Garage door insulation

[OlongJohnson]

Hoping among our contractors on the site, there may be an SME or just someone with a reasonable amount of experience. And since my rabbit hole journey on this topic is significantly about safety, I figured it's a good topic for the forum generally.

I've decided it's time to insulate my garage. Figured I'd start with the door, because it doesn't involve drywall. Many hours of OCD research later, I've realized that most of what people do in this area is not really well thought out. It's just whatever's easiest, or what they can do, or whatever someone sells.

Exposed foam board insulation is generally not allowed under residential codes because it burns rapidly and produces a lot of smoke. That's true even with the aluminum facing that many prefer for garage doors. But the aluminum facing also makes it very rigid and difficult to install. There are some kits that come with a series of slots on the side meant to face the door, to make it easier to flex them into position, but they have no facing at all. You'll typically end up in the R4-R6 range. Whether or not the code applies to a garage attached to the main dwelling with a breezeway, I'd like to do better.

Owens Corning sells a garage door insulation kit consisting of fiberglass batts with a thin, apparently unreinforced vinyl facing and an R8 rating. Installation looks simple, but there are a lot of reviews talking about it sagging, and not being sealed around the edges, so possibly absorbing moisture, critters, dirt, etc., or having fibers fall out eventually. It also seems absurdly overpriced, given the generally low cost of fiberglass batts. But at least it got me thinking...

I realized that a steel building is pretty much the same technical situation, and I could probably get my whole door done with cut-off scraps that a contractor would be throwing in a dumpster. Started looking at the options online. The standard seems to be 3-inch thick glass batt with an R10 rating and the material costs more like what it should cost. Facings are available in a range of characteristics, up to "GymGuard," which is meant for fairly heavy service. I figure that level of durability isn't needed on a garage door, until it is. Tools, ladders, motorcycles, etc. all have potential to get dragged across it. The facings are all rated for their fire resistance, so at least I wouldn't be making the safety situation any worse (fuel cans, yard tools, motorcycles, solvents, lubricants, etc.)

I wrapped the pipe insulation on some outdoor stuff with quality aluminum tape about four years ago, and it's still holding up perfectly, in spite of full weather and daily Houston sun exposure, so I figure that should be a good option for sealing the edges.

Of course, I'll test the balance of the door against the springs once the extra weight is added, and have a pro come in and make any required changes to the springing.

I think I pretty much have a plan sorted out at this point, but thought I'd check and see if anyone out there in PFlandia knocks this stuff out every day for a living and can give me some pro tips.

[LOKNLOD]

Not a pro in the area here, but I did install the Owens-Corning kit like this at my previous house, and this summer did these foam board kits in our current garage. IT does have a bit of a plastic facing on the outside but not much if you were going to be rough with it. Installed on one door but not the other, the temp gun showed about a 30-deg difference on surface temp.

Either way, it's still hot in my west-facing garage in the Oklahoma summer. The foam was much easier, faster, and comfortable to installed. And a bit cheaper. The fiberglass was an itchy PITA to install, and it does rely on adhesives to hold the pins that stick it to the door. I didn't have problems with sagging (at least not in the short term before we moved houses). The fiberglass was heavier and a little harder on the door opener (the rubber belt it used was harder to keep tensioned, so I think it was a little too heavy for that design). However the fiberglass did a better job of quieting up the squeaks and rattles when the door was operating. I used the aluminum foil tape heavily to seal it all up around the edges of each panel, which helped - I haven't done that with the foam board yet.

I think any insulation solution you come up with is accomplishing the same thing, the kits are all about packaging it in a more convenient setup for the average homeowner with minimal waste and some instructions to follow.

[Darth_Uno]

Finally, something I can weigh in on. Unless you want to upgrade, we use CHI 2251 doors in all our homes. It's a steel door with vinyl backing, but the insulation is completely covered (not waterproof tight, but covered). This is IMO the best way to go, and instead of some junk kit just pay the $ to get a new door and be done. It really is a good product. There's no need to upgrade unless you want a different color or pattern that requires a steel backing, which does get you a better door, but at that point you're paying for looks and not performance in my professional opinion (although it would be a better door).

https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/20299...4-a4530f523137

[SD]

Myself I would replace my door with an insulated one. with fasteners, connectors and everything else on the door i don't feel you can add a bat kit, or even ridged insulation and successfully add any significant R-benefit to the building. FWIW- when i lived in upstate NY with Winter possible for 10, months of the year, my 24x24 pole barn had R-19 in the walls, non insulated doors and no ceiling. The R-19 was encased with 5/8 standard drywall. In the dead of winter on a [U]zero degree day[U] I could raise the temp to mid 50's in thirty-five minutes using a torpedo heater and two-head Mr. Heater. Currently living in Nashville and preparing to have a similar pole barn erected, this time it will be ROXUL insulation, & ½ moister drywall (green board) with a industry leading insulated overhead door.