NF - garage door insulation

[GBW]

Hey all

 

I'm just wondering if anyone here has installed garage door insulation. How well does it work? Will it help the room above the garage stay warmer? I ask because my daughters room is over the garage, thanks.

 

Geoff

[Roy]

Great question Geoff. I'm looking for the same answers. I also need to change my door though. Also need to know which is the best door opener available.

[GBW]

Also need to know which is the best door opener available.

Craftsman

[Roy]

Craftsman

 

Really? Mine's a little bigger door... kind of like a garage and a half.

[Terry]

it will help

so will good sweeps on bottom and top and weather strips on sides

 

are you looking at the fiberglass with the vinyl on one side and you stick on pins to hold it

[GBW]

3/4HP with a track extender kit.

[GBW]

it will help

so will good sweeps on bottom and top and weather strips on sides

 

are you looking at the fiberglass with the vinyl on one side and you stick on pins to hold it

Going to do the weather strips too

 

Not sure what is out there. I have a wood doors.

[bigbuck]

I hate to say this but is your garage drywalled?? If so, you may need to remove it to inspect the ducting and insulation. I don't know if you watch Holmes on Holmes but this is an issue that he has run into time and time again. The room should be as warm as the rest of the house. Are you still covered under the Tarion new home warranty??

[Gerritt]

Geoff, perhaps I should make a road trip?

 

G

[fishing n autograph]

yup, happens in my house too....the rooms at the front of the house above the garage are freezing

[GBW]

I hate to say this but is your garage drywalled?? If so, you may need to remove it to inspect the ducting and insulation. I don't know if you watch Holmes on Holmes but this is an issue that he has run into time and time again. The room should be as warm as the rest of the house. Are you still covered under the Tarion new home warranty??

The garage is fully drywalled and insulated. The bedroom above it has the spray on expanding foam on all areas that are over the garage, inc. floor. And the house is 2.5 years old so Tarion will not do anything. I have a buddy that got a insulation sprayer may come and visit and check it out.

 

Geoff, perhaps I should make a road trip?

 

G

Sure, it's up to you G if you want to treck out to Brooklin.

[GBW]

I checked while my house was being built. They covered the floor joists, ducting etc in about 8" of spray foam

Same, the walls too.

[fish_fishburn]

I just used the 1" white styrofoam insulation. Just cut it to size to fit the door panels then taped them together with duct tape at the seams and done. It's not the prettiest but it does the job. They have been on there for almost 15 yrs now and still no problems.

[Guest gbfisher]

Are you 100% sure there's insulation in the floor above the garage?

I've seen it where the insulation was removed from a house before the drywall went up....or wasn't there to begin with. If it is insulated like you say it should be as warm as the rest of the house regardless if there's a door. Way to many times the insulation is minimal or there is none. An insulated door won't help unless you heat the garage.

[torco]

I have 70's side split and my daughters bedroom is over the garage and is cold. I have new doors on the garage but little to no insulation in the garage at all. I am looking to beef it up while I am on parental leave in January.

 

Its amazing how much of difference it can make, I am surprised with the insulation that it is still cold, I would think insulating the garage door would have to help.

[Twocoda]

Are you 100% sure there's insulation in the floor above the garage?

 

 

 

im going to answer this for him......of course there is ..otherwise the local building inspector didnt do his job when the house was being built...the reason it should be sprayed is to act as a vapour/carbon barrier as well as R value ....this has to be in place prior to getting an insulation/vapour pass for your permit

 

Roy_ when you purchase your new door for your garage ..buy an insulated door with the supports (for attaching your door opener to) installed inside the door...if your garage is insulated im going to assume ...the wallls are R 13 (2x4) then you should match the R factor to that ( R 13 Door) R value in a door is only as good as the walls surrounding it

Top of the line Chamberlain door openers ( red ones) are the best on the market will run you around 400 bucks but well worth it ...the key pads will give you garage temp/time and a few other tweeks

If your garage has 2x6 walls then it is likely insulated R 20 (could be R 24 but unlikely)...match that to the purchase of an insulated garage door of an R value 19...

