in the garage should not be covered. Be sure to keep the insulation loose around the boxes.
• The porous nature of concrete makes it capable of quickly transferring moisture. In the event that you don’t put on a vapour barrier before insulating, water can seep through and compromise the insulation.
• To avoid damaging your wall insulation, remove all hanging objects.
• Before installing insulation, cracks, holes, or gaps in the exterior wall should be sealed to avoid mould growth and moisture damage.
• It is possible to significantly increase the thickness of a floor by adding foam insulation and plywood on top. As a result, there will be a raised area from the garage door to the garage floor. Edging strips would be needed to smooth the edges.
• When insulating the ceiling, leave 1.5 inches of air space between the fibreglass insulation and the underside of the wood sheathing. This will result in a reduction of moulding.
• Three to five inches should be left between the insulation and the lights. If it is too close, a fire may break out.
• Be sure to use weather stripping on the bottom of the garage door and windows.

How to Insulate a Garage Ceiling?

It is essential to insulate garage ceilings to reduce energy loss, especially during the winter months. If the ceiling is not insulated, all the heat will escape through cracks and gaps. Garage ceilings typically require at least R-38 insulation, depending on the local climate.

Steps to Insulate a Garage Ceiling

1. Get your ladder or scaffolding ready. If you’re using a ladder, enlist the support of a family member or a friend.
2. Take accurate measurements. Measure the garage ceiling’s length and width. The area is then calculated by multiplying the length and width. Then determine the distance between joists and their depth. They normally have a depth of 8-10 inches.
3. Cut the insulating material to the exact measurements you took.
4. Install the ceiling insulation and secure it with a staple gun.
5. If any corners remain, cut the insulation to fit the space properly. To fill in the spaces, you can alternatively use expanding foam.
6. Cover the ceiling with plywood or drywall to complete the project.

How to Insulate a Garage Door?

You can keep your garage 20 degrees cooler in summer and 10-12 degrees warmer in winter by adding insulation to your garage door. 

The market offers fully insulated doors, but they can be quite expensive. With it installed by yourself, you can save money while preventing energy loss. The reflective foil on rigid boards can reflect heat away from hot regions. 

Insulating a garage door is different because the insulation does not have frames to firmly hold it in place. The insulation must be held in place using adhesive retainer pins. 

As the space allows only a thin layer of insulation, a garage door’s R-value usually ranges from R-18 to R-12.

Steps to Insulate a Garage Door

1. Using cleaning sprays, clean the door panels.
2. Each panel’s height and width should be measured because they may differ in size.
3. Cut the insulation to the required dimensions.
4. Locate a position 12 inches from the panel’s edge and halfway between the horizontal rails.
5. After that, install and press the retention pin into the panel.
6. Each panel should have two retaining pins to install.
7. The insulation should then be placed on the panel and pushed against the retaining pin.
8. Place the pin cap on top of the pin.
9. Repeat for each of the remaining panels.
10. After that, cover the insulation with weather stripping and fix it with nails.
11. Remove the old bottom seal and replace it with a new vinyl seal.
12. Check the operation of your door. If you lift it and then let it go, it should stay in place.
13. If it is not secured and falls off, have it adjusted by a door servicing provider.

How to Insulate Garage Walls?

It is common for garage walls to be inadequately insulated, especially if the garage is separate from the rest of your home. You should choose wall insulation if you plan on doing more than parking your car in the garage.

It can interfere with your garage’s cooling and heating processes if it is not insulated. Garage walls are better insulated with fibreglass foam. It is usually possible to fit R-13 or R-15 material in walls.

Steps to Insulate Garage Walls

1. Wall screws and hooks should be removed. That would necessitate the use of a hammer and a screwdriver.
2. Remove the wall covering and thoroughly clean the insulation region.
3. Look for cracks and gaps in the walls. Mould might form if water remains in the holes.
4. Cover these spots with a sealer.
5. Before installing insulation, let the sealant cure completely.
6. Insulate with fibreglass insulation first.
7. Instead of forcing the insulation to suit the area, trim it to fit the gaps between the wall studs.
8. After you’ve finished insulating, stapling a vapour barrier over the insulation will keep it in place.

How to Insulate a Garage Floor?

When you turn your garage into a workstation or a workshop, you do not want a rough, uninsulated concrete floor. It makes all the difference to have an insulated garage floor. Besides providing a more comfortable working area, it can also improve the energy efficiency of your garage.

Steps to Insulate a Garage Floor

1. Begin by putting down a vapour barrier on the floor. Then use polyethylene, which is an excellent moisture barrier.
2. Then cover the vapour barrier with a piece of rigid foam insulation. It is better to use compression-grade stiff foam panels.
3. Cut the pieces to fit the size of the floor with a sharp knife.
4. Cover the insulation layer with plywood sheets. Ensure that the plywood seams do not align with the foam seams by running perpendicular to the long dimension of the foam.
5. Panels should be 1/4 inch apart. To account for yearly contraction and expansion of the plywood, leaving a 1/2-inch gap around the edge.
6. Overlap the second sheet of plywood on top.
7. Use utility screws to join the two layers of plywood.
8. If the garage will still be used for vehicle parking, the region between the raised flooring and the driveway must be smoothed. Edging strips can be used for this.
9. The floor can then be sealed with tiles or matting. You can also paint or varnish the plywood with epoxy.

You can protect your garage from harsh temperature changes by adding insulation. Thus you can have a usable workspace throughout the year while also cutting down on your cooling costs.