How to Have an Energy-Efficient Garage

We all know how important it is to have an insulated house, but the same can be said about your garage—especially if it’s connected to your home.

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This winter has proven to be a chilly one so far, with cities like Fort McMurray, Alberta already experiencing temperatures as cold as -45 C. Now that’s cold!

You may not realize it, but without proper insulation in your residential garage, you’re welcoming cold weather into your home and wasting energy which, in turn, means higher bills.

While you may have not endured temperatures as low as our Prairie neighbours, you still may be letting cool air into your home, and savings out. So, whether your city gets frigid like Regina, has chinooks like Calgary, or rains like Vancouver, these simple solutions will reduce your energy costs and keep more money in your wallet.

Have an insulated garage door

What’s the best way to conserve energy in your garage this season? Make sure your garage door has a high R-value—that is, a high thermal resistance factor. For our chilly Canadian winters, we recommend an R-value no less than 11.

Related: What Is R-Value and Why Is It so Important?

Insulate your garage roof

Adding insulation to the roof of your garage is one of the most effective ways to improve your garage’s energy efficiency. When inspecting your roof, check for cracks and leaks. If there’s more damage than anticipated, it’s best to replace the roof entirely, which will help keep the heat inside.

Insulate and air seal your garage walls

If you garage doesn’t have any interior walls, now’s the time to put some up. By insulating your walls and air sealing any cracks in the walls and around windows, outlets and doors, heat will remain inside your garage, where it belongs. You’ll also be protecting your family from unwanted fumes if your garage is attached to your home.

Related: How to Keep the Room Above Your Garage Warm

Check the floor

Cracks in your garage floor allow cold air into your garage and lead to heaving. Use caulking to fill in any cracks and place garage mats down to prevent cold air from rising up from the floors. If you have a second floor in your garage, properly insulate the area to prevent heat escaping from the roof.

Inspect your windows

Broken windows or those improperly insulated are huge culprits for letting cold air in, and warm air out. Start by examining windows for cracks or breaks. Any broken windows will need to be replaced. Repair or replace any worn weather-stripping seals around windows and insulate them with insulated window kits, which can be found at most hardware stores. If you have any storm windows, check them to ensure they are properly shut.

Related: Garage Door Windows 101

Look at the lights

To save even more energy, put your lights on a timer and seal up any skylights with caulking to keep cold air out of the space. Thinking of LEDs? Although energy-efficient, LED lights can interfere with the signal sent from a garage door opener, which prevents it from functioning properly.

Need a garage door with a higher R-value or garage door repair? Creative Door can help! Contact us today to make an appointment.

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