Insulated Garage Door Houston, Tx
With rising energy costs, many Houston residents are conducting energy audits on their homes to help them save money throughout the year. An uninsulated garage door can id hot in the summer and does nothing to keep the house warm in the winter, resulting in higher fuel costs during both the heating and cooling months. Insulated garage doors can reduce your heat or cooling loss by up to 70%, and even though they are a little more expensive, the difference is soon made up over time.
An Introduction to Insulated Garage Doors
Many types of insulated garage doors can be found online and in your local home improvement store. You can find insulated double garage doors, steel insulated garage doors, and aluminum ones. The difference between an insulated vs uninsulated garage door is the initial price and the money that is saved by the way of lower energy bills. There are available in many of the same styles as standard garage doors.
Why Consider Insulated Garage Doors
- Less heat and cooling loss
- Save on your energy bill
- Act as a sound barrier
- Can be stronger than uninsulated
- Protects your car and belongings from temperature fluctuations
- Transforms your garage into a usable room
How Much Does an Insulated Garage Door Weigh?
An insulated garage door weighs a little bit more than a standard one because of the added weight of the insulating material. Some insulation bonds to the steel and serve as additional structural support. The type of insulation and how densely packed it is will make a difference in the weight of the garage door. If the weight goes up significantly, it could result in the need to add a different type of hardware or stronger spring. GDR Houston has a team of experts who can advise you as to whether this will be the case for your home.
Classes of Garage Doors
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Polystyrene insulated garage doors
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Polyurethane insulated garage doors
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Reflective insulated garage doors
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Fiberglass batting insulated garage doors
Insulated garage door panels are not all the same, and they have different properties when it comes to added weight and their ability to keep the heat or cold air inside. You can choose from among many different types of insulation, each of which has different properties. Here are some of the types of insulating materials that are available today.
- Polystyrene insulated garage doors.
Insulating a garage door using a foam board is a popular choice because of the cost, but polystyrene does not necessarily do the best job and insulating the door from outside temperatures. Polystyrene foam can be faced with aluminum or vinyl for a more attractive appearance. One of the advantages of polystyrene is that it can be installed on an existing garage door, but some of the other materials offer better insulating properties. - Polyurethane insulated garage doors.
Polyurethane-insulated garage doors. Polyurethane is applied by spraying to fill the space between double-layered panels. One of the reasons why it is such an excellent insulating material is that it will spread out to fill in all of the cracks and spaces better than panels. The foam bonds to the steel and makes it more resistant to dents. It also creates sound insulation. If you purchase a garage door that is already insulated, this is more than likely the type of material that is used. This insulation is placed inside of the door and will not be seen on the outside, which gives it an excellent aesthetic appearance. - Reflective insulation.
You can purchase reflective insulation that consists of a styrene foam board covered with reflective foil on one or both sides of the material. This is a relatively inexpensive solution and can be applied to existing garage doors. However, some people do not find it aesthetically pleasing, and it does not do as good a job of insulating as polyurethane spray foam. - Fiberglass batting insulation.
Fiberglass batting insulation is an inexpensive choice. It is more often used in attics and crawlspaces than for garage doors. It offers excellent insulating properties, but it is not the most aesthetically pleasing. This type of insulation is not as good at filling in the cracks as polyurethane foam, and it can become caught in garage door hardware and cause it to malfunction if not installed properly.
Insulated Garage Doors Price
When you are evaluating the cost of an insulated garage door, you have to consider the initial cost and the cost over time in terms of energy usage. It stands to reason that the best insulated garage doors are the most expensive on the market. The insulated garage doors cost depends on the type of insulation, whether they are double or single panels, and whether they are made from steel or some other material. You also have to consider how long the garage door will last when determining your budget. Steel doors can last up to 20 years and are considered the most durable, but you will also pay higher for them in the beginning
Styles of Insulated Garage Doors
You can find many different insulated garage doors available in several styles. The most common types are vinyl-backed and steel-backed insulated doors. You can also find double steel panels filled with polyurethane. They come in a range of styles including overhead and rollup garage doors. You can also find them in high-end styles like sliding or carriage-style ones. Regardless of the style you choose, you can expect to pay about 30% more on the initial price, but they will save you much more than that in energy savings.
Maintaining Insulated Garage Doors
is similar to that of any other garage door that is not insulated. Springs, pulleys, and other components must be lubricated and inspected to keep them in good working order. If you are insulating an existing door, you need to make sure that your hardware can handle the extra weight. The foam or polyurethane does not break down quickly over time, and you can expect it to last as long as the door itself without any additional maintenance.
Installing an Insulated Garage Door
The method used to insulate the door is dependent on the type of insulation you choose and whether you are installing it on an existing door. Many people choose garage door foam insulation because they think that it is easy to install themselves, but if not installed properly, you can have leaks, and it will not do the job of insulating that you expect it to do. This type of insulation can be attached with an adhesive, and you need to get the right one for your door.
If you have a double door, and you wish to have polyurethane foam inserted between the panels, you will have to hire an expert because it requires special training and equipment. Garage doors that are insulated are more expensive than uninsulated ones, and many things can go wrong that could damage your door frame or the door itself. For this reason, it is always best to have a professional install it so that the job is done properly. GDR of Houston specializes in the installation and repair of many types of garage doors, and we can ensure that you get the most energy efficiency from your purchase and that it will last for many years to come.
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