 

regardless of the R value of the door it has to be installed correctly or you will be defeating the purpose...this includes sufficient down pressure from the door opener to seal the floor

 

Geoff- just a thought ...you might want to check behind the window trim of the cold rooms to ensure there is adequate insulation ( moisture on windows is a tell tale sign)...unless its the actual floor that cold then you may have to open up the ceiling to ensure the duct work is sprayed and not just sitting in a bulk head to cool by the time the warm air is sent to the rooms in question..

 

personally when i come across a build with this situation ( side/back splits) the ceiling in the garage is sprayed to R 40 and if the duct work is in a bulk head ...its insulated to another R 20 then boarded...

 

 

For those thinking that a heater in the garage will solve the problems ..your going to want to ensure there is a vapour barrier in the garage for the exterior walls...moisture will form and create different kinds of problems..

Edited December 14, 2010 by Twocoda

[irishfield]

If you're going new doors... Garaga insulated, professionally installed with their triple seals. I believe all mine are R12 or 13.

[Guest gbfisher]

im going to answer this for him......of course there is ..otherwise the local building inspector didnt do his job when the house was being built...the reason it should be sprayed is to act as a vapour/carbon barrier as well as R value

 

Roy_ when you purchase your new door for your garage ..buy an insulated door with the supports (for attaching your door opener to) installed inside the door...if your garage is insulated im going to assume ...the wallls are R 13 (2x4) then you should match the R factor to that ( R 13 Door) R value in a door is only as good as the walls surrounding it

Top of the line Chamberlain door openers ( red ones) are the best on the market will run you around 400 bucks but well worth it ...the key pads will give you garage temp/time and a few other tweeks

If your garage has 2x6 walls then it is likely insulated R 20 (could be R 24 but unlikely)...match that to the purchase of an insulated garage door of an R value 19...

 

regardless of the R value of the door it has to be installed correctly or you will be defeating the purpose...this includes sufficient down pressure from the door opener to seal the floor

 

Geoff- just a thought ...you might want to check behind the window trim of the cold rooms to ensure there is adequate insulation ( moisture on windows is a tell tale sign)...unless its the actual floor that cold then you may have to open up the ceiling to ensure the duct work is sprayed and not just sitting in a bulk head to cool by the time the warm air is sent to the rooms in question..

 

personally when i come across a build with this situation ( side/back splits) the ceiling in the garage is sprayed to R 40 and if the duct work is in a bulk head ...its insulated to another R 20 then boarded...

 

 

For those thinking that a heater in the garage will solve the problems ..your going to want to ensure there is a vapour barrier in the garage for the walls...moisture will form and create different kinds of problems..

 

My point.sorry if I wasnt clear enough. Shoulda added... to the beginning of my post.

Inspectors?? We dont need no stinkin inspectors eh. ..How bout contractors? Just because it was built by one doesnt mean squatt. Ive seen it where contractors board garages with no insulation and I've seen it where conractors remove insulation to put in the next 10 row houses for inspection Same house same amount of insulation. ... Passing inspection....

Edited December 14, 2010 by gbfisher

[Twocoda]

My point.sorry if I wasnt clear enough. Shoulda added... to the beginning of my post.

Inspectors?? We dont need no stinkin inspectors eh. ..How bout contractors? Just because it was built by one doesnt mean squatt. Ive seen it where contractors board garages with no insulation and I've seen it where conractors remove insulation to put in the next 10 row houses for inspection Same house same amount of insulation. ... Passing inspection....

 

a garage isnt habitable space...therefore ...does not require insulation or vapour barrier except on the walls /ceiling that is a divider to habitable space( hence the reason i suggested to investigate the walls before heating )

 

those days of removing insulation out of a house and moving it over to the next building are loooooong gone ...in the 70s it was a big thing because HUDAK back then wasnt up to speed as they should have been ...with Tarion in place these days ...any builder would be a complete idiot to try something like that today...its because of these idiots of yesteryear that the process of a build is so stringent today (not a bad thing) ..even the "geared to income " housing units of today are overkill with Geo thermal heating/cooling (at HUGE expense to the tax payers) but in the long run ...i suppose it makes it easier for the people that have to live in them make ends meet without the big utility bills

Edited December 14, 2010 by Twocoda

[tb4me]

