Installing insulation in your garage is a great way to control the temperature of your home, saving you money on your utility bills. Luckily for you, installing insulation can be very easy and something you can do on your own! Here are some tips our team here at New York Gates has for the people of the New York City area when it comes to garage door insulation!
What is Insulation
Insulation comes in many different types and is designed to keep the warm and cool air out of your attic. You install this material along the walls of your attic, garage, or basement in order to better control the temperature of the room. By controlling the temperature of these rooms, you can better control the temperature of your entire home. Here are some of the different types of insulation:
- Fiberglass insulation
- Cellulose insulation
- Rigid foam insulation
- Spray foam insulation
- Garage door insulation – some types of insulation are designed specifically for garage doors
Each of these different materials provides its own pros and cons. For example, fiberglass is widely considered the highest quality but it also costs the most. Cellulose is one of the most popular types of material as it’s solid quality and is the most cost-efficient option.
Why You Should Insulate Your Garage
The obvious and most notable benefit insulation provides is added control of the temperature. This can actually help save you a noticeable chunk of money on your monthly energy bill. Your home will no longer require extra energy to try to warm/cool the garage and the rooms surrounding it.
Another added benefit is that it can help create a sound-proof environment, keeping sounds out or in. If you live in a busy area, an insulated garage can help keep the noise of passing cars out of the room. Or, if you use your garage as a music studio, it will prevent the music from waking your family members or neighbors.
How to Insulate Your Garage Yourself
Insulating a garage is one of the most common DIY projects, as it’s fairly easy and doesn’t require high-end materials or industry-grade equipment. As a homeowner, it’s up to you to determine how much of each material you will need for your particular garage. Here are some of the tools that you will need to install the insulation:
- The insulation
- A sharp utility knife
- Wood
- Staple gun and staples
As you can tell, you don’t need too many tools to complete the process. If you do plan on doing it yourself, you should try to block off an entire weekend. It can be a bit of a lengthy project, especially if you have a larger garage. Here is how you will add the insulation to the garage:
1. Clear the Walls for the Insulation
First and foremost, you will need to be sure that there is enough room for you to install the insulation. If your garage has drywall, you will need to remove it. This can be a difficult step, as it requires you to dispose of a large amount of trash. Some experts recommend renting a residential dumpster to dispose of the trash.
Be sure to clear out any dirt and clear out the stud cavities, as leaving these in too long can cause damage to the insulation itself. One of the most important parts of this part of the project is looking for mold in the garage. If you come across mold, you will need to contact an expert immediately as mold can be very dangerous.
2. Look for Gaps and Crack in the Wall
Next, you will want to fill out any gaps or cracks located in the walls of your garage. These gaps or cracks can lead to air sneaking into your garage, essentially preventing the insulation from doing its job. All it takes is one small crack or gap to impact the temperature of your garage thus impacting the temperature of your home.
You will need to get your expanding foam and vigorously shake it for about a minute or two. Then, attach the straw to the can and hold it upside down to spray it in the openings. You should only fill the gaps about 50% full as the foam will continue to expand and fill the space. Give it around 15 minutes to continue expanding.
3. Install the Insulation
Next, you will need to install the insulation in your garage. Staple the paper face of the insulation to the side of the stud, NOT the face of the stud. You’ll need to leave the face of the stud exposed to install the drywall on top of the insulation. Next, put a piece of wood on top of the insulation to use as a guide to cut the insulation to the right size.
Using your utility knife, cut any of the excess insulation so it fits the size of the stud. Tuck the insulation so it’s easier to staple down. Finally, staple the insulation all the way down the side of the stud.
4. Cover the Insulation with Drywall
Finally, you will want to cover the insulation with drywall. It’s important to note, you should never leave the paper of the insulation exposed. This can be a fire hazard, leaving you, your family, and your home in danger.
New York Gates is the leading security gate and commercial garage door supplier and installer in New York City. We service all the 5 boroughs of NYC. Get in touch with New York Gates today for a FREE quote.