Hi there.. I didnt read any other responses on this issue yet so im sorry if it has already been said. You need to cut a hole in the drywall of garage ceiling to determine what the issue is. Insulating your garage door will do nothing. I do these rooms over garages all the time.in fact im on my 4th this week alone. I have seen all the builders tricks. Im almost willing to bet they used r28 pink insulation with the vapor barrior insalled on the wrong side of the insulation.There will also no doubt not be any tuck tape on the seams of the vapor barrior.I have seen where the builders actually use your hard earned $ to heat the cavity between the floor joists to the drywall. Of course that wont work and all that does is waste energy, no matter how you heat. There also may be 1/2 pound foam. If its foam and white and you are able to make a snow ball like thing its no good. That foam is an "open cell" foam and air will travel right thru it. The only way (in my mind) is to remove all drywall and any insulation (including the 1/2 pound) on the ceiling and have Insta Insulation in to apply aprox 3 to 4 inches of 2lb "closed cell" foam. The nice thing about the 2lb foam is it is a vapor barrior.It may cost you a couple thousand dollars but you will never have a cold room above again. Please feel free to PMme if you wish further information.

Hope this info helps! Now to go back and read past posts! Good luck to all with cold rooms over garages. There realy is only one way to fix them.

[Guest gbfisher]

a garage isnt habitable space...therefore ...does not require insulation or vapour barrier except on the walls /ceiling that is a divider to habitable space( hence the reason i suggested to investigate the walls before heating )

 

those days of removing insulation out of a house and moving it over to the next building are loooooong gone ...in the 70s it was a big thing because HUDAK back then wasnt up to speed as they should have been ...with Tarion in place these days ...any builder would be a complete idiot to try something like that today...its because of these idiots of yesteryear that the process of a build is so stringent today (not a bad thing) ..even the "geared to income " housing units of today are overkill with Geo thermal heating/cooling (at HUGE expense to the tax payers) but in the long run ...i suppose it makes it easier for the people that have to live in them make ends meet without the big utility bills

 

Iwasn't suggesting to insulate the garage. Just said it wouldn't work with keeping the floor above warm if it wasn't....

Don't kid yerself with what contractors and inspectors are capable of.

70's It was late 80's actually when it was done. Mattamy homes was one of them.

[tb4me]

Iwasn't suggesting to insulate the garage. Just said it wouldn't work with keeping the floor above warm if it wasn't....

Don't kid yerself with what contractors and inspectors are capable of.

70's It was late 80's actually when it was done. Mattamy homes was one of them.

GBfisher is 100% right...I worked for Empire homes a few years ago. All I did was Tarion work. The problem were having today is these bigger builders are using sub trades for this type of work. They would think nothing to swap n skimp to save a few pennies. Been there done that had to deal with the miserable homeowners to get the t-shirt. Truse me insulation issues are NOT just a thing of the 70's. I do referal work for 2 different insulation comapnys. I go in remove garage ceilings and prep for the insulation. when insulation is complete I return and reboard. And yes you wll want all your duct work foamed over too! Again good luck

[GBW]

I thank you ALL for the replies! I will post pic's of the garage during the build of the house later.

[strik]

a garage isnt habitable space...therefore ...does not require insulation or vapour barrier except on the walls /ceiling that is a divider to habitable space( hence the reason i suggested to investigate the walls before heating )

 

those days of removing insulation out of a house and moving it over to the next building are loooooong gone ...in the 70s it was a big thing because HUDAK back then wasnt up to speed as they should have been ...with Tarion in place these days ...any builder would be a complete idiot to try something like that today...its because of these idiots of yesteryear that the process of a build is so stringent today (not a bad thing) ..even the "geared to income " housing units of today are overkill with Geo thermal heating/cooling (at HUGE expense to the tax payers) but in the long run ...i suppose it makes it easier for the people that have to live in them make ends meet without the big utility bills

 

 

WOW well said so truth full .... Does anyone know what a builder has to pay to have a house on the tarion warranty program trust me you do not want to mess this up over 200 dollars worth of insulation.. not saying peole dont make maskates but this is unlikely..

TWOCODA please drop me a pm

[Roy]

Thanks guys.